As supporters come to terms with the sad news of Tommy Gemmell’s death the laughs, stories and jokes associated with the Celtic great are beginning to emerge.
Wherever Gemmell went mischief wasn’t far away, his team-mates loved him for it and even Jock Stein recognised that Gemmell, Jimmy Johnstone and Bertie Auld brought something special to the social side of the lions.
In the early nineties as football became trendy the BBC hosted an off beat show hosted by Frank Skinner and David Baddiel.
One feature of the show was called Phoenix from Flames when great footballing moments were relived for the benefit of a newer audience.
Having scored in two European Cup Finals Gemmell was a natural choice for the show but rather than relive his glory moments in Lisbon or Milan they decided to look at another incident in the legendary full-back’s career.
Being one of the biggest characters in the business big Tam was happy to go along with the script.
