When Atletic Bilbao saluted a Celtic great

Twitter yesterday threw up a reminder of the respect and esteem that one of the greatest Celts is held in.

A full 44 years after Billy McNeill’s final playing appearance, Athletic Bilbao honoured the former Celtic captain in a moving ceremony at the San Mames Stadium.

John Clark and Susan Chalmers, one of Billy’s daughters, were invited to a match as the stadium screens paid tribute to Big Billy while the fans raised their scarves to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone.

It speaks volumes for the achievements of Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions that they were remembered and honoured in such a way, and also says so much about Athletic Bilbao that they recognise greatness far from their base in the Basque country.

Before that recognition of McNeill there were no real bonds between the two clubs, a friendly was played in 2010 but down the years Celtic have played in many similar games. Since then the hoops have been invited over to Spain for matches against Elche and Villarreal.

Currently Athletic are sitting in eight place in La Liga, with four matches left to play they are one point behind Girona in the race for a place in the UEFA Conference.

Whether they are successful or not remains to be seen but clearly they are a club of substance who look at the bigger picture rather than whatever it takes to bag the next three points.

 

The 2010 friendly, without international players and the u-19 youth side involved in an SFA Youth Cup semi-final.

ATHLETIC BILBAO (4-2-3-1)
Raul; Amorebieta (Balenziaga 45), Iturraspe, Gabilondo, Susaeta; Orbaiz (Koikili 66), Gurpegui (Guarrotxena 45); Aitorocio, Castillo (Cerrajeria 66), Diaz De Cerio; Ekiza
Subs not used: Iraizoz

CELTIC (4-4-2)
Zaluska (Cervi 85); Fraser (Jones 85), Loovens, Mulgrew, Chalmers; Cha, Herron (Watt 60), Conroy (Lowdon 73), Ljungberg; Stokes (Spence 88), Murphy

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