Jimmy Johnstone 1944-2006

June 10th, 1967 and the final whistle blows on the Alfredo Di Stefano testimonial at the Bernabeu Stadium. Celtic have beaten Real Madrid 1-0. The ball is where it has spent a large proportion of the previous ninety minutes - at the feet of Jimmy Johnstone. The Celtic winger picks it up and holds it in the air with one hand, taking the acclaim of 100,000 Madrilenos, whose tribute to their own retiring great has turned into a showcase for the mesmeric talent of the diminutive redhead in the Celtic no.7 jersey. The home support had cried "ole" at every dribble, flick and feint, and Di Stefano insisted on Johnstone joining his commemorative photograph along with Puskas, Santamaria and Gento.

I saw footage of this famous night in a video produced in the early 1990s, simply entitled Jinky. These pictures, and all the other footage included in the video, were a core text in my house growing up - a sacred catechism that was viewed repeatedly until the images of Jimmy Johnstone's brilliance in the muddy arenas of the late 1960s and early 1970s became indelibly imprinted onto my psyche. For my generation, who had never seem him play, these clips were to be treasured, primary evidence of the talent of the man who, even today, is regarded as the club's greatest ever player.

But the Di Stefano testimonial has always stood out for me in regards to memories of Jinky, even more so than the European Cup Final of the same year or the semi-final against Leeds in 1970, which also figure heavily in the video. Indeed, the latter two-legged tie was one of his crowning glories, when his genius bamboozled the formidable Leeds defence of the day, leading to the following exhange between Terry Cooper, the Leeds full-back and Johnstone's main victim, and the notorious Norman Hunter:

Hunter: "Kick him!!"

Cooper:"Kick him?! I can't get near him to kick him - you come out and kick him!"

Hunter duly tried, and met with as much success as his colleague, as Johnstone inspired Celtic to a famous 3-1 aggregate victory.

I remember the clips of the Di Stefano testimonial with fondness, however, because it seemed to feature Johnstone where he truly belonged - bestriding a pantheon of greats, and being showered with the recognition of legends, peers and fans alike. Because he played his football in one of Europe's smaller leagues and, internationally, for a Scottish team which did not qualify for a World Cup while he was at his prime, his greatness is often forgotten outside of the Celtic family and Scottish football.

At the time his reknown was spread throughout Europe. In France he became known as the "Flying Flea" after Celtic defeated Nantes in 1966. Then there is the story of the famous night when Celtic played Red Star Belgrade in the home leg of a European Cup tie at Parkhead. Jock Stein, aware that Johnstone was terrified of flying, promised him that he would excuse him from playing in the second leg if the winger helped create enough of a lead in the home leg in Glasgow.

True to form, Johnstone played out of his skin in Glasgow, scoring twice and making three of the five goals that would render his trip abroad unnecessary. The Yugoslavian pressmen begged him to play in the return leg, for the benefit of the locals' viewing pleasure, but Johnstone steadfastly refused.

Where George Best's pop star looks and flamboyant lifestyle embellished his legend as surely as his own wonderful talent, Johnstone's glory resided purely in his ability. Not only in the jaw-dropping insolence of his dribbling, but in the sheer courage of the 5ft 4inch winger's spirit in enduring the brutal treatment from defenders which was permitted at that time. Indeed, the deep love that the wee man inspired in Celtic supporters was partly due to the lionhearted way he refused to allow the savagery of his opponents to prevent him from embarking on yet another run.

It was a courage that he exhibited until his death this morning at age 61 from motor neurone disease, bearing his suffering with good humour and dignity. A hero to the end.

Rest in peace, Jinky.