Jim Craig (footballer)
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Philip Craig (born 7 May 1943 in Glasgow
) is a retired footballer who played as a fullback
. Most closely associated with Celtic
, he was a member of their Lisbon Lions
side which won the 1967 European Cup
.
A conscientious student at Glasgow's St Gerard's School, Craig's first senior side was the Glasgow University representative side, which he played for while studying dentistry
at the institution. He joined Celtic in 1963, on amateur terms, so as to allow him to complete his studies and having done so, signed as a full professional in January 1965.
Craig's abilities and style of play matched manager Jock Stein
's tactical philosophy and he soon displaced Willie O'Neill and Ian Young as Celtic's regular right back. Stein encouraged his fullbacks to
overlap the side's midfield to provide additional support to the forwards
, in the style of the modern wing-back role,
and in Craig and left back Tommy Gemmell
he found willing protagonists.
During his tenure at Parkhead
, Craig collected 14 domestic honours as well as a European Cup
medal in 1967. He made 231 appearances for Celtic scoring 6 goals. He won one cap for the Scotland national side.
Craig left Celtic to live in South Africa
in May 1972, where he played for Hellenic FC
, however after 6 months he returned to Britain. He joined Sheffield Wednesday
, with the South Yorkshire
side paying Celtic £10,000 compensation, as they had retained his registration. He retired from football in 1973, to concentrate his efforts upon his dentistry career.
In July 1974 he succeeded Shay Brennan
as player-manager of Waterford United
. However in December, after one substitute appearance, Craig informed the club that he was unable to commit to the role due to a "domestic problem". In 2001 he was made Honorary President of the Belfast Shamrock Celtic Supporters Club, which subsequently changed its name to Jim Craig Celtic Supporters Club in 2011.
Jim Craig is now actively part of the Celtic community, he currently hosts Channel67
an online streaming service which provides video streams and audio streams of every Celtic match. Jim regularly updates the Jim Craig Celtic Supporters Club blog site www.JimCraigCSC.com with topical articles and the odd walk down memory lane.
His son James Craig
is a notable rugby player who was capped for the Scotland national rugby union team
four times between 1997-2001.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a retired footballer who played as a fullback
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. Most closely associated with Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, he was a member of their Lisbon Lions
Lisbon Lions
The Lisbon Lions is the nickname given to the Celtic team that won the European Cup at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal on 25 May 1967, defeating Internazionale 2–1. All the members of this team were born within 30 miles of Glasgow, Scotland. Celtic's style was the antithesis of the...
side which won the 1967 European Cup
European Cup 1966-67
The 1966–67 season of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Celtic for the first time in the final against Internazionale, who eliminated defending champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals...
.
A conscientious student at Glasgow's St Gerard's School, Craig's first senior side was the Glasgow University representative side, which he played for while studying dentistry
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
at the institution. He joined Celtic in 1963, on amateur terms, so as to allow him to complete his studies and having done so, signed as a full professional in January 1965.
Craig's abilities and style of play matched manager Jock Stein
Jock Stein
John 'Jock' Stein CBE was a Scottish association football player and manager. He became the first manager of a British side to win the European Cup, with Celtic in 1967...
's tactical philosophy and he soon displaced Willie O'Neill and Ian Young as Celtic's regular right back. Stein encouraged his fullbacks to
overlap the side's midfield to provide additional support to the forwards
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, in the style of the modern wing-back role,
and in Craig and left back Tommy Gemmell
Tommy Gemmell
Thomas Gemmell is a former Scottish footballer and manager.He played as left-sided fullback and had powerful shooting ability. In October 1961, he joined Celtic from Coltness United. He was one of the 'Lisbon Lions' who won the European Cup in 1967. In the final he scored a spectacular goal that...
he found willing protagonists.
During his tenure at Parkhead
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
, Craig collected 14 domestic honours as well as a European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
medal in 1967. He made 231 appearances for Celtic scoring 6 goals. He won one cap for the Scotland national side.
Craig left Celtic to live in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in May 1972, where he played for Hellenic FC
Hellenic FC
Hellenic FC was a South African association football club based in Cape Town. They were nicknamed The Greek Gods.Established in 1958 by Greek South Africans, Hellenic campaigned in the lower amateur leagues of Cape Town...
, however after 6 months he returned to Britain. He joined Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, with the South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
side paying Celtic £10,000 compensation, as they had retained his registration. He retired from football in 1973, to concentrate his efforts upon his dentistry career.
In July 1974 he succeeded Shay Brennan
Shay Brennan
Seamus Anthony "Shay" Brennan was an English-born Irish footballer in the 1960s. He was a full back for Manchester United....
as player-manager of Waterford United
Waterford United
Waterford United is an Irish football club playing in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded and elected to the league in 1930 and hails from Waterford. Originally the club was based at Kilcohan Park greyhound stadium, but have now moved to the Waterford Regional Sports...
. However in December, after one substitute appearance, Craig informed the club that he was unable to commit to the role due to a "domestic problem". In 2001 he was made Honorary President of the Belfast Shamrock Celtic Supporters Club, which subsequently changed its name to Jim Craig Celtic Supporters Club in 2011.
Jim Craig is now actively part of the Celtic community, he currently hosts Channel67
Channel67
Channel67 is the internet television channel of Celtic Football Club.Launched in 2002 as Celtic Replay, it broadcasts Celtic's own content worldwide, offers live match coverage to subscribers outside the UK, and currently provides 3 online channels. The name Channel67 refers to Celtic's European...
an online streaming service which provides video streams and audio streams of every Celtic match. Jim regularly updates the Jim Craig Celtic Supporters Club blog site www.JimCraigCSC.com with topical articles and the odd walk down memory lane.
His son James Craig
James Craig (rugby union)
James Matthew Craig is a Scottish rugby union player.He was capped four times between 1997–2001 for ., he also played for West of Scotland FC and Glasgow Caledonians....
is a notable rugby player who was capped for the Scotland national rugby union team
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
four times between 1997-2001.