THE fall-out over the controversial signing by Rangers of the former Celtic striker, Maurice Johnston, in July 1989, prompted Jack Webster, the Glasgow Herald columnist, to go back in time in search of a football legend.

From all that publicity about the man now reviled by followers of Celtic my thoughts were turning to the other end of that scale to a man who gained immortality as one of the greatest footballers of all time, hailed from every side for being the kind of man he was, Webster wrote.

I was thinking of Jimmy Delaney, a gladiator of the soccer arena for more than 20 years and darling of the Celtic Park supporters in particular. What a contrast, I thought, between the pampered prima donnas of today, earning millions without being able to lace the boots of the dashing Delaney, who reached the peak of his income in the 1950s with a weekly wage of 14!

Delaney played for Celtic for 12 years and moved on to Manchester United and, later, Aberdeen, Falkirk, and Derry City. He was capped 15 times for Scotland. Once when he played at Celtic Park with Aberdeen, the Celtic fans rose to acclaim him. He won the Scottish Cup with Celtic, the FA Cup with Manchester United, and an Irish Cup medal with Derry City.

In 1939 he broke his arm so badly that he was out of the game for more than two years.

For his article Webster spoke to Delaney at his home in a quiet little street in Cleland. Alas, the heroic figure was confined to bed, the man who fought bravely in many a soccer skirmish now fighting the bravest battle of all. Said Delaney: I had a great life in football. I loved the game so much that Saturdays couldnt come round soon enough.

Jimmy Delaney passed away a couple of months after the interview.

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Those were the days - The immortal Jimmy Delaney - HeraldScotland