ARCHBISHOP Philip ­Tartaglia cast his gaze over the ranks of mourners gathered in front of him inside St Aloysius’s Church, and if his eyes had misted over at that precise moment you would have forgiven him. He is, after all, a football fan, a Celtic fan, of many years’ standing.

“I must admit to a great deal of excitement,” he said, “because my heroes, past and present are among the congregation this morning.”

Occupying the pews were many distinguished names from the world of football –Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Brendan Rodgers, Walter Smith, to say nothing of Neil Lennon, David Hay, John Greig, Martin O’Neill, Danny McGrain, Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, Willie Henderson, and a few surviving Lisbon Lions.

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The current Celtic squad was there, too, as were many notable former players.

Outside the church waited a patient and ever-growing crowd of Celtic fans, the first of whom had arrived before 10am, ninety minutes before the funeral mass began. The service was relayed onto the street by loudspeakers.

All of them – the football hall-of-famers and high achievers, the family and close friends, the fans in the street – had gathered to pay their final respects to Billy McNeill, captain of the Lisbon Lions, who died on April 22, aged 79.

The Archbishop said: “Billy McNeill will remain in our hearts and minds undoubtedly as a football icon and a Celtic legend. But at the same time, Billy was a family man who loved his wife and children. He treasured the intimacy of his family life. As with the best of heroes, he was blessed with an unassuming character. He never forgot his own origins and he always had time for ordinary people and fans.”

One of the eulogies was given by McNeill’s son, Martyn.

He said that when his parents first got together, “they were the original Posh and Becks – my father the young footballer, my mother the glamorous dancer off television.”

He said his father had taught his children right from wrong, “the man who would get us into trouble when we were naughty.

“He was also the man who would storm out of the house at three o’clock in the morning, wearing nothing but a house-coat, to pull my sisters out of his prize hedge when they came home slightly the worse for wear.”

Archie Macpherson spoke affectionately of the public and private McNeill.

He recalled that epic day in Lisbon in May 1967 when the Celtic captain lifted the European Cup, making his way through a throng of fans to do so.

Read more: Billy McNeill funeral: Applause across Glasgow as Celtic hero makes final journey to Paradise

Referring to the photograph on the back of the order of service, Macpherson said: “He looks slightly dishevelled, a bit weary but also, I think, wearing a puzzled look, as if he hadn’t really taken in what these local lads from around Glasgow had achieved, reaching the pinnacle of European football.

“Believe you me, even the most talented Hollywood agency could not have tasked a better man for that particular role of lifting the cup. Tall, handsome ... He did have the looks. And as soon as he got the cup in his hands, he was enlivened. It was as if he had been transfused.”

Macpherson spoke of a much later encounter, when he arrived at McNeill’s home to do a TV interview, and suggested that McNeill display his medals “as tangible evidence of your achievements.”

But neither he nor Liz knew where they were; it turned out, Macpherson said that “they were with some of the ladies I can see right here down at the front when they were wee lassies.”

At just after 1pm, the coffin was borne out to the hearse with its floral tribute, ‘Billy’, above the front windscreen. The fans applauded, and some dabbed at their eyes.

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The music came out of the loudspeakers at full volume: The Prayer, performed live by the tenor, John Innes. It was an emotional end to an emotional service.

The cortege moved down the street, applauded all the way, before it took Cesar for one final drive past the ground and the club he loved so much, and where thousands of fans put their hands together to bid farewell to one of their own, an inspirational captain and manager.