HIS FACE says it all – Celtic captain Billy McNeill was over the moon when his team won the 1965 Scottish Cup Final.

Here he is being held aloft by his fellow players, who beat Dunfermline 3-2 in what the Evening Times called “one of the best cup finals seen at Hampden in recent years.”

It was Saturday, April 24, and a crowd of 108,000 watched as the Fife side took the lead when Harry Melrose scored in the 16th minute. Bertie Auld equalised for Celtic, then John McLaughlin restored Dunfermline’s lead shortly before half-time.

It was, observed our sports reporter, “a goal fit to win any cup”: However, Auld equalised for a second time, in the 51st minute and the Celtic victory was sealed by McNeill’s header nine minutes before time.

“This was the cup-winning goal,” enthused our reporter, “and it was one worthy to win any great tournament.”

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It was a huge victory for Celtic and began what fans referred to as the ‘golden era’ of Jock Stein’s spell as manager.

Seven of the players who played in this cup final went on to become Lisbon Lions in 1967.