CELTIC players will wear numbers five and nine on their shorts at this season's Scottish Cup final in honour of club legends Billy McNeill and Stevie Chalmers.
Both Lisbon Lions passed away recently and the numbers they wore in the 1967 European Cup final will take pride of place on May 25, exactly 52 years after the final, when Celtic face Hearts and attempt to win their treble Treble.
"One number will be on the front left of the shorts, while the other will be on the back right, a reflection of the iconic way the Celtic players wore their numbers in the 1960s when Billy and Stevie wore the green and white Hoops with such distinction," Celtic revealed today.
"Billy and Stevie both sadly passed away last month, and the cup final tribute will be a particularly poignant one, given that the game at Hampden against Hearts will take place on Saturday, May 25 – exactly 52 years after Billy McNeill captained Celtic to victory in the European Cup final over Inter Milan at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon, with Stevie Chalmers scoring the decisive goal in the 2-1 victory.
"As well as having the two numbers on their shorts, the Celtic players will also walk out at Hampden wearing alternate jackets with ‘McNEILL 5’ and ‘CHALMERS 9’ on the back."
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