Willie Wallace Heart of a Lion - The Life and Times of Lisbon Lion William Wallace. Foreword by Rod Stewart. Tribute to the career of Willie Wallace by respected broadcaster Archie MacPherson. The untold story of Lisbon 1967 written by the blogger Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan. Statistics by Celtic writer Pat Woods. Edited by Michael Knowling. New colour photographs from Lisbon on 25th May 1967. This is a story of a Lisbon Lion. This is the story of Celtic in Lisbon and becoming the first British club to win the European Cup.
The following is a extract from the book from Archie's contribution:
"When I went to Celtic Park for the first leg of that European Cup semi-final on 12 April, 1967, it was for a radio commentary, with George Davidson my colleague on the television platform. I felt I had experienced one of the finest finishes ever seen at Celtic Park in the tie before, when I did the television commentary and tried to lift my voice above the clamour in the old “Jungle” as Billy McNeill scored the winning goal in the last seconds of the game against Vojvodina. Could this one against Dukla be any more dramatic than that? Willie Wallace helped provide the answer.
His two goals in the second half are as indelibly fixed in the mind as that Vojvodina winner. Dukla were strong and organised but twice caught out by Willie’s alertness. The first one came at 1–1 in the 59th minute. I can still see Tommy Gemmell trying to emulate American football’s “Hail Mary” pass with a long, speculative punt, high into the dark skies and it falling just beside one of the Dukla defenders, just inside the box, who was utterly surprised by Willie’s one-touch goal, the ball slipping off the side of his foot passed a stunned goalkeeper. He was even more stunned six minutes later and had to stand rooted to the spot after Bertie Auld cutely sent a quick, short, square pass from a free kick to Willie just outside the box and, again with one touch, he swept it past the surprised and unmoving keeper into the net. That did it, 3–1."
Join Willie Wallace on the journey of a lifetime. And a fascinating trip it has been, as you'll find out in Heart of a Lion. This is Willie's story, from boyhood in Kirkintilloch, to the life of a professional footballer criss-crossing Scotland and Europe as part of the al-conquering Celtic squad of the late 1960s, to the decision to make a post-retirement home under the warm Australian sun.
While there are plenty of football recollections to relish, Heart of a Lion is about much more: It is about Willie's devotion to family, especially his wife Olive and daughters Lynn and Fiona; it is about the irrepressible enjoyment of life that allows him to find humour in almost any situation; and it is about his special relationship with - and respect for - the fans who make the game truly great.
Scotland has had two famous men named William Wallace. Heart of a Lion reveals the journey of today's Wallace to be no less colourful, courageous and loyal than that of his predecessor.
Willie Wallace Heart of a Lion is also available in Hardback priced at £20.
The following is a extract from the book from Archie's contribution:
"When I went to Celtic Park for the first leg of that European Cup semi-final on 12 April, 1967, it was for a radio commentary, with George Davidson my colleague on the television platform. I felt I had experienced one of the finest finishes ever seen at Celtic Park in the tie before, when I did the television commentary and tried to lift my voice above the clamour in the old “Jungle” as Billy McNeill scored the winning goal in the last seconds of the game against Vojvodina. Could this one against Dukla be any more dramatic than that? Willie Wallace helped provide the answer.
His two goals in the second half are as indelibly fixed in the mind as that Vojvodina winner. Dukla were strong and organised but twice caught out by Willie’s alertness. The first one came at 1–1 in the 59th minute. I can still see Tommy Gemmell trying to emulate American football’s “Hail Mary” pass with a long, speculative punt, high into the dark skies and it falling just beside one of the Dukla defenders, just inside the box, who was utterly surprised by Willie’s one-touch goal, the ball slipping off the side of his foot passed a stunned goalkeeper. He was even more stunned six minutes later and had to stand rooted to the spot after Bertie Auld cutely sent a quick, short, square pass from a free kick to Willie just outside the box and, again with one touch, he swept it past the surprised and unmoving keeper into the net. That did it, 3–1."
Join Willie Wallace on the journey of a lifetime. And a fascinating trip it has been, as you'll find out in Heart of a Lion. This is Willie's story, from boyhood in Kirkintilloch, to the life of a professional footballer criss-crossing Scotland and Europe as part of the al-conquering Celtic squad of the late 1960s, to the decision to make a post-retirement home under the warm Australian sun.
While there are plenty of football recollections to relish, Heart of a Lion is about much more: It is about Willie's devotion to family, especially his wife Olive and daughters Lynn and Fiona; it is about the irrepressible enjoyment of life that allows him to find humour in almost any situation; and it is about his special relationship with - and respect for - the fans who make the game truly great.
Scotland has had two famous men named William Wallace. Heart of a Lion reveals the journey of today's Wallace to be no less colourful, courageous and loyal than that of his predecessor.
Willie Wallace Heart of a Lion is also available in Hardback priced at £20.
