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Billy McNeill: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is Billy McNeill? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Billy McNeill
Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl

William McNeill (2 March 1940 – 22 April 2019) was a Scottish football player and manager. He had a long association with Celtic, spanning more than sixty years as a player, manager and club ambassador. McNeill captained Celtic's 'Lisbon Lions' to their European Cup victory in 1967 and later spent two spells as the club's manager. As a player and manager, he won 31 major trophies with Celtic. A defender, McNeill played for Celtic for his entire senior career, and holds the club record for most appearances, a total of 822 games over 18 seasons. He was captain during their most successful era in the 1960s and 70s. The club won nine consecutive Scottish league championships and thirteen other major domestic trophies in this time, and in 1967 became the first British club to win the European Cup. He also played 29 times for Scotland. McNeill managed Celtic for nine seasons, from 1978 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991, winning four Scottish league championships. This included a league and cup double in 1987–88, the club's centenary season. He also managed Clyde, Aberdeen, Manchester City and Aston Villa. In 2015, Celtic installed a statue outside Celtic Park of McNeill holding aloft the European Cup, an iconic image in their history.

Quick facts about Billy McNeill

  • Full name: Billy McNeill
  • Born: 1940-03-02
  • Nationality: United Kingdom
  • Known as: Athlete
  • Wikidata ID: Q526300

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Billy McNeill?

William McNeill (2 March 1940 – 22 April 2019) was a Scottish football player and manager.

What nationality is Billy McNeill?

Billy McNeill is United Kingdom.

When was Billy McNeill born?

Billy McNeill was born on 1940-03-02.

Sources

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