This programme examines the life of a phenomenal Scottish sporting talent Jimmy Johnstone, telling the story of the highs and the lows of an unforgettable working class footballer, Celtic legend, husband and father who lost his life to motor neurone disease age 61.
Broadcast on BBC ALBA in 2016, the feature-length documentary Jimmy Johnstone was nominated for bronze torc for excellence by the Celtic Media Festival.
A European Cup winner in 1967, voted the Greatest Ever Celtic player in 2002 and revered by football fans and peers the world over, Jimmy Johnstone sadly lost his life on the 13th of March 2006, having being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2000.
One of the most talented and respected footballers Scotland has ever seen, Jimmy Johnstone hailed from humble beginnings. Alongside four siblings, he was raised in the small village of Viewpark near Glasgow and his natural talent, coupled with his sheer determination to succeed, enabled him to play for his beloved Celtic, showcasing his phenomenal talents the world over.
Despite his worldwide success, Jimmy never forgot his roots. He was a working class hero, a man who experienced a number of challenges throughout his life, some of them played out negatively in the public eye, but he was also a man who had a profound effect on those who knew him. In his final years, as he battled MND, he was an inspiration.
Jimmy Johnstone is an intimate portrayal of that legacy, an insight into the man and the footballer, told through the testimony of the people that knew and loved him most; his wife Agnes and daughters Marie and Eileen and son James, and former teammates and friends.
Writer / Producer / Director: Margot McCuaig
Filmed: Neil MacConnell
Editor: Steven Meechan
Presenter: Alex O’Henley
