Fife-born Willie Fernie signed for the Bhoys in October 1948 and would go on to make in excess of 300 appearances during a Parkhead career in which he firmly established himself as a Celtic great.

Nominally an Inside-forward the versatile Fernie moved to Glasgow from Leslie Hearts and eventually made his first team competitive debut in a 1-0 league victory at St Mirren on March 18th 1950.

The squat and stocky Fernie was a wonderful football talent with a great touch and the crowd pleasing ability to beat opponents with his fantastic dribbling skills. On his game Fernie was simply unstoppable.

He also possed a powerful shot but more often than not his excellent vision meant he would provide the ammunition for his team mates rather than go for glory himself. He would often cut inside from out wide, leaving defenders in his wake, before delivering an inch perfect pass for a team-mate to score.

A tireless runner Fernie gave 100% until the final whistle by which time opposition defenders would be at the point of exhaustion at having to track the hard working Celt. His wonderful talent with a football made the Fifer a huge favourite with the Celtic support but also a marked man with the opposition who would reguarly treat Fernie to excessivley rough treatment.

It was a credit to the Celt - who won 12 Scotland caps - that he never retaliated to the often vicious fouls employed to stop him.

There is little doubt that without the brilliance of Willie Fernie such iconic Celtic triumphs as the 1953 Coronation Cup victory, 1954 league and cup double and the 1957 League Cup final 7-1 rout of Rangers would simply not have been possible.

This immensly popular figure eventually left Celtic Park for Middlesborough in December 1958 but returned for another year in October 1960 before departing for St Mirren in November 1961. He was to be appointed Celtic reserve team coach in June 1967.

The legendary Wille Fernie made 317 Celtic appearances and scored 74 goals.