Born of humble beginnings in Cambuslang, Glasgow on 17th August 1944, Bobby Murdoch was the midfield general in the Celtic team that won the European Cup in 1967 and began a dynasty that dominated Scottish football for nine years. A big, strong player with a lethal shot, Murdoch won respect both sides of the Border for his skills on the park and his demeanor off it with Celtic and Middlesbrough. He was voted Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year in 1969, led Middlesbrough to promotion to England's top division and won 12 caps for Scotland but his greatest achievement was helping Celtic become the first British club to lift the European Cup, by beating Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon. It was from Murdoch's shot that Stevie Chalmers deflected for the winner that spawned the Lisbon Lions legend. Beginning his Celtic days provisionally in August 1959 as a £3-a-week part-timer while working as a sheet metal worker, Murdoch gained experience at junior side Cambuslang Rangers before joining the Parkhead club permanently in 1961. Soon after he took over as manager, Jock Stein made the inspired decision to move Murdoch from inside-right to right-half, where he became the midfield brain of the celebrated Celtic side of the 60s. Stein later admitted: "As far as I am concerned, Murdoch was just about the best player I had as manager. "I only let him move because he had run out of challenges with Celtic." Murdoch made 484 career appearances for Celtic, scoring 105 goals before transferring to Middlesborough. His honours with Celtic included that European Cup winners' medal, eight championship medals, four Scottish Cup winners' medals and five League Cup winners' medals. Murdoch then spent nine years at Ayresome Park as player, coach and manager between 1973 and 1982. He played his part on the pitch in Jack Charlton's record-breaking promotion side in 1973-74 and later helping to bring some of the club's emerging talent through to the first team. Murdoch made 125 appearances for Middlesbrough before his retiring in 1976 and taking up the role of youth team coach. A brief, if ultimately unsuccessful, spell as manager between 1981 and 1982, ended with his departure shortly after the club were relegated to Division Two. He was also plagued by various illnesses and injury after his playing days ended but will be remembered as a player of distinction and those who knew him well were unanimous in their description of him as a fine man. Bobby Murdoch died aged 56, in Glasgow on 15 May 2001.