Mr Billy McNeill

It is an exceptionally sad day in Scottish football when perhaps the most loyal, bravest and honourable man to play or manage in this country has died. I write this not as a Celtic fan or as someone who ever saw Billy play but as someone who has been struck by the way others have written and spoke about the Celtic legend.

What has been described today is the model professional someone who works hard, is brave, a born winner and has respect for everyone in the game and that is why he is an icon of Scottish football and indeed of Celtic playing his entire career with the Glasgow team. He was by no means the most technically gifted player or scored the most goals but as a born winner he is someone that fans and other players looked up to something that we lack in modern football, not just in Scotland but all over the world.

He was treated as we all want to be treated, a man who was respected by his most bitter sporting rivals, a man who was well liked by his own fans and a man who was loyal to the club that he played for. Now these traits often lacking in today's Scottish football captains are not something that can be taught they are learnt and all too often players don't appreciate the true greatness being a captain can bring, the best modern example would be Hibernians David Gray. We often see captains leave their clubs without so much of a backwards glance, of course players should improve and progress their careers but being honest with the supporters, showing that you have a passion for the club that you captain and most of all respect everyone you meet are all qualities that have to be shown by captains if they are to be remembered, else they are disregarded by their former fans and lose the respect of others in the game.

As much as captains can feel like gods as was the case for Billy to often nowadays they are big headed, ego tripping players who are in it for themselves and sod the rest of the team - this is the antithesis of what a captain has to be. We will likely never see a player like Billy play in the famous Navy of the Scotland jersey or play at Celtic Park but if he had even a handful of players that were even a shadow of Billy we would be a damn sight better nation for it.

Our thoughts go to Billy's family and friends at this deeply sad time - rest assured Scottish football is a far better place for having him at its heart for such a long time.