Jimmy Johnstone Was Even Better Than You Think | Rare Footage

Dribbling skills, goals and assists of the greatest footballer that Celtic have ever had - Jimmy "Jinky" Johnstone.
Special thanks go to ‪@williecollow8511‬ who has a wonderful channel with Celtic highlights - please check him out.
“It was his capacity to express effervescent, outrageous almost surreal mischief through his play - and to make all of his darting runs and surges of convoluted trickery a deadly weapon for his team - that rendered him unforgettable. That and the ability not only to thrill but, with his antics on the field, to evoke smiles and sometimes laughter.”
Esteemed journalist Hugh McIlvaney on Jimmy Johnstone
“I was always an entertainer. The pitch was my stage, the whistle meant it was showtime.”
Jimmy Johnstone

[@HarmsFootball]

Put a timestamp of your favourite moment below 👇

[@rabbieburns2501]

between 00:00 & 16:22 💚🍀

[@victorformosa2825]

No need for that stupid music, part of the enjoyment is hearing those great commentators of that era.

[@victorformosa2825]

I was a football crazy kid in the south, the only time we got to see Jimmy was in the home internationals, which doesn't compare to club football, my oh my what a player he was.

[@johnwishart3851]

0 - 15.42

[@davidsandz2186]

Totally not bothered to admit that I'm an elderly Rangers fan whose favourite player of all time is Wee Jimmy...a 5'4" footballing ball of joy...I just need to think about him and I smile.

[@HarmsFootball]

It's so interesting how those greats of the past kinda transcended club rivalries - I've seen many similar comments from Liverpool/City fans about George Best and yours isn't the first about Jinky by a Rangers fan.

[@Jimmy_Cooper]

Fair play auld yin 👍 both sides had genuine world class players back then

[@keithwills3790]

Well said Davy..

[@bobbymcculloch2451]

I’m the same. Saw jinky. Jim Baxter John greig. Billy McNeil. The wimps nowadays couldn’t lace there boots. Overpaid and divers. And they all get carried away beating the likes of Motherwell Livingston Dundee Ross county st mirren etc etc.

[@starofdavid9919]

Always great to hear fans of your biggest rivals saying it as it is, wee Jimmy really was the best ball player in the world at his peak, standing only 5ft 4 playing with the sodden heavy ball and on the worst pitches imaginable and in the sights of every hatchet man in Europe and beyond trying to stop him in the most brutal of ways, he was not only a Lisbon lion he also had the heart of a Lion. Not only was he the most skilful footballer but the bravest too.

[@philipcohen3942]

Tore my Leeds team to bits in the 1970 European Cup Semi Final at Hampden. Wonderful player!

[@mikeellis6077]

Didn't Celtic run us ragged that night but Wee Billy hit one of the best strikes you'll ever see infront of 130000

[@georgegreig8054]

@@mikeellis6077 Yeah your right mate. 136.000 with plenty over the wall and handing the turnstile men a bung as well.

[@jmcc2275]

Yep I was there ,there hasn’t been a game like it since.

[@philipcohen3942]

@@jmcc2275 I went to the home leg at Elland Road and the atmosphere was electric. I think Celtic won it 1-0. I always remember their fans chanting " feed the bear" in reference to their big centre forward, John Hughes, presumably wanting Johnstone to cross the ball to him at every opportunity! I wish I had gone to Glasgow for the away leg, just to sample the atmosphere in a 130000 crowd.

[@celt67]

136,505 ... still to this day the record attendance for a European cup game.

[@ste6473]

41 year old Chesterfield fan from England. what a phenomenal talent he'd be more than fine today at the top of the game.

[@den264]

From a Celtic fan of sixty years, who saw him in the flesh many times , he was the most unique football player in Britain. Two footed, with a capacity to change pace and direction few had in the game. Plus he could make some excellent passes. Only the great George Best could compare with his natural talents.

[@lewisjh8962]

Crazy how unknown he is. Should be mentioned among the likes of pele, Maraddona, Messi, Cruyff. That’s how good he was, for me the greatest player in Scottish & British football.

[@michaelcameron2292]

Best I've seen live He was an absolute genius

[@johnhughes8466]

What! Better than George Best? I dont think so!

[@waynemurray5264]

@@johnhughes8466 yes he was, even George Best said so

[@victorformosa2825]

@@johnhughes8466 If Jimmy was behind George it wasn't by far, however, two genius footballers.

[@Jimmy_Cooper]

He’s not really unknown 😐

[@YerDa67]

One of the greatest players ever. Often overlooked, but never forgotten by those in the know.

[@thebunsterooo]

My favourite player off all time , the genius that is jimmy Johnstone .

[@heygoodlooking]

Wee jinky , his documentary was brilliant and what a player 😊

[@user-rq7gy1xf3m]

Best man ever to kick a ball

[@ewankerr3011]

Can you imagine him today on the better pitches and with much greater protection?

[@starofdavid9919]

Yes, move over Messi etc the master is back.

[@portcullis5622]

I was just thinking the same thing.

[@hoang.x]

Great music man

[@jimflynn466]

Had a tear in my eye at his passing and another while watching this, a truly incredible player with the heart of a lion, terrific footage.

[@den264]

I got very emotional watching this. As it was my era . I was fourteen when Stein became manager of Celtic and the days of joy and glory which followed have never been surpassed for Celtic fans. I became very nostalgic thinking back on those amazing days of my youth. Of old friends, of old places, of past family members etc.

[@williammcdermid2892]

I played in a charity match with him, I passed him the ball, n he shouted "great ba big man" I'm tall n even taller when I think of that, pure Glaswegian gallus, most brilliant x

[@HarmsFootball]

Lovely stuff

[@colindouglas7769]

It's impossible to single out any particular moment; the whole lot is just pure gold. You didn't have to be a Celtic supporter to appreciate the genius that Jinky was! What I will say is, you have to have a word with your central defender if he's getting beaten in the air by a man who stands only 5 foot 4 inches tall. The players who complain these days about poor playing surfaces really don't know they're living! Look at some of the tattie fields players like Jinky Johnstone and George Best had to play on back in the day when men were real men! The players of today are nothing but over-paid, pampered pooches! Honest to God!

[@georgejob2156]

Spot on buncha Fanny's

[@timranachan3224]

@@georgejob2156 'Translate to English ' 😂

[@guitarman704]

A truely world class player.

[@jas2819]

Wee Jinky.....he'd still get a game for anyone these days. ☺️☺️👏👏👏

[@ChicTumshy]

He wiz a wee wizard and a joy tae watch. His balance was sometimes unbelievable and his football intelligence second to none. A beautiful human being with a wicked sense of humour. Some of my best memories are of Jinky Johnstone doing what he loved.

[@den264]

Bobby Lennox was his partner in crime back in the old days. How he must miss him taday. As we all do of course.

[@ChicTumshy]

@@den264 Yes your right. I believe the team that won THEE CUP all lived within 40 miles of each other and most were like brothers on and off the park. This likely played a big part in them winning tough games. The combination of all these attributes plus the fact they were all gifted players and had a very clever manager who also used a certain type of psychology to bring out the best in them.

[@brianoconnor3084]

Couple of things spring to mind when watching Jimmy play. 1) The story that Matt Busby wanted to sign him for Manchester U to join a front line of Best, Law and Charlton. Can you imagine that? 2) Reputed comment from Emlyn Hughes after an intentional, Hughes near in tears, England manager,"Don't worry he's done that to better players than you!., and 3' quote from Tommy Gemmel, "If we were feeling a bit tired during game we just gave the ball to Jimmy. Just had to make sure he was pointing in the right direction because we couldn't get the ball off him either!".

[@den264]

Jinky on the right wing, Bestie on the left and Dennis the menace right in the middle. What a spearhead !

[@pjmcgoldrick1967]

As brave as he was brilliant. He was kicked from pillar to post in the days that was allowed and always got up to demand the ball and run again at his aggressor. James Connolly Johnstone - we’ll never see his like again. First pick in God’s team. 💚💚💚

[@riklucas6261]

i agree but if I was him i might have chosen a safer profession say bull-fighting or bomb defusing.

[@den264]

Big MacKinnon of the Rangers had a few tries at sending him in to orbit before Yuri Gigarin got there.

[@johnnybrubaker]

You might, there`s a wee Scottish lad coming through at Liverpool named Ben Doak. They bought him from Celtic, it`s early days to know if he`ll make it, but he`s extremely talented and already played in the first team, he reminds me a lot Jimmy Johnstone.

[@pjmcgoldrick1967]

@@johnnybrubaker Don’t remind me. The one that got away! 😰

[@paulgarbutt8113]

Well said sir.

[@Bill-Butcher]

Jinky is one of the best outright wingers of all time, absolutely, no debate.... and this video is the best compilation I've seen yet of Jinky... amazing footage 👏🍀... Thanks for sharing 👍

[@8ackbiter434]

Growing up south of the border we only got to see fleeting glimpses of him in action, but I always loved what I saw. His struck me back then as a uniquely talented dribbler, and this brilliant compilation confirms that he fully deserves his legendary status. An absolute joy to watch him beat defenders, whose often successful attempts to take him were a disgrace but shamefully tolerated at the time.

[@den264]

Agree ! Amazing collection of majic moments from Jinky ! You could see some of the clips were of someone with a cinie camera taking film from a TV I tried it once for our game against Nantes where we blew them away by 4-0 Unfortunately I did not open the aperture wide enough to get a decent bright picture.

[@biggeordie245]

Jimmy Johnstone, a two trick winger, he would beat you outside or beat you inside with an uncanny knack of convincing defenders he was going to do the opposite or what he did. Defenders resorted to playing the man. Fabulous to watch, brave, skilful, resilient. Great video reminding me of a time when I enjoyed watching football.

[@michaelcostigane552]

Eleglence personified ❤ . Thanks for memories, the best player ever. HH.

[@HenryRaeburn367]

We celtic supporters knew how great he was we watched him week after week doing this at Celtic Park, without him Celtic would not have won the European Cup he was better then anyone you've EVER SEEN

[@JanHannay]

Wee Jimmy was magic no doubt but look up Tony mcbride there at the same time as Jimmy only younger and see what satin had to say about him

[@JanHannay]

I meant big jock

[@WhooshFlyingHorse444]

G-E-N-I-U-S ... pure and simple.

[@georgemcdonald4738]

A talent like no other.

[@tartansnow81]

Could watch this all day.

[@tomgoodwin9560]

Jimmy was brilliant 👏 ❤

[@paulcavanagh3324]

Remember watching the European cup final in 67 what an amazing game especially jimmy J… followed him from that day and tried unsuccessfully to play like him when I started playing…unbelievable talent..back then when I was 6 years old you followed players that inspired you

[@HarmsFootball]

I have a compilation on his performance in that game as well.

[@smookey187]

Absolutely phenomenal man. As good as anyone.

[@ivangolubovic7474]

I'm speechless. Amazing player of the football romantic times.

[@raymondbruce7175]

How true ! Best player I ever saw by a country mile.

[@grahamtaylor6507]

AMAZING PLAYER THE BEST SCOTTISH PLAYER, ON HIS DAY HE WAS UNSTOPPABLE,, THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN HIS DAY,,,,RIPPED TEAMS APART WITH EASE , EVEN THE GREAT REAL MADRID COULDN'T COPE WITH THE WEE MAN ,,,ALWAYS PLAYED WITH A SMILE TO,,

[@frankhewitt287]

utterly fabulous. one of the greatest players ever to have kicked a ball,.totally fearless as well as brilliant . and its often ignored.. a fantastic athlete..he carried all our hopes and more.we miss him dearly

[@doubledee7517]

Brave as a lion, like a ginger Messi, what a player. And he wore the Dark Blue of Scotland and the famous Dundee fc. He was pretty good for Celtic too.

[@snpok524]

Probably the greatest British Player of all time.

[@den264]

Certainly the most unique ! No other player could change pace change direction like wee Jimmy. And his passing was excellent to boot ! No pun intended !

[@fk90-b9z]

​@@den264george best and ryan Giggs could also do that, but the difference between them and jinky was athleticism. Best and giggs had pace to go with it. Nevertheless, jinky was special in dribbling, Scottish garrincha.

[@Wizard-uo4wj]

a pleasure to watch this fantastic footballer

[@sandidavis820]

I absolutely love watching Wee Jinky

[@Vandalgrease]

I think this is the most definitive collection of Jinky I’ve ever seen. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@traceys8065]

Lovely to see fans from all sorts of clubs paying Jinky credit, He was a wee pocket rocket 💚

[@johnhartlepool2349]

The greatest. The best Xmas present I ever got as a boy was Jimmy's autobiography "Fire in my Boots". He was and will always be my football hero. Hail Hail Jinky.

[@tomconway635]

Absolute genius with a ball at his feet, I'd loved to see the wee man playing on today's surfaces, instead of the cabbage patches in some of the footage....what a footballer r.i.p. Jimmy.

[@Garngad_bhoy]

I wonder what the asking price would be for Jinky today shall we start at half a billion that's how good this man was

[@bowbutter7608]

Great little player seen him play back in the 70s ⚽️👍

[@johnmills8997]

Fantastic player, not many these days can run at you and go past players like he can

[@johnwishart3851]

what a player... what a footballer... what a character... his passing = a massive world loss !

[@yandan7010]

His passing seemed pretty decent 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@TheApu91]

Gran jugador que volvió loco a uno de los mejores Atlético de Madrid.

[@ewantaylor4478]

one of the dirtiest , more like !

[@bobbyhanly3466]

@@ewantaylor4478 Johnstone wasn't really a dirty player. You must be thinking of his brother Seamus.

[@ewantaylor4478]

I meant them , not Jimmy

[@theselector4733]

BRILLIANT PLAYER!!!!!! If you can play like that in the mud you can play anywhere. RIP Jimmy!!!!

[@irenemccann7032]

Junky was the very best, a joy to watch,and I thank God that I watched him many times.

[@whouster]

A genuine world class winger, and one of football's great entertainers. For my money, Jimmy and Kenny Dalglish were the two giants of Scottish football. Kenny got the worldwide acclaim he deserved, but sadly Jimmy didn't. Some fantastic clips in this video showcasing his extraordinary talent.

[@HarmsFootball]

I wouldn't forget about Law though. He's certainly up there with those two.

[@HenryScott-d7g]

I saw him many times as a boy….he was just wonderful. Those who could, kicked him. Those who couldn’t get near enough to kick him just spat at him( Racing Club!!). He was wonderful,just wonderful. I stood many times with tears of love and pride in him…..Thanks Jimmy…you were the very best.

[@yesemitesam333]

Aw, just brilliant and what fantastic memories. Thanks so much for doing this compilation. The only thing I would take issue with is the title. For those of us old enough to have seen Jinky in his heyday and now looking back he wasn't better than we thought. We always knew he was the best.

[@edwardhaggarty365]

Lord of the wing. Jinky. We love you bhoy. ❤

[@Lee_yourboylee]

Wow, what a joyous player! Every bit as glorious as his huge reputation, which is not always the case. No better sight in football than seeing someone beat a man with a drop of the shoulder and silky feet. Love it. In my day for my team it was Chris waddle who at 6'2" was about a foot taller, but not as nimble as wee Jimmy! He must've been thrilling to watch. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@briancavanagh9649]

Fabulous video. Brings back so many memories. Iam 67 and my dad took me to so many celtic games from 64. So blessed to see him in the hoops over that wonderful period of 64 to 73.

[@spike6643]

Aww Jimmy, the tears are welling up.. again! When will we see your likes again? You made life worth living wee man. Love you!!

[@johnmcgarrell8897]

God bless you wee jinky 🍀☘🍀🙏

[@grahamebrown7473]

Rangers fan here, what a player,how much would he be worth in today's market ?

[@starofdavid9919]

Yes I have often wondered that, even years after his passing we are still in awe of his talent and even better when your bitterest rival fans appreciate him. cheers pal.

[@c0222]

Today's market doesn't make any sense. A player like Neymar transfering for £200million has absolutely ruined footballing evalutions.

[@spike6643]

As Willie Henderson said referring to Jimmy's modern day valuation, "You're talkin' oil wells!" Willie was a fantasic player. We were spoilt for talent then, but wee JJ is the Daddy of them all.

[@den264]

​@@spike6643 like having Teirney and Andy Robertson vying for the left back position today. Yes wee Wully Henderson was excellent, but wee Jinkey was a cut above. Incidentally my favorite Gers player was Sandy Clark. He and Danny McGrain were immense.

[@AA-69]

That man should have been in the Bolshoi ballet 🩰..I first seen him on 6th Feb 71 and when he walked off at Muirton we all looked at his red sock from a gash on his leg ....what a man !!!😘🍀

[@martinwilby8942]

Why is this man not mentioned with the best

[@johnmurray1044]

Im old enough to remember standing in the jungle watching Jonhstone and Lennoxs testimonial, both were always amazing, jinky was something else.

[@kingtubby999]

Better than Best.... Great music

[@jamesmcaleese5828]

Remember working for a massive Glasgow based company Frank Lafferty, wee jinky was retired and driving the vans. One day he arrived at our compound and the Boys challenged him to a kick about with an old coke can, we couldn't get near him and some of the Boys were massive with tackity boots on the wee man just jinked around them barging them away. Wonderful memories takes me back.

[@fawltyoldboybasil.2178]

JJ - grew up following that great Celtic team. Johnstone was in a class of 2 - He & George Best. His close control is the best I have ever seen; he could stop on a dime; his acceleration from a dead stop was something to see. All of these talents (and more) made him a marked man, especially when Celtic & Scotland were experiencing a generational group of talented players at the time. You can literally see the panic in the reactions of his opponents when he got the ball. One of the greats in football. He still makes me laugh when I watch video of him leaving defenders clutching at air.

[@seanb4027]

Imagine if he played in this current era where the players are now protected against 2 footed tackles and harsh challenges, he would have doubled his goals and assists

[@stevemcdonald7293]

Some of the tackles in this video are atrocious!

[@c0222]

@@stevemcdonald7293 the very best dribblers suffer tackles like that, cause no one knows how to stop them legally

[@rmh3657]

Genuine world class player

[@sl11tenderhand]

Great vid, glad to see a channel giving the older dudes love. One of my heroes as a kid.

[@alexanderv7702]

After his playing days, Jimmy worked for a director of Celtic, Keane. I personally saw Jimmy working as a labourer, in Burnbank, Hamilton.

[@gregg2732]

Love how when a goal was scored back then, there wasn't the carry-on you see these days. Goal scorers ripping their tops off, running around like loons, with the rest of the team chasing him around the pitch so they can jump all over him for a group hug/grope.

[@den264]

Excellent ! You nailed it to a tee !

[@861ally]

What a player! ☘️💚

[@milandamjanovic1213]

Muchos buenos momentos. Pero en mi opinion los dribles a las 5:51

[@Mike20216]

One of the greatest players Britain has ever produced, up there with all the greats

[@user-uu5ky5ud1v]

Simply the best!

[@igorxamas5116]

I'm a 66 y.o. Juve fan and i remember this fantastic player...very few ones like him...pure talent!

[@starofdavid9919]

Yes all 5ft 1 of him, smaller than Messi, every hatchet man in Europe was more scared of wee Jimmy than he was of them, your right these type of players do not come around too often, the game screams out for players like him, if he was playing today he would easily be the best for pure entertaining football but also had the heart of a lion.

[@lmadeira9826]

I rarely missed a game from 68 to 76, when I went to live and work abroad. I met Jimmy a few times and it only seems like yesterday

[@henrymcvey6538]

Jinky and Willie Henderson. What a double act.

[@drpscotland3677]

Best player Scotland has ever produced and it's a disgrace he only got 23 Scotland caps.

[@den264]

How could he possibly be picked ahead of the worlds greatest winger ! A certain Wully Henderson. In those days, if yor name was wully, you got the jersey.

[@jamesmcaleese5828]

Scotland's loss m8

[@drpscotland3677]

@@den264 first of all, there are two wings. Secondly, Johnstone was 3rd for Ballon D'or in 1967, so was clearly better than Henderson

[@ottconsulting7]

Unbelievable skill.

[@elzorro7of9]

Outrageous. Same reason I loved Paddy McCourt. They never grew up. Playing school yard football all their lives.

[@russ8544]

Jinky was also a Blade, although we didn't get the best of him. He true footie legend

[@richystewart6543]

Total legend, Gone but never forgotten better than Best! HH 💚

[@henrymcvey6538]

The greatest winger who ever lived without doubt. I cry just thinking about him.

[@jasonmudgarde286]

Would prefer to hear just the commentary and crowd rather than the music. However, a great compilation of a football genius. Many thanks!

[@stevencoulter7898]

Better than you think also👍

[@henryfraser2792]

Cannae believe thit that music gaes wae Jinkie bit daes. Braw stuff!

[@cashkingify]

a true leg end and a real celt. my auld man was a jambo through n through but he had a copy of jinky's book. hail.hail

[@ivorscrotumic3556]

There's a young Scottish lad at Liverpool, who's got a similar style to the great JJ. Ben Doak. If he turns out to be even half as good as JJ, we'll have a world class player on our hands. Jimmy Johnstone was one of the best ever imo.

[@Craigtoun]

I well remember watching Jimmy Johnstone when I was a wee lad in the 60's. Was astonished when he walked up to me and a friend somewhere near the SSEC about 1991. He had been to a Rod Stewart concert and he asked if we also had been. I had to disappoint him and say we had been to a Paul Simon concert. He then turned and introduced us to Bobby Murdoch. Could not believe how two Lisbon legends were chatting to us as if we were old friends. Great guys!

[@citroenrelayboxerducatomat3984]

tough to choose between what I see in Messi, (forget Ronaldo.. ) and what I see in this compilation.. Yeah I saw him play many times when I was round 10, but never realised just what his "jinks" meant until now really.. Watched MANY vids of him but this vid really stands out.. AAAH HH those were the days.. no roly-poly Neymar and those who exaggerate the tackles.. I think Jinky edges it though.. Well played wee man.. You put a shift in and more..

[@chrisjolly78]

When we were wee boys playing crossy in or world cuppy up the park , jinky used to walk past going home after the pub( the windmill) and swing in a couple of crosses on his way by doon the road 😊😊

[@dvra2203]

One of the greatest dribblers of all time. Never ending maze to his opponents...

[@armandobarbosa2914]

Melhor jogador escocês de todos os tempos indiscutivelmente

[@alexanderv7702]

He should have gotten a coaching position with the club he loved.

[@JohnKobaRuddy]

Used to have the Celtic Centenary documentary on VHS and used to re-watch the glory years wae Jinky a lot.

[@gbhoy67]

Aww man what a player, what a player, mind boggling what he'd be worth today

[@jimwright1148]

Was lucky to see him play when i was a young bhoy🍀💚

[@k14ser]

From a Celt wee Henderson was some player joy to see

[@mellie53]

The best of the very best

[@trevortierney8156]

He reduced big men,hard men, skilful men to fouling . One of the altime greats !

[@snelgrave101]

Never seen him in person, but will always be my favourite player EVER, Unmatched even by todays standards.

[@MartijnHover]

I think i read somewhere that all players who played for the Celtic side that won the Euroipa Cup in 1967 were born within 20 milies of the Celtic stadium. That would be impossibe now.

[@HarmsFootball]

Yeah, that’s right. All but two members of the 15 man squad were born within 10 miles of Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland (Bobby Lennox, who was born 30 miles away in Saltcoats, and Tommy Gemmell, who was born in Motherwell 11 miles away)

[@derekkearns3377]

Crazy

[@josephstanton4872]

30 miles!

[@johnaustin635]

Aye wee Jinky was up there with the best of them but who could forget the Atheltico Madrid animals that nearly crippled him in Glasgow tie to and not one caution or sending off that has to be referee corruption of the most blatant, absolutely disgraceful.