Football greats say farewell to Lisbon Lion Cushley

Apr 2 2008 By John Rowbotham

ALMOST 600 mourners attended the funeral of ex-Celtic centre half John Cushley.

The Lisbon Lion was laid to rest on Friday following a Requiem Mass at St Bride’s Church, Bothwell, where he was a parishioner.

Parkhead legends Bertie Auld, Jim Craig, John Clark and Billy McNeill joined John’s family and friends at the service.

John’s coffin was carried from the church through a guard of honour of pupils from St Ambrose High, Coatbridge.

John had been deputy head teacher at St Ambrose following his retirement from football.

He died last Monday after contracting motor neurone disease.

The service was conducted by the parish priest of St Bride’s, Father Thomas Doyle, and there were contributions from the former head teacher of St Ambrose, Bernard Fagan, Celtic first team coach Tommy Burns, and the Bishop of Motherwell, Joseph Devine.

Mr Fagan spoke of John’s illustrious teaching career that ended when he went to work as education officer with Celtic.

In his at times humorous eulogy, Tommy Burns, himself suffering from skin cancer, told mourners of John’s prodigious appetite and distinctive walk.

He was, added Tommy, a footballer who was an exceptional player and “had a good head on his shoulders”.

Father Doyle said John had shown “huge reserves of courage” since he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last summer.

Father Doyle also quoted from a letter, written last year by John, in which he said how grateful he was for his “rich and full” life and his childhood in Blantyre, where he was born and brought up.

John, who also lived in Hamilton, explained in the letter that his father had insisted that he continue his academic career even though it had become obvious he had a career ahead of him in professional football.

John also spoke of his “dream” of playing for Celtic.

He made 41 appearance for the club and was a non-playing member of the squad that travelled to Lisbon for the European Cup Final in 1967.

The modern languages graduate also played for West Ham, Dunfermline and Dumbarton.

John, who was 65, leaves a wife Mary, sons Stephen and Jonathan, and daughters Joanne and Mairi Clare.