He had a long association with Celtic, spanning more than sixty years as a player, manager and club ambassador.

McNeill captained Celtic's 'Lisbon Lions' to their European Cup victory in 1967 and later spent two spells as the club's manager.

A defender, McNeill played for Celtic for his entire senior career, and holds the club record for most appearances, a total of 822 games over 18 seasons.

[5] McNeill was signed by Celtic for £250 in 1957 after then reserve team coach Jock Stein saw him playing for Scotland schoolboys against England.

[8] With McNeill as captain, Celtic enjoyed their most successful period, dominating Scottish football and regularly competing in the latter stages of European competitions.

The team, which became known as the 'Lisbon Lions,' defeated Inter Milan 2–1 and McNeill (whose last minute goal, a characteristic header from a set piece, had ensured progression against Vojvodina Novi Sad in the quarter-final) was the first British footballer to lift the trophy.

[14] McNeill retired as a player in 1975, having made a club record 822[note 1] appearances for Celtic and never being substituted.

[15][16] He won 29 caps for Scotland, scoring 3 goals, and also played 9 times for the Scottish League XI.

[20] In his one season in charge, 1977–78, McNeill led Aberdeen to runners-up finishes in the league and Scottish Cup, and enjoyed a positive working relationship with the club's chairman, Dick Donald.

Celtic clinched the title in their final match of the league season by beating Rangers 4–2, despite having had Johnny Doyle sent off.

However, McNeill found working with Desmond White, Celtic's chairman, very difficult, and felt underpaid and underappreciated.

He then returned to Celtic, and in his first season, 1987–88, the club won the League Championship and Scottish Cup double in their centenary year.

This was the beginning of a period of poor results and increasing financial instability for Celtic, which continued until the club was taken over by Fergus McCann in 1994.

[22][29] After leaving Celtic he turned down several offers to return to management, including from Dundee, and worked in the media instead.

[30] He was brought in as a mentor to manager Jim Duffy,[30] as they unsuccessfully attempted to arrest a decline in fortunes at the club.

[31] McNeill took charge of the team for one game after Duffy was sacked, even though he had been out of football since leaving Celtic in 1991 and was recovering from heart surgery.

The statue, in bronze on a granite base, shows McNeill holding aloft the European Cup, an iconic image in the club's history.

[45][46] McNeill married Liz Callaghan, a dancer on the TV variety show The White Heather Club in 1963.