Sean Fallon: Celtic's Iron Man

Book excerpt: Sean Fallon is one of British football's great untold stories. For the first time, the Celtic legend speaks candidly about his time as right-hand man to Jock Stein and how together they ruled Scottish football and conquered Europe with the Lisbon Lions. We learn how the Irishman shaped Celtic's glory era of the 1960s and 70s by signing not only the majority of the Lions, but also players such as Kenny Dalglish, Danny McGrain, Lou Macari, George Connelly, Davie Hay, Pat Bonner and Paul McStay. Fallon also reflects on his stellar playing career including the 7–1 League Cup final win over Rangers in 1957, the lean years of the early 1960s and the uneasy final stages of his and Stein's tenure at Celtic. His own, oft-underestimated role is illuminated by revealing interviews with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Kenny Dalglish, current Celtic boss Neil Lennon, chief executive Peter Lawwell, Stein's son, George, Sean's family and former colleagues.