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Stevie Chalmers survived tuberculosis meningitis thanks to Rangers fan Dr Peter McKenzie

Stevie Chalmers, who scored Celtic's winner in the 1967 European Cup final, has died, the club have announced. external-link

Chalmers was part of the club's Lisbon Lions team that defeated Inter Milan and became the first British club to lift the famous trophy.

The Scotland forward spent 12 seasons at Celtic, scoring 236 goals, and also played for Morton and Partick Thistle.

His death at 83 comes a week after Billy McNeill, who captained the Lisbon Lions, passed away aged 79.

'A Celtic legend'

Chalmers, who scored three times and won five caps for Scotland, won four league titles, three Scottish Cups and four League Cups with Celtic.

"Stevie was a much-loved husband, father and grandfather, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this desperately sad time," said Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell. external-link

"This is a particularly devastating time for the Celtic family, with the passing of Stevie Chalmers coming so soon after his friend and former team-mate, Billy McNeill. My condolences also go to the Lisbon Lions, already mourning the loss of their captain, and now grieving the death of another one of their own.

"Stevie Chalmers was a Celtic legend, and one of the greatest goalscorers this club has ever seen. Indeed, only three other legends in Jimmy McGrory, Henrik Larsson and Stevie's close friend, Bobby Lennox, have scored more goals.

"However, there is only one man who is able to lay claim to having scored the most important goal in Celtic's 131-year history, and that man is Stevie Chalmers.

"Like his team-mates, he remained a quiet, humble man, happiest in the company of his fellow Lions and his fellow Celtic supporters."

The Celtic line-up that faced Inter Milan in the 1967 European Cup final

Celtic manager Neil Lennon said Chalmers was "always a quiet and unassuming man whenever I met him, and happiest spending time with his fellow Lions".

He added: "Like the rest of the Lions, Stevie was a Celtic supporter first and foremost, and, as supporters, we are all grateful for everything he did for this wonderful football club we all love."

The Scottish FA said their thoughts were with Chalmers' family and friends.

And Rangers Tweeted: "We are saddened to learn of the passing of Stevie Chalmers. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

'Just a nice guy'

Stevie Chalmers' fellow Lisbon Lion Jim Craig

It's dreadful that poor Stevie has died. I've lost another team-mate. It was a fairly noisy team we had. Stevie was one of the quieter members but could hold his own whenever the occasion arose. Just a nice guy. We got on very well.

As an event, it was a seminal goal against Inter Milan. It was something we rehearsed in training all the time for the strikers to knock a ball in the back of the net. On the day, Stevie was just in position to slide it home.