SIR Alex Ferguson has described the invitation from Celtic to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their European Cup triumph next month as "an honour".
Jock Stein's legendary achievements on 25 May, 1967 in Lisbon enshrined Celtic in the history books as the first British team to lift the most coveted prize in European football. Ferguson, who lifted the trophy twice with Manchester United in a success-laden spell between 1986-2013, was Stein's assistant manager at Scotland in the 1980s – taking over from the Parkhead great after his death during a World Cup qualifier against Wales at St Ninian Park in 1985.
The event, which takes place at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on 25 May – 50 years to the day since Billy McNeill famously lifted the trophy in Portugal – will feature music by Sir Rod Stewart and other special guests from the world of football to commemorate their incredible achievements.
Ferguson, 75, will offer his own memories of Celtic’s European Cup success, and the players and manager who achieved it.
He was a Dunfermline Athletic player back in the 1966/67 season, and even scored two goals against Stein's all-conquering side at Celtic Park on March 18, 1967 – though the home side ran out 3-2 winners on their way to winning the title.
Ferguson earned a move to boyhood heroes Rangers that summer, where he played 41 times, scoring 25 goals.
He told the official Celtic website: “It’s an honour to have been invited to join the celebration of one of the greatest victories in the history of Scottish football.
“On the night of the game I was touring with the Scotland team and we were all sitting by the radio in Hong Kong, waiting for the hourly updates. When the final score came in, everyone celebrated the result.
“It should be a great event and I am really looking forward to catching up with some genuine legends of the game.”
Ferguson has often cited Stein as his greatest mentor and when the future Old Trafford manager first tasted European success with Aberdeen in the European Cup-Winners’ Cup in 1983, where they faced Real Madrid in Gothenburg, he invited Jock Stein to travel with the Aberdeen party as his guest.
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