Celtic legend Pat McCluskey played in both midfield and defence and was known between players for his “no-nonsense style”.
Born in Kilsyth in 1952, McCluskey played for Celtic between 1969-77, making 191 appearances for the club and scoring 13 goals.
McCluskey later laced his boots to play with Dumbarton, Airdrie and Queen of the South, and he also spent a season in the United States.
While hopes were still high for the Fife-born footballer, he was badly injured in 1977 which led to an early retirement from football.
He died this Monday, at the age of 68.
On the official Celtic website, an emotional tribute was posted paying homage to a “versatile player” who left a real impact on everyone at the club.
If you ever wanted a guy behind you in a fight then Pat McCluskey would have been a good man to have. A wholehearted and committed player who never gave anything other than total effort and a great passer of a ball too.
Thanks for the memories Pat. May you rest in eternal peace. pic.twitter.com/dOKqSPYfYz
— St.Anthony (@Stephen4_2) August 24, 2020
Their statement reads: “Everyone at Celtic Football Club is saddened to hear of the death of former player, Pat McCluskey, who has passed away at the age of 68.
“A versatile player, who could be deployed in a number of positions, and who always gave his all for the Hoops, his competitive debut came in a Scottish Cup tie against Albion Rovers in February 1972, when he replaced Dixie Deans in a 5-0 win for Celtic.
“In that 1971/72 season, Pat made a total of eight appearances, which included playing both legs of Celtic’s European Cup semi-final clash against Inter Milan.
“During his time with the club, he won three league titles – including the season when Jock Stein’s side clinched their ninth league title in a row – two Scottish Cups and the League Cup, while he also played in the 1974 European Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
“The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Pat’s family and friends at this very sad time.”
