A bronze statue of Celtic Lisbon Lion John Clark is being planned for Chapelhall, with councillor Michael Coyle leading the project and organisers targeting an installation some time next year. The tribute is meant to sit beside the Welcome to Chapelhall sign, turning the village into a more permanent reminder of Clark's place in local and club history.
The statue plan and the design
Coyle said: "It's an honour to head up this committee as John is a true Chapelhall and footballing legend."
He also said: "We have a fantastic London-based sculptor, Douglas Jennings, who will create the statue. He has done a prototype design based on a photo of John lifting the European Cup. The statue will be bronze and also have a marble plinth on it."
That is a pretty clear sign the project is past the vague idea stage. The sculptor is lined up, the design work has begun, and fundraising is already under way.
Clark turned out 182 times for Celtic, and that figure sits neatly behind the push to honour him in the village where he was born in 1941. He later moved to Holytown after running several businesses in Chapelhall.
Chapelhall's tribute has a set place and a date target
Coyle said the aim is "to have the statue in place some time next year" and to place it alongside the "Welcome to Chapelhall" sign.
There is also a fundraiser on the calendar. It is scheduled for September 27 at the White House Bar in Holytown, with Neil Lennon as special guest and Tam Cowan hosting. Tickets are priced at £35 and the event is limited to 60 seats.
The recent football references linked to Clark's story are simple enough. Celtic drew 3-3 with Inter in the UEFA Europa League at Celtic Park on 19 February 2015, and Inter beat Celtic 1-0 in Milan on 26 February 2015. Those meetings are not the point of the tribute, but they do underline how often Clark's name sits alongside the club's European history.
For now, the important part is practical rather than ceremonial. The statue has a sculptor, a design, a fundraising event and a target location in Chapelhall. The next date that matters is September 27, when the project goes in front of supporters in Holytown.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →