John Stein was a football player and manager from Scotland. He was the first person to lead a British team to win the European Cup. During the 13 years he managed the Celtic football team, he was known as “Jock” and had a lot of respect and success. He not only led them to a win in the European Cup, but also to nine straight wins in the Scottish League. Stein didn’t finish high school and worked in a carpet factory for his first job. He then went to work in coal mines, even though he didn’t like this job at all. He liked playing football so much that he decided to try to make a living at it. He started playing football while still working in the mines. Because he worked in a coal mine, he didn’t have to join the military during World War II, so he had a lot of time to pursue his passion. At first, he played football for Llanelli Town and Celtic, but injuries to his ankles forced him to stop playing. He started a career as a manager, even though he was a little disappointed but not too down. After a short time at other football clubs, he went back to Celtic as their manager. After 13 years with the team, he moved on to be the manager of the Scottish National Side.
Early years and childhood
South Lanarkshire is where Jock Stein was born. He went to school until 1937 when he quit getting a job in a carpet factory.
When he was young, he got a job in a coal mine. Around this time, he also started playing football and joined the Blantyre Victoria junior football club. Over time, he got better and better and by 1942, he was playing semi-professionally.
During World War II, he worked as a coal miner to avoid joining the army. He used his free time to play football, his favorite sport.
Jock Stein’s Career
In 1950, he became a full-time professional football player and signed a contract with the Llanelli football club for $12 per week. The team tried to join the Football League, but their application was turned down. Stein was upset and decided to go back to being a miner, but fate had other plans.
In December 1951, Celtic paid $1,200 for him. At first, he was signed as a backup player, but he soon moved up to the main team. After only a year, he was made vice-captain because of how well he played. When the other captain broke his arm, the job of captain was given to him.
Celtic was asked to play in the Coronation Cup tournament for all of Great Britain in 1952-53. The team won the cup by beating Arsenal, Manchester United, and Hibernian.
The team made Stein captain the next year, and under his leadership, they won both the League Cup and the Scottish Cup. As a reward, the club paid for the players’ trips to the 1954 FIFA World Cup.
When he was chosen for the Scottish Football League XI in 1954, he became known all over the world. In 1954-55, the team came in second place and lost the Scottish Cup final to Clyde.
Stein started to have recurring ankle injuries that made it hard for him to play sports. After painful treatments and surgery, he gave up working for good in 1957.
In 1957, he took over as coach of the Celtic Reserve team. He worked with players like Billy McNeill, Bobby Murdoch, and John Clark. The Reserve Cup was won by his team when he was their coach.
In 1960, he was named manager of Dunfermline. The team, which had been losing for a while before Stein joined, started to win games after he joined. He made the team a strong force to be reckoned with, and in 1961, he led them to win the Scottish Cup.
In the 1961–62 European Cup Winners’ Cup, Dunfermline made it to the quarterfinals but ended up in fourth place. Stein left the team in March 1964.
After leaving Dunfermline in 1964, he became the manager of Hibernian. When he took over, the team was having trouble. He took an active part in practices and pushed his players to do their best. When Stein joined the team, there was a big change. He was in charge of them when they won the Summer Cup.
He left Hibs and went back to the Celtic as their manager in March 1965. He took over a team that was having trouble and helped them win the Scottish Cup.
For the 1965–66 season, he brought Joe McBride from Motherwell to Celtic. This was a smart move, as the player went on to score 43 goals that season. Celtic beat Rangers in the League Cup Final and moved on to the next round of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
He reached the peak of his career in 1967 when he led Celtic to victory in the European Cup Final against Inter Milan, the previous champions.
In 1967–68, the team had a great year and also won the League and League Cup. In 1970, they won both the League and the League Cup.
During the 1970s, the Celtic had a great run. They won a record nine straight Scottish league championships. Due to an accident, Stein had to take a break from his job, but he came back as a manager in 1976–1977.
In 1978, Leeds United hired him as their manager. But he only stayed in this job for 44 days before he quit.
On his 56th birthday, he became Scotland’s manager. Many people watched his first game in charge, which was against Norway. In 1982, he led the team to the FIFA World Cup, but they lost in the group stage.
Jock Stein’s Achievements
He is best known for being the manager of the football team Celtic. In 1967, he led Celtic to win the European Cup, making him the first manager of a British team to do so.
Personal History and Legacies
In 1946, he married Jeanie McAuley. There were two kids in the family.
Stein died in 1985 after having a heart attack.
He was added to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame and the Scottish Football Hall of Fame after he died.
Estimated Net worth
The estimated net worth of Jock Stein is about $1 million.