CELTIC LEGENDS COUNTDOWN 30-26

And that means we've counted down 25 players this week who our team reckons deserve their place in our 50 top trumps of Hooped icons.

Among them, stars who have graced the famous green and white jerseys down through almost every decade of Celtic's history, from the club's earliest days to the heroes of Lisbon as well as those players who strutted their stuff in the modern age.

Ronnie Cully and Alison McConnell have been combing through the Celtic archives and checking out the stats on the players they believe are the club's greatest-ever players.

Of course, we don't claim that our list is definitive – football wouldn't be football without a broad church of opinion.

Which is why we've been delighted at the reaction from Celtic fans to the series that's got all fans talking from both sides of the Old Firm divide.

You've been quick off the mark to tell us how much you're enjoying it – and not slow in letting us know who you think should be in the top 50.

Today's famous five brings us to the end of the first 25 – and sets us up nicely to continue the countdown on Monday before we reveal who the No.1 is a week today.

At the end of the series, we'll publish your view on who you feel is a true Celtic legend.

30 BOBBY EVANS

The Celtic years: 1944-1960.

Appearances: 549.

Career highlight: Skippering Celtic to their 7-1 triumph over Rangers.

Show us your medals: One league title; two Scottish Cups; two League Cups.

So what makes you a legend? A hero of the Celtic support who was recently voted into the SFA Hall of Fame, the red-haired Evans sported his shirt outside his shorts as his trademark. A leader on the park, it was Evans' organisation and will to win that so endeared him to the Celtic support.

Evans was a player who excelled in a relatively poor Celtic side, but he was part of the team who unexpectedly won the Coronation Cup in 1953 and he then went on to skipper the club to the League Cup in 1956.

The following season he repeated the feat when Celtic thrashed Rangers 7-1 in the 'Hampden in the Sun' final.

Evans also won 48 caps for Scotland and captained his country at a time when Celtic players were often overlooked for international duty.

He left Celtic in 1960 to head south where he joined Chelsea, but he was irked at having to move, criticising chairman Bob Kelly for meddling in team matters.

29 JIMMY DELANEY

The Celtic years: 1932-1945.

Appearances: 305.

Career highlight: Winning the Empire Exhibition Trophy in 1938.

Show us your medals: Two League titles; one Scottish Cup.

So what makes you a legend? Delaney is one of the most respected players to have played for Celtic, and is the only man to have gained an FA Cup winner's medal in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

Matt Busby was said to have credited Delaney as the reason that Manchester United became such a dominant force in England in the post-war period, but Delaney always gained most satisfaction from his Celtic career.

Blessed with pace, an eye for goal and terrific skill, he was idolised by the Hoops support who appreciated not only the 160 times he scored for the club, but also because of his finesse on the ball.

Delaney recovered from a shocking arm injury – which at one point had looked like it may have required amputation – to forge an outstanding reputation for himself in the game.

His grandson is John Kennedy, who is currently looking after Celtic's youth team.

28 WILLIE WALLACE

The Celtic years: 1966-1972.

Appearances: 234.

Career highlight: Winning the European Cup in 1967.

Show us your medals: One European Cup; five league titles; three Scottish Cup; two League Cups.

So what makes you a legend? Now residing in Australia, Wallace was a Celtic player who arrived at the club as a fully-fledged scorer.

Signed after a successful five-year spell with Hearts, Jock Stein took him to Celtic where, in the all-conquering team of 1967, Wallace struck up a decent partnership with Stevie Chalmers after Joe McBride was injured.

Capable of scoring sensational goals, Wallace was also a player who could be relied upon to keep his head and net the crucial ones too; he scored two goals in the vital 3-1 European Cup semi-final first leg win over Dukla Prague and also scored vital goals against Benfica and Fiorentina as Celtic headed to their second European Cup final in 1970.

Celtic could claim to be one of the best sides in the world between 1966 and 1970, and Wallace was a vital contributor to that side, netting 135 goals in his time at the club.

27 ADAM McLEAN

The Celtic Years: 1917-1929.

Appearances: 408.

Career highlight: Winning the 1918-19 league title as a 20-year-old.

Show us your medals: three League title; three Scottish Cups.

So what makes you a legend? Adam McLean is said by many to be the greatest left-winger that ever played for the club.

He played in the same side as the great Jimmy McGrory and is said to have provided much of the ammunition for the striker, although he was also capable of cutting in off the wing and finding the net himself.

McLean netted 138 goals for Celtic, but he was known for more than his strikes and crosses.

His dribbling skills were legendary. With McLean on the left, Tommy McInally on the right and McGrory through the middle, he played in a Celtic side that formed a formidable attacking force.

His Celtic career was brought to an end after a contractual wrangle ended with him being sold to Sunderland against the wishes of the Hoops fans and of himself.

26 ALEC McNAIR

The Celtic Years: 1904-1925

Appearances: 604

Career highlight: Having a Celtic XI/Rangers XI tribute match against a league select arranged in his honour.

Show us your medals: 12 League title 12; Six Scottish Cup.

So what makes you a legend? Alec McNair's 21 years is the longest uninterrupted spell of any player in the history of the club; no other player has featured in more league games than McNair.

Yet, had the player had his way he would probably have ended up at Rangers since he had grown up a boyhood fan. It is believed that Rangers dithered in offering him terms to sign, while Celtic offered him a contract, which he snapped up.

A right-back who had great vision, stamina and technique, McNair overcame difficult times to flourish as a footballer.

His wife died young, leaving him with five children to raise. During the First World War he spent long days carrying out wartime work before reporting to Celtic for games.

McNair was 41 and four months when he played his final game for the club.

Your shout

Now it's your turn to let us know what you think about our Celtic legends. Get in touch with us via email at sport@eveningtimes.co.uk and we'll give you the chance to have your say on the famous 50.

Monday: The Celtic players ranked 25-21

Celtic legends Countdown 35 - 31

Celtic Legends Countdown 40 - 36

Celtic Legends Countdown 45 - 41

Celtic Legends Countdown 50 - 46

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