Celtic have announced that their statue of Billy McNeill will be officially unveiled at 1pm on Saturday in advance of the visit of Motherwell (kick-off 3pm).

Fans were advised to arrive early at Celtic Park as huge crowds are expected to gather to see the bust of Celtic's greatest-ever captain unveiled on the Celtic Way.

During his playing days McNeill, nicknamed 'Cesar', won nine league championship titles in a row, seven Scottish Cups, six League Cups and became the first British team captain to lift the European Cup in 1967.

As manager, he delivered four league championship titles as well as the Scottish Cup and League Cup.

When the statue plan was first announced last month, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said: “Billy McNeill is all that’s great about Celtic. He’s been voted our greatest ever captain by supporters, and rightly so.

"He stands for everything that Celtic stands for and he’s a leader. He has the right values in terms of family, respect, humility - a magnificent man on and off the park and this statue is a fitting tribute to him as one of Celtic’s all-time greats.”

When the creation of the statue was announced earlier in the year, McNeill said: “'When Peter contacted me regarding the statue I was completely taken by surprise.

"Whenever I walk up the Celtic Way, I look on with a great sense of pride at the sight of Brother Walfrid, Big Jock [Stein] and my old team-mate and friend Jinky [Jimmy Johnstone] rightly taking their place almost as guardians of Celtic Park."