BILLY McNEILL last night stunned Celtic by gifting his entire medal collection to the club for posterity.

The Hoops legend made the amazing gesture to allow fans to see first hand the gongs he amassed during his trophy-laden 27 years at the club.

And the European Cup medal he won in Lisbon in 1967 will take centre stage alongside the Celtic family silver at Parkhead.

The man voted Celtic's greatest-ever skipper won nine league championships, seven Scottish Cups and six League Cups as well becoming the first British player to lift the European Cup.

And he brought four league championship titles to Paradise, along with three Scottish Cups and one League Cup when he swapped the dressing room for the Celtic dug-out.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell accepted Cesar's medal collection on behalf of the club in the Celtic Park boardroom.

He said: "It’s an incredible gesture and an honour to receive them and display them at Celtic Park.

"It’s really a measure of the man, a fantastic Celt and someone who was voted Celtic’s greatest-ever captain.

“He’s just a true great and it’s just a measure of him that he has decided to put his medals here on display at Celtic Park, and we are so grateful for it.

“He’s an inspiration. For me, growing up in the 1960s and 70s, he was the greatest-ever captain, not only in a football sense but in life as well.

"He was an inspiration not only to me but to thousands of our supporters.

“He carried the Celtic values and standards on and off the pitch and he epitomises everything great about Celtic.

“The amount of medals are just incredible.

"It’s a fantastic piece of work and we thank Willie Haughey for his involvement, and we thank Billy and his wife Liz for giving us the honour of displaying the medals here at Celtic Park."

McNeill's decision to hand over his medal haul comes just a few months before a statue in his honour is unveiled at Celtic Park.

Lord Haughey, club ambassador and family friend of the McNeills, played a key role in getting the medals framed and ready for yesterday's handover.

He told the club website: “When I was chairman of Billy’s Testimonial Committee, I went over to Billy’s house. I was sitting with him and Liz and we were discussing his successes as a player.

“He brought out an old box full of all his medals. I said ‘big man, we need to do something about this, why don’t I help you get these framed and put them in the boardroom at Celtic Park so all the Celtic fans can enjoy and share in your successes for evermore’.

“Billy and Liz agreed, and the big man has very kindly donated the medals to Celtic Park so the fans can come along and enjoy them.

"It’s one of the greatest medal collections of any individual player in the world, so it’s a fantastic achievement and a great gesture from Billy to give them to the club.”