THE winners of the John Thomson memorial football tournament enjoyed a day out at Celtic Park as the club's special guests.

On Wednesday last week, Kinglassie Primary School pupils - winners of the 2022 competition - were given a guided tour to remember.

The Kinglassie youngsters, and individual prize winners, were joined at Celtic Park by members of the John Thomson Committee, which organises the tournament which remembers the Celtic goalkeeper, from Cardenden, who died from injuries sustained in an Old Firm derby at Ibrox Park in September 1931.

And the visit to Celtic Park was the first in three years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On arrival from the Corrie Centre, the children, accompanied by several adults from the organising committee, posed for photographs with a large John Thomson banner (pictured), before being led to the entrance to the ground by piper Jim Forbes.

During the tour, Celtic FC guide, Des, provided the group with a thorough history of the club, and explained all the different cups in the large trophy room, including the Celts’ victory in the European Cup in 1967.

He also explained the special place John Thomson has in the history of the club, who he played 188 times for and also won four Scotland caps.

The Cardenden youngsters also saw the first team dressing room before being led by the piper up the Celtic Park tunnel and onto the pitch, and Jim then played the John Thomson song, which saw the children and committee members join in.

After their pitch experience the children enjoyed a lovely buffet in the Jock Stein Lounge, before being visited by club mascot Hoopy, who posed for photos with the group.

The day ended with the children being given some money, by the Thomson Committee, to spend in the Celtic FC superstore, at the ground, on keepsakes of their experience.

Committee chairman, Alex Burns MBE, said: “It was excellent to be able to resume the visits for the winners of our tournament to Celtic Park, after a gap of three years, caused by the Covid pandemic, and I would like to thank Celtic FC, and Ian Jamieson and staff, from the club’s public relations staff, for all their assistance.”