Bertie Auld, former Hibs manager and player, dies at age of 83

Bertie Auld arrives at Easter Road in 1980 to take the managerial reins at his former club. He won the First Division title and promotion back to the top flight

He was suffering with dementia.

Best known for being one of Celtic's Lisbon Lions, Auld also won five league titles, three Scottish Cups and four League Cups for the Parkhead club.

The former midfielder spent four years with Birmingham City between two spells with the Glasgow club before finishing his playing days with Hibs from 1971 to 73.

Bertie Auld, pictured as Hibs manager. He was in charge of the Easter Road club from 1980 to 1982

Auld finished his playing career at Hibs where he combined duties on the pitch with a trainer role off it, scoring three goals in 16 appearances before focusing solely on his off-field position.

Capped three times for Scotland, he went to manage Partick Thistle for six years before returning to Easter Road as managers, replacing Willie Ormond in 1980. He guided Hibs to the First Division title and promotion back to the top flight in 1980-81 before being replaced by Pat Stanton in 1982.

Auld led the Capital club to 24 wins in 39 games, conceding just 24 goals along the way, to ensure a swift return to the top flight.

Chairman Tom Hart had promised the squad a tour of America and the Caribbean if they won promotion but a one-off game in Nigeria in April 1981 was called off by the manager.

Bertie Auld and the Hibs team pose with the First Division trophy at Easter Road

Auld led Hibs to sixth on their return to the top flight but was replaced by former Easter Road team-mate and fellow ex-Celtic player Pat Stanton before the start of the 1982/83 season.

He went on to have a short stint as manager at Hamilton Accies before returning to Maryhill in 1986 for another spell as Jags boss, with his final management role coming in 1988 when he took charge of Dumbarton in January 1988.

Auld is one of just six managers to win a league title while at Hibs, joining Dan McMichael – de facto manager when the Easter Road side won the Scottish Cup and league in 1902 and 1903 respectively – Hugh Shaw, Bobby Templeton, Alex McLeish, and Neil Lennon, with the latter three winning second-tier titles.

Celtic chairman Ian Bankier said: "He scaled the greatest of heights as a player with his talent but it is who he was as a man that made him so much more to us all.

Hibs' Bertie Auld challenges for the ball with Jim Brogan in the 1972 Scottish Cup final, which Celtic won 6-1

"He enriched all our lives so greatly with his humour, his character and personality and for that we will forever be grateful."

As a player, he made 279 appearances for Celtic and was part of Jock Stein's side that made history as the first from Britain to win the European Cup with a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan before also losing the 1970 final to Feyenoord.

Auld was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2009 as his legendary career was recognised by the SFA.

Following his retirement from the game, Auld was a regular figure around Celtic Park regularly appearing at games and club events.

A club statement read: "Bertie was a legend of the club for his many achievements in the green and white Hoops throughout his playing career, and he was adored by the entire Celtic Family for the passion and love that he always showed for Celtic."