A wonderful read from The Celtic Wiki:
There are many great players in our history, and there are few other more recognisable (due to his bushy beard) or fondly remembered than the great Danny McGrain. His name is said with as much reverence now as when he played.
A great stalwart in the Celtic sides of the 70's, he was a truly world class player, whom many of us are fortunate to be able to say that he was one of us. Yet it wasn't meant to be like this. Danny McGrain was actually brought up a bluenose and was a self-confessed died-in-the-wool Rangers supporter in his youth. How did he end up then with Celtic? It's a bitter story which he has himself recounted endlessly and detailed in his biographies. A Rangers' scout is said to have visited his junior club to see or sign him, only to then turn around on hearing his surname in the mistaken belief that Danny McGrain was of Irish Catholic descent [not that it should have mattered].
Bigotry reared its head, and disgracefully cost a good man (wrongly) to not be allowed to join his boyhood club. If ever there was a point that the Hun's sectarianism policies paid off for us, then it was here. Celtic has always been an ecumenical club, and Celtic signed Danny McGrain on the basis of his football alone [as per Willie Maley's famous quote]. For that we can be forever grateful to Rangers in mistakenly & wrongly passing him over.
Danny McGrain signed for us on May 13th 1967, just a couple of weeks before our European Cup win, and for him it was a case of looking on to see what he could become a part of. Little did the Lisbon Lions know as they were celebrating their win that already within Celtic was a player [Danny McGrain] who would soon be snapping at their heels.
His main position was as right-back but he was able to easily flit between the right-back and the left-back positions, or centre-half if and when needed. He may have been an affable gentleman off the pitch, but on the pitch he was an unforgiving tackler. Built out of granite, he never shirked a tackle and every opposing player knew his presence on the pitch; "a real cruel tackler" as ------------ described him.
Another great facet of his game was his pace. A speedy player, it was like as if a rhino was charging up the field with the ball for crossing and passing. Any weaknesses? He was too tough for any of that, but admittedly he has said himself that he wasn't an attacking penalty box player and goal scoring wasn't his forte, feeling a bit out of place away from the defence.
Regardless, consistent and level headed, he managed to more than make himself known to all, and his reputation was international. He truly was world class, and many commentators from the 1970's have said that he was the best in the world in his position. A great accolade. Celtic fans always knew about his ability, and in a poll to find out Celtic's greatest XI, McGrain easily found a place in this alongside Jinky, ------- and --------.
Must add a point on his great sportsmanship. For such a solid unforgiving player on the pitch, he actually had a heart of gold and was not unknown to ask after his opposing player after a game [likely to make sure he hadn't damaged them].
It wasn't all plain sailing, and in 1974 Danny McGrain was diagnosed with diabetes, which can hinder many a person's life never mind a sporting career. However, he didn't let that put him down and worked around it, and he became a role model for others who had to live with the condition. You wouldn't have believed he actually had any such issues.
Along the way there was also a fractured jaw (1972) which lost him time at the peak of his career, but more seriously he also suffered a mystery ankle injury after what some thought was an innocuous challenge in a league match (1977) which ended up laying him out from first team action for 16 months.
Thankfully for himself and his career he recovered to return to join the side. We were all relieved for him and the attachment the support had for Danny was immense. Amazingly, he returned as strong as ever but sadly with less pace as time caught up with him. Didn't hinder him as he captained the side to the league title culminating in the magnificent "
Ten men who won the league" match against Rangers in 1979.
In his career at Celtic, Danny McGrain amassed a grand haul of trophies, medals and memories. He was deserving of each and every one of them. McGrain stayed at the club till 1987, a phenomenally long time for any footballer to stay at a single club. Whilst the other great players in the Quality Street gang had left to make a go in England, McGrain was not interested and for a man who had grown up in the blue corner of Glasgow, he had come to fall in love with Celtic and was as steeped in the history of the green as any man on the terracing. His ego was non-existent, and all was secondary to the benefit of the club. A great man deserving of all accolades that come his way.
Sadly, it didn't end amicably between Celtic and McGrain. On his retirement, he was hoping for a position amongst the coaching staff with Celtic but an agreement did not materialise between the board and him, and Danny McGrain walked out and not to return for around three years. It was a sad indictment of the old board's management that they couldn't handle this situation with Danny McGrain, his talent and experience would have been invaluable with the youths.
Thankfully, the torn relationship was repaired, and McGrain came back in later years and worked again for Celtic as a reserve team coach. His influence and persona are simply priceless.
One of the true greats of all football.