THE Celtic View is looking at our 21 greatest goalscorers, which includes our current No.9, Leigh Griffiths, looking briefly at the careers of the men occupying the top scoring spots.

Today, we're on to No.11 and it's Adam McLean, rated by the greatest goalscorer of them all, Jimmy McGrory, as the best left-winger he ever saw.

Adam McLean
Appearances: 408
Goals: 148
Debut: Celtic 1-1 Dumbarton; 20/01/1917

Adam McLean’s reputation as an all-time Celtic great would have benefited from footage of his exploits on the left-wing for the Hoops. Unfortunately, we are only left with the history books to celebrate his exploits.

Although he played 408 times for Celtic, scoring an impressive 148 goals, his amount of assists is incalculable. It’s why Jimmy McGrory rated him the best outside-left he ever saw, no doubt recalling the many goals he scored as a result of McLean’s trickery on the wing or pinpoint accuracy of his crosses.

He deserves his place in the pantheon of Celtic greats, and those lucky enough to play alongside McLean in the Hoops wouldn’t have argued about that.

McLean classed by many as Celtic’s greatest left-winger, although people who saw both him and Bobby Lennox playing would have been few and far between. That in itself, however, does give an indication of just how good a player McLean was.

He won four championships, as well as three Scottish Cups in 1923, 1925 and 1927. The addition of four Glasgow Cups, six Charity Cups and the War Fund Cup meant he was never very far away from silverware in his 11 years at Celtic Park.

Tomorrow: Willie Wallace

Celtic View celebrates our greatest goalscorers - Adam McLean