Former Celtic player John Cushley has died aged 65.

Cushley made 41 appearances for Celtic before moving to England in 1967 to play for West Ham United. Two years later he returned to Scotland with Dunfermline and moved to Dumbarton in 1972.

Cushley was born in Hamilton January 1943, and joined Celtic in July 1960 as a centre-half, making his debut against Kilmarnock in March 1963.

A modern languages graduate of the University of Glasgow, Cushley acted as interpreter in 1964 when along with Jimmy McGrory he travelled to Spain to try and talk Alfredo Di Stefano to sign for Celtic.

Cushley retired as deputy head teacher at St Ambrose, Coatbridge, in 2003. At the school he spotted the talent of one pupil, right-back Mark Wilson, now a first team player after Cushley helped recruit him to the club.

Cushley had recently returned to Celtic as education officer to the club but retired last year through ill health after having being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

Former team-mate Jimmy 'Jinky' Johnstone died in March 2006 after a five-year battle with the illness.