Walter Scott - I found Pride of the Lions a cut above most sports books. Perhaps that's because it's more than a story about a great sporting achievement. This wonderful book is about the human history and strange synchronicity that allowed a group of football-daft lads to rise from their local surroundings and take their place among the greats of world football.

Derek Niven weaves together quality journalism, professional genealogy, timeless art, and a fair amount of Scottish swagger to produce a book all sports fans, of all colours, would benefit from reading. Derek echoes the late Liverpool manager Bill Shankly by stating that Jock Stein and his Celtic team are forever among the immortals.

And so now is Derek Niven with his story of the original Celtic family. Derek has managed to lean and lull himself to immortality by capturing in timeless print the historical roots, upbringing, motivation and character of the footballing heroes who came to be known as the Pride Of The Lions.