John McPhail

Infobox Football biography
playername = John McPhail
dateofbirth = birth date|1923|12|27
cityofbirth = Glasgow
countryofbirth = Scotland flagicon|SCO
dateofdeath = death date and age|2000|11|6|1923|12|27
cityofdeath = Glasgow
countryofdeath = Scotland
position = right-half, centre forward
years = 1941-1956
clubs = Celtic
caps(goals) = 0204 (87)
nationalyears = 1949–1953
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 5 0(3)

John McPhail (27 December, 1923 - 6 November, 2000) was a Scottish international football player who spent his entire playing career with Celtic. On his retirement from playing football, he wrote for the "Daily Record" and "The Celtic View". He was the elder brother of Billy McPhail, also a former Celtic player.

Playing career

Born in Lambhill, Glasgow, McPhail attended St Mungo's Academy before signing for the club he supported, in October 1941, aged just 17. He initially played as a right-half and soon earned a nickname, "Hooky" due to his tendency to kick the football with the outside of his boot. The name stuck with him throughout his life. Archie Macpherson, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20001109/ai_n14344432 Obituary: John McPhail] , "The Independent", November 9, 2000.]

McPhail's early years with Celtic coincided with a period of domination by their Old Firm rivals, Rangers. In in 1948, McPhail was part of the Celtic team that only narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the season. However, he did earn a winners medal in the Victory In Europe Cup in 1945.

In 1950 McPhail was transformed into a centre forward, a move that revitalised his career. During this season, he was "his side’s inspiration, and the idol of the supporters", according to author and historian Tom Campbell in "Glasgow Celtic 1945-1970". Tom Campbell, "Glasgow Celtic 1945-1970", Civic Press, 1970] He captained the team to a Scottish Cup victory in 1951, scoring 7 of the club's 19 goals in that competition, and the only goal of the final. This marked the first Cup success for the club in 14 years; it was followed by with a Coronation Cup victory in 1953 and a league championship title in 1954. James E. Handley, "The Celtic Story", 1960]

It was in this period McPhail earned 5 caps for the Scotland national football team, scoring 3 goals.

By 1954 McPhail had began to struggle to maintain his match fitness and he only played for the Celtic first team intermittently. Journalist, Archie Macpherson recounts that McPhail admitted to him that he began to adopt the "ageing remedy of the Hungarian international Ferenc Puskás, shortening the stride and increasing the number of steps he took to lend the false impression of pace." Additional problems curtailed his career further, including a family crisis and bankruptcy as a business venture went wrong.

His younger brother, Billy McPhail also played for Celtic, and is widely remembered for scoring a hat-trick in Celtic's 7-1 victory over rivals Rangers in the 1957 Scottish League Cup. [Arindam Rej, [http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1379020,00.html Veterans battle to prove brain damage link] , "The Guardian", December 23, 2004.] John McPhail also scored three goals against Rangers, in the 1950 Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup. This is the only occasion in Old Firm history that brothers have achieved this feat.

Retirement

On 5 May, 1956 McPhail retired from professional football, having spent 14 years with just one senior club. He went on to work as a journalist with the "Daily Record" for over ten years. He then wrote for "The Celtic View" in the years following its launch.

McPhail was married, and had two daughters. He died in Glasgow on 6 November, 2000.

See also

*History of Celtic F.C.

References