Billy McPhail

Infobox Football biography
playername = Billy McPhail
fullname = William S. McPhail
dateofbirth = birth date|1928|02|02
cityofbirth = Glasgow
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = death date and age|2003|4|4|1928|2|2
cityofdeath = Glasgow
countryofdeath = Scotland
position = centre forward
years = 1941-1947
1947-1956
1956-1958
clubs = Queen's Park
Clyde
Celtic
caps(goals) = 0?? (??)
137 (90)
033 (13)

William "Billy" S. McPhail (2 February, 1928 - 4 April, 2003) was a Scottish football player who played for Celtic, Clyde and Queen's Park. He scored three goals in Celtic's record 7-1 victory over Rangers in the 1957 Scottish League Cup final. After retiring, he developed a neurodegenerative disease, which he believed to be a result of brain damage acquired from heading footballs. He was the younger brother of John McPhail.

Career

McPhail's 17 year playing career began when he signed for Queen's Park in 1941. Alford, Mark. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20030412/ai_n12682837 So Farewell Billy McPail] , "The Independent", 12 April, 2003] He was a centre forward and soon earned the nickname "Teazy Weazy." [http://www.nafcsc.com/information/hampden_in_the_sun.htm Hampden in the Sun] , The North American Federation of Celtic Supporters Clubs, Retrieved 22 June 2007] He was, according to football historian Bob Crampsey, "an extremely graceful player... a particularly good header of a ball" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/732497.stm Heading for Trouble (transcript)] , "Frontline Scotland", 2 May, 2000] He was then sold to Clyde in 1947, but his career was interrupted with recurring injuries. He had an excellent scoring record whilst at Clyde, scoring 90 goals in 137 league games.

In May 1956 he signed for Celtic, the team his elder brother, John had previously captained. He made his debut in a 2-1 Scottish League Cup win against Aberdeen. Later that season, McPhail scored twice in the League Cup final, helping Celtic lift the trophy for the first time. The following year McPhail starred in the Celtic team that played fierce Old Firm rivals, Rangers in the final of the same competition. The match, referred to by Celtic fans in poem Hoops bid farewell to hat-trick legend Billy, "News of the World", April 6, 2003] and song as "Hampden in the sun", resulted in a record 7-1 victory to Celtic, with McPhail scoring a hat-trick of goals. Rej, Arindam . [http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1379020,00.html Veterans battle to prove brain damage link] , "The Guardian", 23 December, 2004]

A knee and ankle injury forced McPhail to retire the following year, after just two seasons with Celtic. He played just 57 games in all competitions for Celtic, however he is widely described as a "hero" or "idol" for his three goals in the 1957 Cup final. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19980416/ai_n14160384 Headers harmed my brain, says footballer] , "The Independent", 16 April, 1998] 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.Tom Campbell, "Glasgow Celtic 1945-1970", Civic Press, 1970]

Health problems

According to his wife, Ophelia, McPhail discovered in the 1990s that the left hemisphere of his brain was damaged. Then aged in his 70s, he had displayed signs of dementia since his 30s, and was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. McPhail, with the support of medical specialists, associated the neurological symptoms with heading the leather football used in the 1950s, explaining how "the ball used to get very heavy when it rained - when you took that full in the forehead it nearly knocked you over."

In 1999 McPhail launched a legal case claiming he was entitled to disability payments. However, an Industrial Tribunal didn't accept that a clash of heads during his playing career could have caused the dementia. The Tribunal would not consider whether heading the ball might have contributed, as that it categorised as "part of the job [as a footballer] " and not an industrial injury. The decision was upheld by the Social Security Commissioner of Scotland. [Wade, Mike. [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1257582002 Coroner rules heading ball killed striker] , "The Scotsman", 12 November, 2002]

McPhail's mental health continued to deteriorate and he died in Glasgow on 4 April, 2003.

See also

* History of Celtic F.C.
* Jeff Astle

External links

* [http://www.jinkysoars.co.uk/1957.htm Review of Hampden in the Sun]

References