Charlie Gallagher (footballer, born 1940)
Charles Gallagher (3 November 1940 – 11 July 2021) was a footballer who played as an inside forward.[2] At club level he played mainly for Celtic, as well as Dumbarton. Born in Scotland, he represented the Republic of Ireland at international level, making two appearances for the team in 1967. He was a member of the renowned Lisbon Lions team that won the European Cup in May 1967.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Gallagher | ||
| Date of birth | 3 November 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 11 July 2021 (aged 80)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Inside forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1958–1959 | Yoker Athletic | ||
| 1959–1970 | Celtic | 106 | (17) |
| 1970–1973 | Dumbarton | 70 | (29) |
| International career | |||
| 1967 | Republic of Ireland | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life
editGallagher was born in Glasgow on 3 November 1940. His parents came from County Donegal, Ireland and one of his cousins, Pat Crerand, also played for Celtic. Gallagher first played football for St. John's (Gorbals) Boys' Guild in 1952 and Holyrood Senior Secondary the following year. He went on to play for Kilmarnock Amateurs in 1955 and Yoker Athletic in 1958.[3] John Murphy, his secondary school physical education teacher who also served as an announcer at Parkhead on match days, recommended him to Celtic.[3][4]
Professional career
editGallagher made his debut for Celtic on 22 August 1958 during a 1–0 victory over Raith Rovers F.C. in the Scottish League Cup.[5] He then made his full debut on 6 March the following year, when Jock Stein signed him as to a professional contract that same day.[3] Gallagher took the corner kick that resulted in Billy McNeill's winning goal in the final of the 1965 Scottish Cup. Two years later, he was made captain for a Scottish Cup game against Elgin City.[5] This was in tribute to his accomplishment of playing for the Republic of Ireland,[5] becoming the first player born in Scotland to represent the team when he played against Turkey on 22 February 1967.[3] Gallagher was part of the Lisbon Lions squad that won the European Cup Final that same year, which saw him score four goals in the run-up to the final. Although he did not start in the final, the club maintained that he "has always been rightly acknowledged as part of the Lisbon Lions squad".[5][6]
Gallagher played for Celtic for over a decade, making a total of 171 appearances and scoring 32 goals. This included 106 Scottish League appearances and 17 league goals. He also played in 13 European games. He stayed with the club until 1 May 1970, when he signed for Dumbarton.[3] He scored 40 goals in 95 games for the club,[7] and won the Division Two championship in 1971–72,[8] before retiring from professional football in April 1973. Gallagher subsequently worked as a scout for Celtic from 1976 to 1978.[3] He was later employed as a taxi driver.[6]
Personal life
editGallagher resided in Bishopbriggs with his wife Maryrose. Together, they had three children: Paul, Kieron, and Claire. His biography Charlie Gallagher? What A Player, authored by David W. Potter, was released in 2016.[9]
Honours
editCeltic
- European Cup: 1966–67[5]
- Scottish League: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68[5]
- Scottish Cup: 1965[5]
- Scottish League Cup: 1965[5]
Dumbarton
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Charlie Gallagher: Lisbon Lion dies aged 80, BBC Sport, 11 July 2021
- ^ Gifted in Green, Adam Ward, 1999. PB) ISBN 0-600-59739-3 p.37
- ^ a b c d e f McGuirk, Brian (21 February 2013). Celtic FC – the Ireland Connection. Black & White Publishing. ISBN 9781845026301.
- ^ "Charlie Gallagher - The Donegal Influence At Celtic". Association of Donegal Celtic Supporters Clubs. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Cuddihy, Paul (11 July 2021). "Celtic great, Charlie Gallagher, passes away". Celtic F.C. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "Charlie Gallagher: Lisbon Lion dies aged 80". BBC News. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Charlie Gallagher: Former Celtic forward dies aged 80". Sky Sports. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Charlie Gallagher". Dumbarton F.C. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Potter, David (23 May 2016). Charlie Gallagher? What a Player. 241 Media Limited. ISBN 9780993436055.
External links
edit- Charlie Gallagher at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database