Billy McPhail
Encyclopedia
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
.
"Teazy Weazy." He was, according to football historian Bob Crampsey
, "an extremely graceful player... a particularly good header of a ball" 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 and song as "Hampden in the sun
", resulted in a record 7-1 victory to Celtic, with McPhail scoring a hat-trick
of goals.
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. 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.
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.
McPhail's mental health
continued to deteriorate and he died in Glasgow on 4 April 2003.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who played for Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
and Queen's Park
Queen's Park F.C.
Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
. 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
John McPhail
John McPhail 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...
.
Career
McPhail's 17 year playing career began when he signed for Queen's Park in 1941. He was a centre forward and soon earned the nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Teazy Weazy." He was, according to football historian Bob Crampsey
Bob Crampsey
Robert "Bob" Crampsey was a Scottish association football historian, author and broadcaster, described as a "much loved Scottish cultural institution" by The Times...
, "an extremely graceful player... a particularly good header of a ball" 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
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. Later that season
1956-57 in Scottish football
The 1956–57 season was the 60th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Dunfermline Athletic, Ayr United-Scottish League Division Two:...
, 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
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
rivals, Rangers in the final of the same competition. The match, referred to by Celtic fans in poem and song as "Hampden in the sun
Hampden in the sun
The 1957 Scottish League Cup Final was a football match played on 19 October 1957 at Hampden Park, in which Celtic beat rivals Rangers in a record 7–1 victory. The final was nicknamed Hampden in the Sun, a phrase first coined by Celtic supporters as the title of a terrace song...
", resulted in a record 7-1 victory to Celtic, with McPhail scoring a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
of goals.
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. 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.
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 dementiaDementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
since his 30s, and was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. 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
Industrial injury
An occupational injury is bodily damage resulting from working.In the United States in 2007, 5,488 workers died from job injuries, 92% of which were men, and 49,000 died from work-related injuries. NIOSH estimates that 4 million workers in the U.S...
. The decision was upheld by the Social Security Commissioner of Scotland.
McPhail's mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
continued to deteriorate and he died in Glasgow on 4 April 2003.
External links
- Billy McPhail, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database
- Review of Hampden in the Sun