John McPhail
Encyclopedia
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
. He was the elder brother of Billy McPhail
, also a former Celtic player.
, 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.
McPhail's early years with Celtic coincided with a period of domination by their Old Firm
rivals, Rangers
. 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. 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.
It was in this period McPhail earned 5 caps for the Scotland national football team, scoring 3 goals.
By 1954 McPhail had begun 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. 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.
McPhail was married, and had two daughters and a son, also called John. He died in Glasgow on 6 November 2000.
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
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 spent his entire playing career with 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...
. On his retirement from playing football, he wrote for the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
and The Celtic View
The Celtic View
The Celtic View is the official weekly magazine of Celtic Football Club in Glasgow, Scotland.Launched in 1965 as a four page newspaper, it is the oldest football club magazine in the United Kingdom. Its first editor was Jack McGinn, later chairman of the club...
. He was the elder brother of Billy McPhail
Billy McPhail
William "Billy" S. McPhail 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...
, also a former Celtic player.
Playing career
Born in LambhillLambhill
Lambhill is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde.Lambhill is a mainly residential area comprising both council and private housing. Residents are of a mixed age group...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, McPhail attended St Mungo's Academy
St Mungo's Academy, Glasgow
St Mungo's Academy is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, comprehensive, secondary school located in Bridgeton, Glasgow. The school was founded in 1858, in Townhead originally, by the Marist Brothers religious order. The school has a reputation for academic achievement and sporting excellence,...
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.
McPhail's early years with Celtic coincided with a period of domination by their 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
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. 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. He captained the team to a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
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
Coronation Cup (football)
The Coronation Cup was a one-off football tournament to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, between four English and four Scottish clubs, held in Glasgow in May 1953...
victory in 1953 and a league championship title in 1954.
It was in this period McPhail earned 5 caps for the Scotland national football team, scoring 3 goals.
By 1954 McPhail had begun to struggle to maintain his match fitness and he only played for the Celtic first team intermittently. Journalist, Archie Macpherson
Archie Macpherson
Archibald "Archie" Macpherson is a Scottish football commentator and author.He has been commentating on Scottish football, via both radio and television, for over four decades.- Early life :...
recounts that McPhail admitted to him that he began to adopt the "ageing remedy of the Hungarian international Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
, 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
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
as a business venture went wrong.
His younger brother, Billy McPhail also played for Celtic, and is widely remembered for 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...
in Celtic's 7-1 victory over rivals Rangers in the 1957 Scottish League Cup. 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 and a son, also called John. He died in Glasgow on 6 November 2000.
External links
- Directory of individuals named John MacPhail/McPhail including additional details