Jimmy McMenemy

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jimmy McMenemy

| image = Mohammed Salim (Indian footballer) having feet bandaged at Celtic FC, 1936 photograph.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Mohammed Salim having his feet bandaged, due to him playing barefoot, by Jimmy McMenemy the Celtic trainer in 1936.

| fullname = James McMenamin{{cite web |url=http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk |title = ScotlandsPeople {{!}} Connecting Generations}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1880|10|11}}

| birth_place = Rutherglen, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1965|6|23|1880|10|11}}

| death_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| height =

| position = Inside forward

| years1=

| clubs1 = Cambuslang Hibernian

| years2 = 1901–1902

| clubs2 = Rutherglen Glencairn

| years3 = 1902–1920

| clubs3 = Celtic

| caps3 = 456

| goals3 = 142

| years4 = 1920–1923

| clubs4 = Partick Thistle

| caps4 = 56

| goals4 = 3

| totalcaps = 512

| totalgoals= 145

| nationalyears1 = 1905–1920 |nationalteam1 = Scotland |nationalcaps1 = 12 |nationalgoals1 = 5

| nationalyears2 = 1908–1920 |nationalteam2 = Scottish League XI |nationalcaps2 = 14 |nationalgoals2 = 2

| nationalyears3 = 1918–1919[http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/1918+-+Scotland+v+England 45,000 view the charity 'national match], Sunday Post, 9 June 1918 (via Partick Thistle History Archive){{cite web |url=https://www.londonhearts.com/scotlandunoff/players/jamesmcmenemy.html |title= Scotland player Jimmy McMenemy (including unofficial matches) |publisher=London Hearts Supporters Club |accessdate=1 April 2017}}

| nationalteam3 = Scotland (wartime) | nationalcaps3 = 3| nationalgoals3 = 0

| manageryears1 = | managerclubs1 = Partick Thistle (coach)

| manageryears2 = 1934–1940 | managerclubs2 = Celtic (assistant)

}}

James McMenamin (11 October 1880 – 23 June 1965), was a Scottish footballer who most notably played for Celtic from 1902 to 1920 and later served as assistant manager in the 1930s. He has been described by the club as "a true Celtic legend".{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/2693?item=2693|title=Jimmy McMenemy – a true Celtic legend|publisher=Celtic F.C.|date=6 June 2012|accessdate=3 December 2017}}

Early life

James was born in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, on 11 October 1880 to John McMenamin and Hannah Regan; his father adopted the name 'McMenamin' after he moved to Scotland from County Tyrone. John's brother, also called James, settled in Rutherglen during the same period with his wife Ann Smith but maintained the traditional spelling 'McMenemy'. This – and also due to the player himself using both styles – has led to some mis-attributing of the player's date of birth to that of his cousin (James McMenemy, born at Rutherglen on 23 August 1880).

Playing career

=Club=

McMenemy began his career playing for local Junior teams Cambuslang Hibernian and Rutherglen Glencairn, winning the Scottish Junior Cup and Glasgow Junior League double with the latter in 1902,{{cite web|url=http://www.freewebs.com/rutherglenglencairn/history.htm|title=Club History|publisher=Rutherglen Glencairn F.C.|accessdate=2 December 2017}} alongside Alec Bennett.{{cite web|url=http://www.spanglefish.com/alecbennett/index.asp?pageid=252504 |title=Rutherglen Glencairn|work= Alec Bennett (footballer) by David Carmichael|date=30 September 2010|accessdate=2 December 2017}}[https://www.scottishjuniorfa.com/scottish-junior-cup/history-of-junior-cup/previous-finals/1886-1919/ Scottish Junior Cup Finals 1886-1919 | 1901–02 Rutherglen Glencairn 1–0 Maryhill], Scottish Junior Football Association

In June 1902, aged 21, he joined Celtic, where he would become a mainstay in the side for the next two decades. Nicknamed "Napoleon" by manager Willie Maley due to his strategic and leadership qualities and calmness,{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/7108|title=Celtic Graves Society event for Jimmy McMenemy|publisher=Celtic F.C.|date=20 November 2014|accessdate=2 December 2017}} as well as an apparent resemblance to Napoleon Bonaparte, he was also said to be "a master of the deceptive movement"{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RZMtDwAAQBAJ&q=%22jimmy+mcmenemy&pg=PT114|title=Celtic: The Official History|last=Wilson|author-link=Brian Wilson (Labour politician)|first=Brian |publisher=Birlinn Ltd|year=2017|isbn=9780857909312}} who "seldom troubled himself with the physical side of the game – he had no need."

He made his debut on 29 September 1902 against Hearts, scoring for the first time in a 3–0 win over Port Glasgow Athletic two months later.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2hsjAwAAQBAJ&q=century+bhoys+mcmenemy&pg=PT70 |title=The Century Bhoys: The Official History of Celtic's Greatest Goalscorers|last1=Cuddihy|first1=Paul|last2=Friel|first2=David|publisher=Black & White Publishing|year=2013|isbn=9781845026103}} One of his first important actions was away from the pitch when he successfully persuaded Bennett to join him at the club;{{cite web|url=http://www.spanglefish.com/alecbennett/index.asp?pageid=252504 |title=Celtic 1903 to 1908|work= Alec Bennett (footballer) by David Carmichael|date=30 September 2010|accessdate=2 December 2017}} the pair would form Celtic's first famous forward line, along with Davie Hamilton (another former Cambuslang Hibs player), Jimmy Quinn and Peter Somers.

File:Celtic team 1908.jpg , Scottish Cup and Glasgow Cup trophies; McMenemy is top row, third left (counting players only)]]McMenemey was in the team that defeated Rangers 3–2 in the 1904 Scottish Cup final after being down 2–0,{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/the-elite-players-who-scored-cup-final-hat-tricks-1-3589574|title=The elite players who scored cup final hat-tricks|newspaper=The Scotsman|date=31 October 2014|accessdate=2 December 2017}} and also played and opened the scoring in a playoff match against the same opposition to decide the 1904–05 league title.{{cite news|last=Murphy|first=Alex|title=Another championship nailbiter thanks to mighty Quinn|url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1905-05-06%3A+Celtic+2-1+Rangers%2C+League+Division+1%2C+Championship+Play-off|accessdate=2 December 2017|work=The Times|date=19 May 2005}}{{cite news|last=Hannan|first=Martin|title=1905: The last time Scotland drafted in a foreign referee |url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/1905-the-last-time-scotland-drafted-in-a-foreign-referee-1-1370563|accessdate=2 December 2017|work=The Scotsman|date=27 November 2010}} It would be the first of six league titles in a row between 1905 and season 1909–10, with Celtic also securing two further Scottish Cups in 1907 and 1908. Rangers built a strong team of their own (including Alec Bennett, who had switched sides in 1908){{cite web|url=http://www.spanglefish.com/alecbennett/index.asp?pageid=254492|title=Parting of the ways|work= Alec Bennett (footballer) by David Carmichael|date=30 September 2010|accessdate=2 December 2017}} which took the next three titles, but McMenemy remained with Celtic while others were replaced.

File:Celtic double 1914.jpg

On the eve of World War I in season 1913–14, the club were again crowned champions and Cup winners.{{cite web|title=Celtic 4–1 Hibernian, Scottish Cup Final (newspaper scans)|url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1914-04-16%3A+Celtic+4-1+Hibernian%2C+Scottish+Cup+Final+%28Replay%29|publisher=The Celtic Wiki|accessdate=4 December 2017}} This team, including new stars Patsy Gallacher, Jimmy McColl and Andy McAtee plus survivors from the earlier successful squad such as Alec McNair and 'Sunny Jim' Young would win a further three titles, and set a sequence of 62 league games unbeaten (65 including the minor Glasgow Cup and Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup) which would not be surpassed for a century.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/one-hundred-years-celtics-62-6845360|title=One hundred years since Celtic's 62-game unbeaten stretch that ended with this week's foes Killie|newspaper=Daily Record|date=17 November 2015|accessdate=4 December 2017}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/04/st-johnstone-celtic-scottish-premiership-match-report |title=Celtic make history as St Johnstone rout takes unbeaten record to 63 |work=Press Association |publisher=The Guardian |date=4 November 2017 |accessdate=4 December 2017}} In October 1913, McMenemy suffered a broken collar bone during a match against Aberdeen. After jumping up to win a header, McMenemy collided mid-air with John Wyllie, "and they both fell like a log". McMenemy was not to play for Celtic again until 27 December in a 6-0 victory over Ayr United. "Celts' Costly Win - M'Menemy's Collar Bone Broken" Daily Record, 6 October 1913, p.6

McMenemy, now in his mid-30s, was one of the Celtic players who worked in reserved occupations during the conflict – in his case manufacturing munitions – so was not called to frontline action and able to continue to playing football whenever possible (in summer 1918 he was due to be called up, with one brother having been killed and another wounded on the battlefield, but fell ill with influenza and did not leave Scotland before the armistice in November of that year). A teammate, Peter Johnstone, was one of those did perish on the Western Front.{{cite news|last=Geoghegan|first=Peter|title=Past reality too often obscured by Celtic's complicated present|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/past-reality-too-often-obscured-by-celtics-complicated-present-30116980.html|accessdate=4 December 2017|work=The Independent (Ireland)|date=23 March 2014}}

Prior to season 1918–19, 38-year-old McMenemy retired from playing, only to return to Celtic by the halfway point of the season, where he was restored to the line-up and helped secure another Scottish League title, his eleventh overall. He also won six Scottish Cup medals with the clubPotter, David, (2012) Jimmy McMenemy, Celtic Legend: 1902–1920, JMD Media. (although the only final in which he scored was 1912 against Clyde),{{cite web|title=Celtic 2–0 Clyde, Scottish Cup Final (newspaper scans)|url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1912-04-06%3A+Celtic+2-0+Clyde%2C+Scottish+Cup+Final|publisher=The Celtic Wiki|accessdate=4 December 2017}} an equally impressive total considering the trophy was withheld in 1909{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13198793.Six_classic_matches__the_birth_of_the_Old_Firm_and_the_day_Hampden_burned/|title=Six classic matches: the birth of the Old Firm and the day Hampden burned|date=26 January 2015|accessdate=29 November 2017|publisher=The Herald}} and five editions were not contested during the war.

McMenemy made 515 appearances for Celtic in the League and Scottish Cup, scoring 166 goals.{{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2309|title=Celtic player James McMenemy profile|website=Fitbastats|accessdate=4 December 2017}} In Celtic's all-time records, he ranks in sixth place for league appearances and seventh for league goals.{{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_records_filtered.php?opposition=0&from=105&to=147&competition=1&venue=0&update=Update|title=Celtic all-time records (filter: Scottish League)|website=Fitbastats|accessdate=4 December 2017}} He is also the club's oldest goalscorer (39 years, 56 days v Motherwell, 6 December 1939){{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_records_scorer_age.php|title=Celtic all-time goalscorer age records|website=Fitbastats|accessdate=4 December 2017}} and third-oldest player (39 years, 194 days vs St Mirren, 22 April 1920).{{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_records_age.php|title=Celtic all-time appearance age records|website=Fitbastats|accessdate=4 December 2017}}

In June 1920, McMenemy left Celtic and joined Partick Thistle where, in April 1921, aged, 40, he helped them to their one and only Scottish Cup victory, beating Rangers 1–0 in the final which was held at Celtic Park.{{cite news|url=http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/1921+-+SCF+Sunday+Post |title=How Partick Thistle won the Scottish Cup |date=17 April 1921|publisher=The Sunday Post via Partick Thistle History Archive|accessdate=8 April 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scottish_cup/1885880.stm|title=Beware the Jags' sting|publisher=BBC Sport|date=21 March 2002|accessdate=3 December 2017}} He played on at Firhill for two more years, retiring in 1923.{{cite journal|title=A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players|author=John Litster|publisher=Scottish Football Historian magazine|date=October 2012}}

=International=

McMenemy played 12 times for the Scotland national team, scoring five goals, and also represented the Scottish League XI 14 times, scoring twice.{{cite web|url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/jamesmcmenemy.html|title=SFL Player James McMenemy|website=London Hearts Supporters' Club|accessdate=28 November 2017}}{{efn|The source lists 13 matches, but does not include an appearance in 1908[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4c1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RqYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6203%2C109120 League International: England v. Scotland], The Glasgow Herald, 2 March 1908 instead listing Alec McNair twice.{{cite web|url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/alexandermcnair.html|title=SFL Player Alexander McNair|website=London Hearts Supporters' Club|accessdate=13 November 2019}}}}

At the age of 40 he also took part in a 1921 summer tour of North America as a member of 'Third Lanark Scotland XI' (organised by Third Lanark and composed of players from seven different clubs); he was reunited with old teammate and rival Alec Bennett who thereafter became the Thirds manager.{{cite web|title=British 'FA XI' tours: 1921 "Third Lanark's Scotland XI" – Canada and USA|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/britishfatours.html|website=RSSSF|date=25 August 2016|accessdate=3 December 2017}}

Coaching and later life

After retiring from playing, McMenemy spent some years away from football and spent time as a publican. He came back to Partick Thistle as a coach, then in 1934 returned to Celtic as trainer assisting Willie Maley (the same manager who had brought him to the club three decades earlier), helping players such as Jimmy Delaney and Willie Buchan to develop and taking charge of the squad which won the Empire Exhibition Trophy in 1938,{{cite web|title=Celtic 1–0 Everton, Empire Exhibition Cup Final (contemporary newspaper scans)|url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1938-06-10%3A+Celtic+1-0+Everton%2C+Empire+Exhibition+Cup+Final|publisher=The Celtic Wiki|accessdate=4 December 2017}} having already secured that season's League title.

Maley retired in 1940, however McMenemy was not chosen to succeed him, the role instead going to Jimmy McStay. By then the world was again at war, and McMenemy and Celtic parted company. He died in Glasgow in 1965.

=Legacy=

In 2010, a selection of McMenemy's medals, Scotland caps and other memorabilia was sold at auction for £3,500.{{cite web |url=http://auctions.lyonandturnbull.com/auction-lot-detail/Jimmy-McNemeny---Scottish-football-cap,-gold-football-medals/301++++++274+/++134357|title=Jimmy McNemeny[sic] – Scottish football cap, gold football medals and archive material |website=Lyon & Turnbull Auctions|date=30 November 2010 |accessdate=3 December 2017}}{{cite news|title=Former Scotland & Celtic star's memorabilia expected to fetch £6k at auction|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/former-scotland--celtic-stars-1077182|publisher=Daily Record|date=29 November 2010|accessdate=3 December 2017}}

In 2013, the Evening Times newspaper ranked him in 12th position among Celtic's greatest-ever players.{{cite news|title=Celtic legends countdown 15–11|url=http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/13258378.CELTIC_LEGENDS_COUNTDOWN_15_11/|newspaper=Evening Times|date=19 June 2013|accessdate=4 December 2017}}

In 2014, the 'Celtic Graves Society' held a commemorative event for McMenemy in Dalbeth St Peters Cemetery to recognise his achievements, attended by family members and former players.

Personal life

Jimmy McMenemy's five sons were also footballers: John won the Scottish Cup with Celtic in 1927{{cite web|url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1927-04-16%3A+Celtic+3-1+East+Fife%2C+Scottish+Cup+Final|publisher=The Celtic Wiki|title=Celtic 2–1 East Fife, Scottish Cup (newspaper report scans)|date=16 April 1927|accessdate=28 November 2017}} – just six years after his father's last win – and the Scottish League Championship with Motherwell in 1932;{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Paul|title=Scotland Who's Who|publisher=Pitch Publishing|year=2013|page=196|isbn=9781909178847}}{{cite web|url=http://www.motherwellnet.com/database/player-archive/mc-mac/john-mcmenemy/|website=Motherwellnet|title=John McMenemy profile|accessdate=28 November 2017}} Harry played for Newcastle United[https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scot-intres1939.html RSSSF Scotland international matches 1930s (see 1933 notes)] where he won the FA Cup in 1932;{{cite web|url=http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1932.htm |title=FA Cup Final 1932 |work=FA Cup History (unofficial site) |accessdate=28 November 2017|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311060603/http://www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk/1932.htm |archive-date=11 March 2007 }} Frank played for Hamilton Academical and Crystal Palace;[https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/players/mcmenemy-frank-1930 McMenemy, Frank (1930)], Hamilton Academical Memory Bank and both James (Maryhill)[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A_VYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6718%2C841951 Junior International Match. {{!}} Scotland, 3; Ireland, 3.], The Glasgow Herald, 7 March 1927 and Joe (Strathclyde){{cite news|last1=Webster|first1=Jack|title=First reunion of the 1938 stalwarts|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19891007&id=kxk1AAAAIBAJ&pg=1816,2207859|work=The Herald (Glasgow)|date=7 October 1989|accessdate=27 September 2017}} were prominent junior players but did not play at the professional level. Joe McMenemy is also credited with saving the sister of Sean Fallon from drowning during a holiday in Sligo, after which the families became acquainted; Fallon would go on to serve Celtic as a player and coach for many years.{{cite news|title=Sean Fallon|url=https://www.independent.ie/world-news/sean-fallon-28961013.html|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=20 January 2013|accessdate=3 December 2017}}

Lawrie McMenemy, the former manager of Southampton and many other teams, is a distant relation of the family.{{cite news|url=http://www.toon1892.com/detail_player.php?id=524|title=Player Profile: Harry McMenemy|work=Toon1892.com|accessdate=27 March 2021}}

Honours

;Rutherglen Glencairn

Scottish Junior Cup: 1901–02
Glasgow Junior League: 1901–02[http://www.scottish-football-historical-archive.co.uk/gjl.htm Scottish Football Historical Archive – History of Glasgow Junior League]

;Celtic

Scottish League (11): 1904–05, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1909–10, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19
Scottish Cup (6): 1903–04, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1913–14
Finalist: 1908–09{{efn|No cup awarded due to rioting by fans after the replayed final}}
Glasgow Cup (8): 1904–05, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1919–20

: Glasgow Charity Cup (10): 1902–03, 1904–05, 1907–08, 1911–12, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1917–18, 1919–20

War Fund Shield: 1917–18[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SMRAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FKYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2904%2C2489859 Association football {{!}} War Fund Shield–Final Tie], Glasgow Herald, 6 May 1918
Budapest Cup: 1914{{cite web|title=Trophy that took 74 years to get to Paradise|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/5931|work=Celtic FC|accessdate=5 February 2015|date=21 May 2014}}

;Partick Thistle

Scottish Cup: 1920–21

;Scotland{{cite news | title=Jimmy McMenemy | url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=113438&lid=1 | publisher=SFA | access-date=13 April 2021}}