Patsy Gallacher

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Patsy Gallacher

| fullname = Patrick Gallacher or Gallagher

| birth_date = {{birth date|1891|3|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Milford, County Donegal, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|1953|6|17|1891|3|16|df=y}}

| death_place = Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland

|height = {{height|m=1.70}}

| position = Inside-right

| youthyears1 =

| youthyears2 = 1911

| youthclubs1 = Renfrew St James

| youthclubs2 = Clydebank Juniors

| years1 = 1911–1925

| years2 = 1925

| years3 = 1926–1932

| clubs1 = Celtic

| clubs2 = New Bedford Whalers

| clubs3 = Falkirk

| caps1 = 432

| goals1 = 186

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| caps3 = 131

| goals3 = 23

| totalcaps = 563

| totalgoals = 209

| nationalyears1= 1913–1924

| nationalyears2 = 1918[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)

| nationalteam2 = Scotland (wartime)

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3= 1919–1927

| nationalyears4= 1927

| nationalyears5= 1931

| nationalteam1= Scottish Football League XI

| nationalteam3= Ireland (IFA)

| nationalteam4= Scottish FA tour

| nationalteam5= Irish Free State (FAI)

| nationalcaps1= 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalcaps3= 11 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalcaps4= 7 | nationalgoals4 = 7

| nationalcaps5= 1 | nationalgoals5= 0

}}

Patrick Gallacher (16 March 1891 – 17 June 1953) was an Irish footballer, playing in the inside-right position, most noted for his career at Celtic, where he became one of the club's leading goalscorers of all time.

Early life

Patsy was born in a workhouse in Milford, County Donegal. His parents were both originally named Gallagher but at some point the spelling was altered.{{cite book|last=Potter|author-link=David W. Potter| first=David |title=The Mighty Atom | publisher=Parrs Wood Press | year=2000 | isbn=9781903158104}}

Gallacher was three years old when his family moved to Clydebank in Scotland and he played for his first schoolboy team at Our Holy Redeemer's Primary School in the town.{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Tom|last2=Woods|first2=Pat|title=The Glory & The Dream|date=1987|publisher=Grafton|isbn=9780586200056|page=364}} Patsy had to organise the team, acting as captain and secretary because every teacher in the school was female and showed little interest in the sport. Patsy remembered his first trophy in the Yoker Athletic Schools' Tournament playing for Holy Redeemer who were the dark horses of the competition. He recalled that the organisers were unwilling to award the cup to a team without an adult manager.{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Tom|last2=Woods|first2=Pat|title=The Glory & The Dream|date=1987|publisher=Grafton|isbn=9780586200056|page=365}}

Club career

Patsy joined Benvue, a team in the Clean Speech League, then moved up to the juvenile side, Renfrew St. James. He then moved up again to Clydebank Juniors and began to attract the attention of scouts from senior clubs.[http://sfha.org.uk/historiesfinaldraft.pdf Where Gallagher Was Found], Scottish Junior Histories (page 21), Evening Times, 1933, via Scottish Football Historical Archive They could see his talent which was impressive, but had doubts due to his puny, frail appearance. Despite this he received offers of a trial with Clyde F.C and Celtic. During his trial period he scored twice in a 6–1 defeat of Dumfries and three times in a 5–0 win against a British Army XI.{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Tom|last2=Woods|first2=Pat|title=The Glory & The Dream|date=1987|publisher=Grafton|isbn=9780586200056|pages=365–366}}

=Celtic=

He was quickly promoted to the Celtic first team and made his debut aged 20 against St Mirren at Parkhead in November 1911. He was to overcome his supposed physical problems in the same way that Garrincha would in years to come, and his resilience and stature earned him the nickname 'The Mighty Atom'.

File:Celtic double 1914.jpg; Gallacher bottom row, second left]]

He revitalised Celtic's team, which had slipped to fifth place in the league in 1910–11 as the great team of Jimmy Quinn, Davie Hamilton and Jimmy McMenemy which had won six successive league titles began to tire. Within six months he secured his first winner's medal, scoring once in the 2–0 victory over Clyde in the 1912 Scottish Cup Final.{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Tom|last2=Woods|first2=Pat|title=The Glory & The Dream|date=1987|publisher=Grafton|isbn=9780586200056|page=366}}

For much of his time he formed an effective wing partnership with Andy McAtee{{cite book|last=Potter|author-link=David W. Potter| first=David |title=Celtic FC Miscellany | publisher=The History Press | year=2011 | isbn=9780752490595}} and in the final years of his spell he helped to bring on a young Jimmy McGrory, who later commented "Many people have asked me how Patsy would have stood up to the rigours of the modern game. He would have strolled through it. There is no present day player in this country that I would put anywhere near his class."

He went on to play for Celtic for 15 years from 1911 to 1925, featuring in 491 games in all competitions.{{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2987|title=Celtic player Patrick Gallagher [sic]|publisher=Fitbastats.com|access-date=26 February 2017}} In 464 games in major competitions Patsy scored 195 goals. Today he ranks as Celtic's sixth highest goalscorer behind Jimmy McGrory, Bobby Lennox, Henrik Larsson, Stevie Chalmers and Jimmy Quinn.{{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_records_overall.php|title=Celtic FC all-time player records|publisher=Fitbastats.com|access-date=26 February 2017}} With Gallacher added to the lineup, Celtic won six Scottish League titles, four Scottish Cups, four Glasgow Cups and eleven Glasgow Charity Cups.{{cite web|title=Gallaghers and the Glasgow Celtic F.C. Connection|url=http://www.gallagherclan.org/sporting_soccer_patsy.aspx|website=The Gallagher Clan|access-date=8 February 2016}}

One of his most famous moments came in the 'Patsy Gallacher' Scottish Cup Final of 1925 against Dundee, when he barged from behind in a packed penalty area and somersaulted over the goal line with the ball between his feet into the net for a goal.{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Tom|last2=Woods|first2=Pat|title=The Glory & The Dream|date=1987|publisher=Grafton|isbn=9780586200056|page=119}} This last winner's medal came 13 years after his first in 1912.

=Falkirk=

In 1926, Celtic 'retired' Patsy without warning. Speculation among his fans was that they wanted to save on his wages, which were considerably higher than those of any other Celtic player of the time (despite the fact that the team included greats such as Jimmy McGrory and Jimmy McStay).{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} Gallacher went on to play for six more years with Falkirk,{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Tom|last2=Woods|first2=Pat|title=The Glory & The Dream|date=1987|publisher=Grafton|isbn=9780586200056|page=368}} fuelling speculation among Celtic supporters as to how many more goals he would have scored and trophies lifted had he stayed at Celtic Park.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} He received a testimonial match in January 1932 between a Celtic-Falkirk XI and a Scottish League XI.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O_BYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4617%2C434973 Many Goals at Celtic Park | "Patsy" Gallagher's Benefit], The Glasgow Herald, 5 January 1932[https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/legendary-former-celtic-and-falkirk-striker-mighty-atom-patsy-gallacher-enters-scottish-football-hall-fame-928715 Legendary former Celtic and Falkirk striker 'The Mighty Atom' Patsy Gallacher enters Scottish Football Hall of Fame], Falkirk Herald, 28 October 2019

International career

Patsy gathered 12 caps for Ireland in an age when fewer internationals were played,{{cite web|title=Patsy Gallagher|url=http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2006/12/patsy-gallagher.html|website=Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats|access-date=8 February 2016}} and World War I also led to such games being suspended for several years. On his debut for Ireland at Windsor Park in Belfast against England he became the highest paid international ever. Interest in the Ireland team grew tremendously: 50,000 packed into Windsor Park for his Ireland debut in 1919.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}}

Like many Irish players of his era, he played for both the Belfast-based Irish Football Association side (11 times, with six matches against Scotland), and the Dublin-based Irish Free State team once versus Spain – at 40 years of age,{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerscene.ie/ss_gen/player.php?id=262&level=sssenior|title=Ireland player Patsy Gallacher|work=SoccerScene.ie|access-date=27 February 2017}} he became their oldest-ever debutant (surpassing Bill Lacey, although Lacey made further appearances up to the age of 41).

Gallacher also represented the Scottish Football League XI twice (both against the Irish League){{cite web|url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/patsygallacher.html|title=Scottish League player Patsy Gallacher|work=London Hearts Supporters' Club|access-date=5 December 2011}} while at Celtic, and made seven appearances and scored seven goals in a Scottish FA tour of Canada in 1927 while at Falkirk.{{cite news|url=http://scottish-football-historical-archive.co.uk/scottish-fa.htm|title=International tours by the Scottish FA 1921-1967|work=Scottish Football Historical Archive|access-date=27 February 2017}}

Personal life

Gallacher had been apprenticed in the famous local John Brown & Company shipyard prior to joining Celtic and returned to the industry (a reserved occupation) during World War I; in peacetime he was, unusually, permitted by Celtic to be a publican in Renfrew while also playing for them which allowed him to stop working in the shipyard. From 1925 he ran the International Bar in his hometown of Clydebank and concentrated on the licensed trade after retiring from playing professionally aged 41.{{cite web|url=http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/patsy%20gallacher.html|title=Patsy Gallacher, 1935 profile|publisher=Old Glasgow Pubs|access-date =27 February 2017}} His wife died in 1929 and Patsy had to raise their six children on his own. Patsy himself died in 1953 and is buried in Arkleston Cemetery in Paisley. In 2007 a memorial plaque was unveiled in Ramelton, with the unveiling ceremony attended by family members, locals and some of Celtic's Lisbon Lions team.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/lisbon-lions-honour-their-celtic-bhoy-patsy-26295346.html|title=Lisbon Lions honour their Celtic Bhoy Patsy|date=5 June 2007|work=Irish Independent|access-date =27 February 2017}}

Two of his sons Tommy and Willie also became footballers, as did his grandson Kevin, who played for Scotland at 1998 FIFA World Cup.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/tommy-gallacher-1-587793|title=Tommy Gallacher obituary|date=6 October 2001|publisher=The Scotsman|access-date =27 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/sport/football/premiership/4466659.Kevin_Gallacher_life_story_part_2__Growing_up_was_tough_as_grandson_of_late_great_Patsy/|title=Growing up was tough as grandson of late great Patsy|date=3 July 2009|publisher=This Is Lancashire|access-date =27 February 2017}} Additionally, his nephew John Divers and John's son of the same name both played for Celtic,{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-john-divers-footballer-and-teacher-1-3550544|title=Obituary: John Divers, footballer and teacher

|publisher=The Scotsman|date=24 September 2014

|access-date=2 October 2017}} and great-granddaughter Amy Gallacher (descendant of Tommy) joined the club's women's team in 2022;[https://thecelticstar.com/celtic-sign-patsy-gallachers-great-granddaughter-amy/ Celtic sign Patsy Gallacher’s great granddaughter Amy], The Celtic Star, 26 May 2022 she scored the winning goal in the last game of the 2023–24 season which secured the club's first women's league title.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cer3rwrzwpet SWPL finale: Celtic snatch title with 90th-minute winner], BBC Sport, 19 May 2024

Honours

Celtic

Scottish First Division (6): 1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19, 1921–22
Scottish Cup (4): 1911–12, 1913–14, 1922–23, 1924–25
Glasgow Cup (4): 1915–16, 1916–17, 1919–20, 1920–21

Individual

Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductee: 2019{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50203529 |title=Six former players added to Scotltish football's hall of fame |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 October 2019 |access-date=28 October 2019}}