Stevie Chalmers
{{Short description|Scottish footballer (1935–2019)}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Stevie Chalmers
| image =
| fullname = Thomas Stephen Chalmers
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1935|12|26}}
| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2019|04|29|1935|12|26}}
| height =
| position = Centre forward / Outside right
| youthyears1 = 1953–1955
| youthyears2 = 1955–1956
| youthyears3 =
| youthclubs1 = Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
| youthclubs2 = Newmarket Town
| years1 = 1956–1959 | caps1 = | goals1 = | clubs1 = Ashfield
| years2 = 1959 | caps2 = 1 | goals2 = 0 | clubs2 = Dumbarton (trialist)
| years3 = 1959–1971 | caps3 = 263 | goals3 = 155 | clubs3 = Celtic
| years4 = 1971–1972 | caps4 = 32 | goals4 = 8 | clubs4 = Morton
| years5 = 1972–1975 | caps5 = 44 | goals5 = 6 | clubs5 = Partick Thistle
| totalcaps = 340
| totalgoals = 169
| nationalyears1 = 1962–1967
| nationalteam1 = Scottish League XI
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1964–1966
| nationalteam2 = Scotland
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 3
}}
Thomas Stephen Chalmers (26 December 1935 – 29 April 2019) was a Scottish footballer who played as a centre-forward and spent the majority of his career with Celtic. He is the club's fifth-highest goalscorer with 236 goals and is considered one of their greatest players. He is particularly known for scoring the winning goal in the 1967 European Cup Final against Inter Milan. Chalmers later played for Morton and Partick Thistle. He also represented Scotland five times in international matches.
Early life
Chalmers was born on 26 December 1935 in the Garngad district of Glasgow,{{cite web |url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/9791 |title=Happy 81st Birthday to Stevie Chalmers |first=Paul |last=Cuddihy |date=26 December 2016 |access-date=21 August 2017 |work=celticfc.net |publisher=Celtic FC}} where he attended St Roch's Secondary School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/stevie-chalmers-funeral-glasgow-pays-16243230|title=Glasgow pays respect as Lisbon Lions legend Stevie Chalmers laid to rest|first1=Gillian|last1=Loney|first2=Craig|last2=Williams|date=8 May 2019|website=GlasgowLive.co.uk|access-date=30 October 2021}} The family later moved to nearby Balornock.[https://books.google.com/books?id=lQLvTjIVGqsC&dq=%22neil+duffy%22+%22partick+thistle&pg=PT18 The Winning Touch: My Autobiography], Stevie Chalmers, Graham McColl; Hachette UK, 2012; {{ISBN|9780755363230}} His father, David, played for Clydebank.
Career
Leaving school aged 14, he signed for Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in 1953.{{cite web |url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/sport/football/lisbon-lions-legend-stevie-chalmers-16197063 |title=Lisbon Lions legend Stevie Chalmers and the goal that won Celtic the European Cup |date=29 April 2019 |publisher=Glasgow Live |access-date=30 April 2019}} Subsequently, he joined the RAF and during his time doing national service at RAF Stradishall in 1955 played for Newmarket Town. He then moved back to Scotland, signing with SJFA team Ashfield, and represented Scotland at that level in 1959.{{Cite web |url=http://www.scottish-football-historical-archive.co.nf/scotlandjuniorinternationals.xlsx |title=Scotland Junior International Results and Lineups |website=Scottish Football Historical Archive |access-date=21 August 2017}} Shortly afterwards he signed for Celtic, making his league debut in March 1959 against Airdrie.
He spent 12 full seasons with Celtic, helping the club to six league titles, three Scottish Cups, and four League Cups, as well as being part of the Lisbon Lions side that won the 1967 European Cup. He scored the winning goal in the 85th minute of the final, and in doing so also sealed the first European Treble and the only Quadruple to date.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscotland/asportingnation/article/0045/print.shtml |title=Celtic win European Cup 1967 |work= BBC |date= 19 March 2005 |access-date=1 May 2019}}{{Cite web |date=10 June 2023 |title=Who has won a treble, including domestic league and cup titles, plus the European Cup or UEFA Champions League? |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0251-0e99b1ba85da-ec8053dc0a29-1000--who-has-won-a-treble-including-domestic-league-and-cup-title/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=UEFA}}{{Cite web |last=Jensen |first=Neil Fredrik |date=1 June 2022 |title=Celtic 1967 – the only quadruple winners |url=https://gameofthepeople.com/2022/06/01/celtic-1967-the-only-quadruple-winners/ |access-date=15 June 2023 |website=Game of the People}}
His involvement became limited after he broke a leg in the 1969 Scottish League Cup Final, and he missed the rest of that season including the 1970 European Cup Final. His total of 236 goals is the fifth-highest in the history of the club,{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_records_overall.php |title=Celtic all-time player records |work=Fitbastats.com |access-date=21 August 2017}} and he is remembered as one of the greatest players in Celtic's history.
After leaving Celtic Park in September 1971 at the age of 35, Chalmers continued to appear in Scotland's top tier, with spells at Morton
- {{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/morton/player.php?playerid=438 |title=Morton player 'Thomas' Chalmers |work=Fitbastats.com |access-date=21 August 2017}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/morton/player.php?playerid=447 |title=Morton player 'Steve' Chalmers |work=Fitbastats.com |access-date=21 August 2017}} and Partick Thistle before he retired in 1975. He made a very brief comeback with junior club St Roch's during the 1975–76 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17604733.obituary-stevie-chalmers-celtic-striker-who-scored-the-1967-european-cup-winner/ |title=Obituary: Stevie Chalmers, Celtic striker who scored the 1967 European cup winner |date=29 April 2019 |publisher=Glasgow Herald |access-date=29 April 2019}}
He was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2016.{{cite web |url=http://scottishfootballhalloffame.co.uk/stevie-chalmers/ |title=Stevie Chalmers profile |publisher=Scottish Football Hall of Fame |access-date=21 August 2017}}
=International=
Chalmers won five full caps for Scotland between 1964 and 1966, scoring three goals. He was also selected four times for the Scottish Football League XI.{{cite web |url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/stephenchalmers.html |title=Scottish League player Stephen Chalmers |work=www.londonhearts.com |publisher=London Hearts Supporters' Club |access-date=21 August 2017}}
Personal life
Chalmers's father David played for Clydebank in the 1920s,{{cite web |url=http://www.clydebankprogrammesonline.co.uk/Original%20Players.html |title=The players (1914–1932) |work=Clydebank FC Programmes |access-date=21 August 2017}} and his son, Paul, also played professionally with several clubs after starting his career with Celtic in the 1980s.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/paulchalmers.html |title=Paul Chalmers profile |work=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database |access-date=21 August 2017}} Chalmers and his wife, Sadie, had six children.
In 1955, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis meningitis and was given only weeks to live before being successfully treated.{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p053dxkx |title=Goal hero Stevie Chalmers' life long debt to a Rangers fan |publisher=BBC |date=19 May 2017 |access-date=21 August 2017}}
It was reported in May 2017 that 81-year-old Chalmers was suffering from dementia and was unable to attend the Lisbon Lions' 50th anniversary events.{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-hero-stevie-chalmers-battling-10496272 |title=Celtic hero Stevie Chalmers battling dementia – granddaughter reveals heartbreaking news on eve of Lisbon Lions 50th anniversary |publisher=Daily Record |date=25 May 2017 |access-date=21 August 2017}} Chalmers died on 29 April 2019, aged 83.{{cite web |url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/16090 |title=Family's great sadness as Celtic legend Stevie Chalmers passes away |publisher=Celtic FC |date=29 April 2019 |access-date=29 April 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48091417 |title=Stevie Chalmers: Celtic great who scored 1967 winner dies at 83 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 April 2019 |access-date=29 April 2019}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{NeilBrownPlayers|player/stevechalmers}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||||||||
| colspan=2 | Club performance
! colspan=2 | League ! colspan=2 | Cup ! colspan=2 | League Cup ! colspan=2 | Continental ! colspan=2 | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan=2|Club
! Apps || Goals ! Apps || Goals ! Apps || Goals ! Apps || Goals ! Apps || Goals | |||||||||
| colspan=2 | Dumbarton
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+ | 0+ | ||||
| colspan=2 | Celtic
| 263 | 155 | 47 | 29 | 60 | 31 | 38 | 13 | 408 | 228 |
| colspan=2 | Greenock Morton
| 32 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 11 |
| colspan=2 | Partick Thistle
| 44 | 6 | 44+ | 6+ | ||||||
| colspan=2 | Career total
! 340 || 169 || 47+ || |29+ || 64+ || 34+ || 38+ || 13+ || 489+ || 245+ |
=International appearances=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | Scotland national team{{SFA profile |id=112786}} | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 2 | 2 |
| 1965 | colspan=2|— | |
| 1966 | 3 | 1 |
| Total || 5 || 3 |
=International goals=
:Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
| class="wikitable"
! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 3 October 1964 | Ninian Park, Cardiff | {{fb|WAL}} | align=center |1–1 | align=center |2–3 | 1964–65 British Home Championship |
| 2. | 21 October 1964 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | {{fb|FIN}} | align=center |2–0 | align=center |3–1 | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 25 June 1966 | Hampden Park, Glasgow | {{fb|Brazil}} | align=center |1–0 | align=center |1–1 | Friendly match |
Honours
- European Cup: 1966–67
- Intercontinental Cup runners-up: 1967
- Scottish League Championship (4): 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69{{NoteTag|Did not play enough games in 1969–70 or 1970–71}}
- Scottish Cup (3): 1964–65, 1966–67, 1968–69{{NoteTag|Did not play in 1971 final}}
- Scottish League Cup (4): 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70{{NoteTag|Did not play in 1965 final}}
- Glasgow Cup (4): 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67
Scotland{{ cite web | url = https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=112786&lid=1 | title = Stevie Chalmers | publisher = Scottish Football Association | access-date = 25 May 2022 }}
Notes
{{noteFoot}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Chalmers%2C+Stevie Player profile] at The Celtic Wiki
- [http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/CHALMERS%2C+Steve+1972-74 Player profile] at The Partick Thistle History Archive
{{Scottish First Division top scorers}}
{{Scottish Football Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalmers, Stevie}}
Category:Ashfield F.C. players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Dumbarton F.C. players
Category:Greenock Morton F.C. players
Category:Kirkintilloch Rob Roy F.C. players
Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players
Category:Scotland men's junior international footballers
Category:Newmarket Town F.C. players
Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players
Category:Scotland men's international footballers
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:Scottish Football League representative players
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Scottish league football top scorers
Category:Scottish Roman Catholics
Category:Footballers from Glasgow
Category:St Roch's F.C. players
Category:Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:UEFA Champions League–winning players
Category:People from Springburn