Well, that began at Pollok Juniors in 1923, and by the following year Peter was plying his trade at St Roch’s in the Garngad, that prolific supplier of wonderful Celts. In January 1923, the most famous graduate of the Millburn Park academy – James Edward McGrory – had made his first-team debut in the Hoops at Cathkin Park and on 11 Oct 1924, Peter would follow in his footsteps by leaving The Candy for Celtic Park, allegedly for a fee of £120 through the personal intervention of Celtic chairman Tom White. The previous week, Celtic had lost 4-1 to Rangers in the final of the Glasgow Cup, a first defeat of the season for Willie Maley’s League leaders.
Peter would not have to wait long for his opportunity, The Glasgow Herald reporting ‘Celtic, who introduce Shevlin (St Roch’s) in goal for Shaw, oppose St Johnstone at Perth’ on Saturday, 18 October 1924. So, for Peter’s senior debut he replaced the legendary Celtic goalkeeper and captain Charlie Shaw and lined up alongside some of the greatest players ever to wear the Hoops. No pressure then, Peter! Here is that Celtic team in full.
Peter Shevlin, Willie McStay & Hugh Hilley; Peter Wilson, Jimmy McStay & John ‘Jean’ McFarlane; Paddy Connolly, Patsy Gallagher, Jimmy McGrory, Alec Thomson & Adam McLean.
The game, which finished goalless, was played at Perth’s Recreation Grounds, St Johnstone’s first home. It would in fact be one of the last matches to take place there, as Saints opened their new Muirton Park premises against Queen’s Park on Christmas Day 1924.
Peter clearly did enough to impress manager Willie Maley, as he was named in the team to face Rangers at Celtic Park seven days later. That match featured another Hoops debutant – former St Anthony’s inside-forward Ned Corrigan, who replaced the injured Adam McLean on Celtic’s left flank – and was settled by an Alan Morton goal seven minutes from time, but Peter again impressed. The Glasgow Herald reported that ‘Celtic also played their new goalkeeper, Shevlin, and his display was one of the outstanding features of the game.’
Peter would miss just one match in the remainder of that debut season, as Celtic lifted the Scottish Cup in spectacular style. Rangers had beaten their traditional city rivals three times during that campaign, but they were no match for Maley’s men in the semi-final, played at Hampden on Saturday, 21 March 1925 before 102,000 spectators, a record for a club match in Scotland at that time. Doubles from Jimmy McGrory and Adam McLean plus a solitary Alec Thomson strike saw Celts win 5-0.
Dundee had overcome Peter’s hometown club Hamilton Academical in the other last-four tie in an Easter Road replay and they led Celtic 1-0 in the final on Saturday, 11 April 1925 with 10 minutes remaining. Then came the stuff of folklore, as Patsy Gallacher ‘crowned a daring and devious bit of play by throwing himself bodily into the net and carrying the ball with him’ to equalise.
With two minutes left, Jimmy McGrory headed home the winning goal from a free-kick as Celtic overtook Queen’s Park as the record winners in the competition, following their eleventh success. And Peter Shevlin had his first winner’s medal as a senior footballer. As an aside, the ball used at Hampden that afternoon is still on display in the museum there and contains the names of the victorious Celtic team, which like Peter’s debut was as follows.
Peter Shevlin, Willie McStay & Hugh Hilley; Peter Wilson, Jimmy McStay & John ‘Jean’ McFarlane; Paddy Connolly, Patsy Gallagher, Jimmy McGrory, Alec Thomson & Adam McLean.
Celtic had finished fourth in the First Division that season behind Rangers, Airdrieonians and Hibernian, but the following campaign would see them win the League title for the first time since 1922, whilst appearing in the finals of the other three available competitions.
Second Division Clyde shocked the Hoops by winning the Glasgow Cup final 2-1 at Celtic Park on Saturday, 10 October 1925, whilst a strong St Mirren team dashed hopes of a second successive Scottish Cup triumph – and as it transpired a rare Double – by scoring twice in the first half of the Hampden final on Saturday, 10 April 1926 to win the trophy for the first time.
Four days later, a sparse Celtic Park crowd witnessed the 3-1 win over Morton which secured the League flag, and a second major honour for Peter. That match featured rare first-team opportunities for full-back Harry Callachan and winger Willie Malloy, the latter – early Celt Johnny Madden’s nephew – having the misfortune to break a bone in his ankle.
There would be a double of sorts in the Parkhead trophy room that summer, Celtic beating Queen’s Park 2-1 at Ibrox on Saturday, 15 May 1926 to win a 20th Glasgow Charity Cup. That great entertainer Tommy McInally scored directly from a corner before Jimmy McGrory made the victory secure, Peter thus adding a third winner’s medal to his collection after a campaign where he had been an ever-present between the posts. The Celtic side which ended the 1925/26 season on a winning note was as follows.
Peter Shevlin, Willie McStay & Harry Callachan; Peter Wilson, Jimmy McStay & John ‘Jean’ McFarlane; Paddy Connolly, Alec Thomson, Jimmy McGrory, Tommy McInally & Adam McLean.
Peter would complete the full set of four domestic winner’s medals six months later, as Celtic beat Rangers 1-0 in the final of the Glasgow Cup at Hampden on Saturday, 11 October 1926. Over 50,000 spectators braved horrendous conditions as a gale blew across the Mount Florida arena. The only goal of the game came from the arch-predator Jimmy McGrory, first to react when Tommy McInally’s shot rebounded from an upright on 65 minutes. The Celtic team which delivered the trophy for the 15th time was as follows.
Peter Shevlin, Willie McStay & Hugh Hilley; Peter Wilson, John Donoghue & John ‘Jean’ McFarlane; Paddy Connolly, Alec Thomson, Jimmy McGrory, Tommy McInally & Adam McLean.
Peter would remain an ever-present as Celtic continued to rack up wins to the end of the year, but the opening three games of 1927 saw him concede seven goals as Celts lost to Rangers then Queen’s Park before recovering to beat Morton 6-2 at Cappielow.
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