Shevlin would play against his former club twelve months later, at Douglas Park on Saturday, 14 April 1934, outstanding as the hosts held Celtic to a 1-1 draw and beaten only by a Frank O’Donnell penalty, David Wilson levelling late on for Accies. On the same day, Peter McGonagle turned out for Scotland in their defeat at Wembley, whilst Rangers clinched the League title. The game in January 1935 would be Peter’s first appearance at Paradise since 1927, and, as often happens, the returning goalkeeper would have the proverbial ‘blinder’ in front of his old fans. Celtic would still prove too strong though, an early Jimmy McGrory header then a Jimmy Delaney double saw the Bhoys through 3-1, despite the prolific Wilson’s late consolation goal for the visitors.
As a footnote to Peter Shevlin, he would suffer more Scottish Cup heartache at the end of that season, playing all the way until the final where an injury sadly cost him his place against Rangers at Hampden. Peter would then, strangely perhaps, be released by the Accies, finishing his career at Albion Rovers. In 1941, whilst living in the English midlands, Shevlin was a civilian casualty of the second world war, seriously injured following a Luftwaffe bombing campaign and spending months in hospital thereafter. He would never fully recover, passing away seven years later, only 43 years old. Rest in peace, Peter.
Back in early 1935, Danny Dawson would enjoy just two more outings in the Celtic first team that season. There was a 2-0 defeat at Pittodrie the next weekend, Saturday, 19 January, following which Chic Geatons came back into the side at right-half. Dawson reclaimed his place for the Scottish Cup replay against Partick Thistle at Firhill on Wednesday, 13 February 1935, before an incredible 40,000 crowd. A Hugh O’Donnell double plus the obligatory McGrory goal proved enough to secure a 3-1 win.
That enabled the Hoops to progress to the last eight, however, another loss at Pittodrie in March, 3-1 this time, eliminated Celtic from that season’s competition. Sadly, Danny was not part of the squad which had travelled north, having severely wrenched his knee early on in the previous round of the cup at Firhill. That injury would keep him out of first-team football for the next eighteen months.
Having missed out on Celtic’s march to the 1935/36 League title, our first in a decade, Danny made his comeback in the Hoops in the home match with Queen of the South on Saturday, 22 August 1936, one of two changes from the midweek defeat by St Johnstone in Perth. Dawson replaced Chic Geatons, whilst there was a debut appearance for John Boyle at left-back, in place of Willie Hughes, who would never play again for Celtic. He moved to Clyde the next month after nine seasons of faithful service to the club deputising across a variety of positions, a thankless task for which he should perhaps be more widely appreciated. It would be an enjoyable afternoon for both Dawson and Boyle, as the Hoops hit five without reply.
Willie Buchan was the star of the show, scoring once, Celtic’s fifth, with a wonderful solo effort, having earlier set up the others for Willie Fagan (twice), Johnny Crum and Jimmy Delaney. Fagan himself was in the midst of a purple patch at Parkhead, with six goals in as many League games for the defending champions, a feat which was drawing admiring glances from south of the border. By October, he would be a Preston North End player, so joining the two O’Donnell brothers at Deepdale.
John Boyle would retain his place in the Celtic team as the autumn progressed, whilst Danny Dawson would drop out, Chic Geatons back in his right-half post for the next game, a 3-1 Glasgow Cup win over Third Lanark at Cathkin in midweek. Having missed out on eighteen months of first team action, Danny would have to wait a further six before making a second appearance that season, as the injured knee continued to bother him.
That return would come at Celtic Park on Saturday, 6 February 1937, Hearts the visitors to a ground where they had struggled for three decades. Today would be no different, although the Edinburgh side would come close to securing a point. Danny Dawson would again replace Chic Geatons, whilst young Alex Millar came in for skipper Willie Lyon, crocked in the midweek Scottish Cup replay win over Stenhousemuir, to make just his fourth appearance in the Hoops.
Bellshill-born Millar was Celtic-mad and came from proud Lithuanian stock. Twenty years later, another central defender matching that same description would begin to make his way in the game at Celtic Park, a journey which would take him to immortality, via Lisbon and countless major honours.
Doubles from Celtic’s McGrory and Willie Walsh of Hearts saw the teams tied at 2-2 as the final whistle approached, most of the 36,000 crowd settling for a point apiece. Then Willie Buchan again stole the show, his mazy dribble leaving several Gorgie defenders trailing in his wake before he slotted the ball past Waugh in the Hearts goal for 3-2.
Whilst both Dawson and Millar had performed well, neither would feature in the first team again for some time. Alex Millar moved back into his role as Willie Lyon’s deputy, and would not be involved until the Tynecastle men returned to Celtic Park seven months later. He would then play a further five games in the 1937/38 title-winning season and once in August 1938, before following the well-worn path to Preston in October of that year, in search of a regular game.
