It is never easy to be the son of a famous father. John McMenemy’s father was of course Jimmy Napoleon McMenemy – arguably Celtic’s best ever player. John was slightly taller, perhaps a little leaner than his famous father, but he played in the same position – inside right – as Jimmy, and when he joined the club in December 1925, it was generally reckoned that Celtic were on to a good thing, for he had played with distinction in Glasgow junior football with St Anthony’s and St Roch’s. He was only 17, having been born in February 1908 at the time when his father was at the height of his powers.

But 1925/26 saw no obvious gap in the excellent forward line of Connolly, Thomson, McGrory, McInally and McLean for young McMenemy to fit into, and naturally he had to bide his time. The League was won that year, and the good form of the forward line continued into the following season with John perhaps becoming a little despondent at not getting an opportunity.

But his debut came in April 1927 on a Wednesday evening game at Falkirk where he has asked to cover for Tommy McInally out with a broken nose. It was a horrendous debut, and the team went down 4-1 at Brockville with Patsy Gallacher (now with Falkirk) totally on song. McGrory was carried off with a couple of broken ribs, and the game simply passed McMenemy by.

McInally returned for Saturday’s game against Dundee United at Tannadice, but Thomson was out, so McMenemy was given a game at inside right. The result was 3-3, but McMenemy is described as “lacking shooting power” and without McGrory, Celtic struggled. But the next game was the Scottish Cup final against Second Division East Fife at Hampden. John may have been surprised to discover that he was chosen to play at inside left while McInally moved into the centre to replace the still injured McGrory.

We can imagine the scene in the dressing room. The wordly wise McStay brothers trying to calm everyone down, McInally clowning and telling jokes trying to keep everyone happy, while those whose first Scottish Cup final this was – John Thomson and John McMenemy – shaking like the proverbial leaves, McMenemy in particular, totally aware of all the family pressure that was on him.

After all, his illustrious sire had won six Scottish Cup medals with Celtic and one with Partick Thistle. Enter Willie Maley. Noticing McMenemy shaking and struggling to lace his boots, he went over to him “And what are you shaking for, John? It’s the men in the next room that should be shaking, the miners from Fife!

“It’s an honour and a privilege to wear that green and white jersey! Your father did it often enough! It’s your turn now! Get out and bring me back that Cup!”

Whether that pep talk did any good or not, Celtic won 3-1, the McMenemy family won its eighth Scottish Cup medal, and Waverley in The Daily Record talks about his “real football brain”.

But that was about as good as it got for young John at Celtic Park. He never really did much else, playing only 10 indifferent games the following season, and clearly finding the burden of being the “son of Napoleon” a hard one to carry.

Perhaps it was the weight of expectation, perhaps he found the atmosphere at Celtic Park difficult (it was not a great season), perhaps he found the permanent clowning and irresponsible behaviour of Tommy McInally too much, perhaps he found the increasingly dictatorial Willie Maley too much to cope with, but in 1928 he moved on. He could hardly have made a better choice, for it was to the fast rising Motherwell side of John “Sailor” Hunter.

At Fir Park, his career really took off, and he was a key part of the Motherwell forward line of Murdoch, McMenemy, McFadyen, Stevenson and Ferrier which won the Scottish League in 1932 (and it was as well that they did, for otherwise Rangers might have won the first ever “Nine In A Row”!), and of course lost to Celtic the Scottish Cup finals of 1931 and 1933.

He won one Scottish cap – and it was a strange one. It was v Wales in October 1933, and it was his brother Harry McMenemy of Newcastle United who was originally awarded the “cap”, but when Harry pulled out injured, John was given the place! Sadly Scotland lost 2-3 at Ninian Park.

John died in 1983, he and his brother Harry (and of course before 1965 his father as well) being often seen at Celtic Park. It was a shame that Celtic did not see the best of him, but he still has his small moment of glory for Celtic and is a worthy part of a great footballing family. Jimmy was proud of him, and Harry (who won an English Cup medal with Newcastle in 1932) and that counts for an awful lot!

David Potter

https://t.co/b4SZFsQ3Eu Happy to have contributed to @Boola_vogue book. To be part of an INVINCIBLE Treble winning team and club is for me fantastic🍀 Go and get your copy now 💚 Btw was kindly ask to make the foreword for the book which is a great pleasure too 👌🏻 @celticstarpod pic.twitter.com/jCDucKPBNU

— Erik Sviatchenko (@eriksviat) April 27, 2020

Matt Corr’s wonderfully crafted debut book is available to pre-order right now. Anyone scratching their head when it comes to a gift for any Celtic daft friend or family member should think no more.

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Let Matt Corr help you retrace your steps through a wonderful Celtic journey. It’s a book you’ll read and return to time and time again. It’s also one you’ll share with future generations of Celtic supporters like your Fathers and Grandfathers did for you. Those books are always the best. Invincible won’t disappoint I can promise you that.

Niall J

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