As part of the Celtic Tour Guide Team, we were delighted to welcome Peter Goldie back to Celtic Park recently. Now a sprightly 88 years young, Peter holds the distinction of being Celtic’s oldest living first-team player. I had the pleasure of speaking with him early last year whilst pulling together a resume of his Celtic career, published on The Celtic Star, and this time around Peter promised to share some of his collection of photos from that era, which we reproduce below with some supporting text.
This is a wonderful trip down memory lane…
PETER GOLDIE SIGNS FOR CELTIC ON 9 MAY 1953…
9 May 1953. Peter signs for Celtic…
A piece of paper which allows you to live the dream. The great McGrory signs Peter for Celtic.
16 May 1953. Coronation Cup semi-final. Celtic 2 Manchester United 1
16 May 1953. Coronation Cup semi-final. Celtic 2 Manchester United 1…
Celtic captain Jock Stein looks on as keeper John Bonnar clears from Manchester United inside-forward Johnny Downie at Hampden. Downie was a Scot who played his entire career in England and was a record signing for the Old Trafford club when he moved from Bradford Park Avenue in 1949. I reckon this may have been his last game for the club before joining Luton Town that summer. Goals from Bertie Peacock and Neil Mochan took Celts through to the final, despite a late strike from United legend Arthur Rowley.
20 May 1953. Coronation Cup final. Celtic 2 Hibernian 0
20 May 1953. Coronation Cup final. Celtic 2 Hibernian 0…
Neil Mochan’s strike flies past Hibernian keeper Tommy Younger into the top corner to give underdogs Celtic the lead just before the half-hour. Peter has a bird’s eye view of this from his place in the Hampden terracing at the far corner of the ground and rates it the best goal he ever saw.
Legend is that the shot was struck from a bit further out every time Neil told the story! Jimmy Walsh scored a late second as the Hoops yet again won a trophy competed for by top sides from north and south of the border. “Hampden was covered in banners of green.”
24 April 1954. Scottish Cup final. Celtic 2 Aberdeen 1
24 April 1954. Scottish Cup final. Celtic 2 Aberdeen 1…
John Higgins leaps for joy as Neil Mochan’s shot is deflected past Dons keeper Fred Martin by centre-half Alec Young to give Celtic the lead early in the second half at Hampden. Paddy Buckley would equalise immediately for Aberdeen, but Sean Fallon clinched a first double in 40 years for Celtic just after the hour. Sean is extreme left in the photo, with fellow legends Willie Fernie and Charlie Tully either side of Higgins.
26 August 1954. Celtic 2 Rangers 1
26 August 1954. Celtic 2 Rangers 1…
This was a match played to open the new covered enclosure at Petershill Park in Springburn. Both teams fielded largely second-string players as the season was already underway. This is possibly the first photo of Peter as a Celtic player and he turned out on the right wing.
Celts in the back row are (left to right) Willie Gillies, Ian Reid, Andy Bell, Jimmy Walsh, John Jack and Jimmy Rowan. And in the front, from left, Peter Goldie, Alec Boden, Vinny Ryan, Eddie Mulvey and Eric Smith.
Managers Scot Symon and Jimmy McGrory are at either end of the back row.The only recognisable Rangers player to me is goalkeeper and future Scotland manager Bobby Brown, but Peter can name Duncan Stanners between him and Alec Boden, Pryde to the right of Boden and McKenzie between Jack and Rowan on the back row.
9 August 1955. Celtic photoshoot/pre-season Trial match
9 August 1955. Celtic photoshoot/pre-season Trial match…
Not all the players stripped took part in the match due to injury, whilst Bertie Peacock was in Belfast representing a Great Britain XI against the Rest of Europe at Windsor Park in a match celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Irish Football Association. Peter replaced Vincent Ryan for the second half. This may be the first photo of Bertie Auld as a Celtic player, the young winger a colleague of the management team who would change the world a decade later.
Celtic players in training
Celtic players in training…
Peter is front and centre wearing the black shorts between Alec Boden and Neil Mochan, who is partially obscuring John Bonnar. From left to right, Jock Stein partially hidden by Jimmy Walsh, Alec Boden, Ian Reid, John Jack, Peter Goldie, John Bonnar, Neil Mochan, Bobby Carroll?, Charlie Tully wearing the bunnet and Jimmy Rowan.
28 January 1956. Celtic 1 Hearts 1
28 January 1956. Celtic 1 Hearts 1…
Peter looks on as Alec Young’s shot beats Dick Beattie to give Hearts a first-minute lead at Celtic Park. Bertie Peacock and Jock Stein are the other Celts in the photo plus Alfie Conn of Hearts. Jimmy Walsh equalised for Celtic early in the second half.
The sides would contest the Scottish Cup final less than three months later, Peter told he was in the team and was listed in the match programme, only to find out when he arrived at lunchtime that Eric Smith was in his place. Typical of the man, Peter says that he would have selected Eric at wing-half that day himself!
This photo is close to Peter’s heart as it shows both he and Jock in action together for Celtic. Jock of course would later sign Alfie Conn’s son of the same name for Celtic.
The photo below from The Celtic Wiki shows the goal from the opposite angle. The players from left to right are as follows; Jock Stein, Alec Young, Bobby Evans, Jimmy Wardhaugh, Mike Haughney, Dick Beattie (mostly hidden on ground) and Peter Goldie. Note the ballboy’s distinctive jersey in front of the old enclosure.
16 April 1956. Celtic 2 Manchester United 2
16 April 1956. Celtic 2 Manchester United 2…
This was a charity match played against the newly crowned English champions at Celtic Park five days before the Scottish Cup final, the Celtic team lining up as follows:
Dick Beattie; Mike Haughney & Frank Meechan; Peter Goldie, Bobby Evans & Bertie Peacock; John Higgins, Jim Sharkey, Neil Mochan, Willie Fernie & Charlie Tully.
The match was goalless at half-time but Neil Mochan then a Mike Haughney penalty gave Celts a two-goal lead early in the second half. United hit back in the final quarter to draw level through Albert Scanlon and John Doherty. Peter’s direct opponent was Duncan Edwards and sadly the legendary English international was one of six United players that evening who lost their lives following the horrific events at Munich Airport on 6 February 1958.
Celtic pre-season photo shoot for 1956/57
Celtic pre-season photo shoot for 1956/57…
Back row; Billy Craig, Frank Meechan, John Jack, John Bonnar, Bobby Evans, Mike Haughney and Sean Fallon.
Middle row; Willie Johnstone (Trainer), Peter Goldie, Alec Boden, Jimmy Walsh, Benny McCreadie, Bertie Auld, Dunky MacKay, John McAlinden, Jimmy McGrory (Manager) and Jimmy Gribben (Assistant Trainer).
Front row; Vincent Ryan, Willie Fernie, Bobby Collins, Bertie Peacock, Billy McPhail, Charlie Tully and Neil Mochan.
Goalkeeper Benny McCreadie played beside Peter for St Patrick’s High School team in 1952.
2 November 1957. Celtic 4 Kilmarnock 0
Following the 7-1 League Cup final victory over Rangers on 19 October 1957, right-back John Donnelly was stricken with flu and Peter replaced him for the next two games, against Third Lanark at Cathkin and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park.
This was Peter’s final first-team appearance and if you’re going to say farewell to Paradise, what a way to do it, lining up in that shamrock kit with the other legends parading a trophy following one of Celtic’s greatest-ever triumphs.
Back row; Peter Goldie, Sean Fallon, Dick Beattie, Billy McPhail, Willie Fernie and Bobby Evans.
Front row; Willie Johnstone (Trainer), Charlie Tully, Bobby Collins, Bertie Peacock, Sammy Wilson, Neil Mochan and Jimmy McGrory (Manager).
Matt Corr
David Potter’s new book, Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style is featured in the new edition of the Celtic View which is out now and available from the Celtic Stores. You can also pick up the Willie Fernie book there too or order direct from Celtic Star Books, link below…
