Ian Reid would play just one more time for Celtic’s first team. That was a League game against early pacesetters Raith Rovers at Celtic Park on Saturday, 1 October 1955, as the world awoke to the news that Hollywood actor and icon James Dean had died in a car crash in California aged just 24.
There were three changes from the side which had drawn 1-1 with Rangers in the Glasgow Cup final at Hampden five days earlier, Mike Haughney, Eric Smith and Neil Mochan all dropping out in favour of Ian, Matt McVittie and Jim Sharkey, the latter making his Celtic debut. It would prove to be an afternoon to remember for all of the incoming trio, Sharkey’s dummy allowing McVittie to score his first goal for the club in the eighth minute, the day after his 18th birthday, before the debutant sealed the 2-0 victory himself with six minutes remaining. Sadly, Ian would remember it as his last match for the senior team, Frank Whyte recalled for the visit to Tynecastle seven days later and becoming the deputy wing-half for the rest of that year.
Ian was next in the headlines on Wednesday, 21 December 1955, The Evening Times reporting that he was being lined up with Jimmy ‘Peam’ Docherty for a loan move to Alloa Athletic, at that point second from bottom of the Second Division.
“Jimmy Docherty and John Reid of Celtic may be transferred on loan to Alloa tonight. Celtic and Alloa have agreed to the changeover, and the players are being interviewed at Celtic Park tonight by Alloa officials. Docherty, who was signed from Duntocher Hibs earlier this year, has already played in the League team. Reid has also been a first-team player on several occasions.
He was signed from Armadale Thistle in 1953 as a right-half. Mr James McGrory, the Celtic manager, said this afternoon that “the deal is now entirely up to the players. We will have a conference at Celtic Park tonight, and if they agree to the temporary transfer, they will probably play for Alloa against Morton at Greenock on Saturday.”
Both men did indeed feature at Cappielow on Christmas Eve, as Jerry Kerr’s struggling Wasps earned a point against Morton with a last-minute penalty from centre-half Jock Wilson. Jimmy Rowan was the third young Celtic loanee to make his debut that weekend, included in the Stirling Albion team which drew 0-0 in a First Division clash with Dundee at Annfield. Reid and Docherty were key to Alloa’s recovery in the second half of the campaign which saw them finish in a respectable 13th place in the table, whilst Rowan would be unable to prevent Stirling Albion’s relegation from the top-flight.
Continued on next page…
