Ian was the only one of the three players not to be released by Celtic at the end of April 1956. He remained at Recreation Park on loan for the new season and he was joined there again by Jimmy Docherty, who signed a permanent deal with Alloa Athletic and would go on to become one of their all-time greats after almost a decade of service before his retiral in 1964. Ian would spend that 1956/57 campaign with the Wasps before being handed a free transfer by Celtic on 30 April 1957.
That would prove not to be the last word in terms of his time at Alloa, but first there was a spell back in the First Division with Airdrieonians. Ian turned out for the club in their pre-season trial and did enough to convince Broomfield manager Willie Steel to secure his signature on 4 August 1957, despite the fact that his national service would impact on his availability until December.
As fate would have it, Airdrieonians kicked off their season against Celtic in the League Cup that weekend, but Ian would not be in the first team who went down 3-2 as the Hoops celebrated the opening of their new covered west terracing and took the first step on the road to their most spectacular success in that tournament to this day, Hampden in the Sun on Saturday, 19 October. Instead, he turned out for the second-string at Broomfield, Ian up against several of the players who had posed alongside him in the photograph taken at the Celtic public trial two years earlier, those players now under the direct guidance of Parkhead reserve team coach Jock Stein.
Reid would again be in the Diamonds reserve side which lost 3-0 to Celtic at Broomfield two weeks later but he would finally get the opportunity to play against the Hoops at senior level on Saturday, 30 November 1957, as the clubs met in a League fixture at Broomfield, Ian a last-minute replacement for full-back Mike Quigley. He was joined in the team for that match by old Parkhead pal Jim Sharkey – signed from Celtic three weeks earlier – and goalkeeper Willie Goldie, who would sign for the Hoops at the end of that season. Goldie would later be involved in one of Bob Kelly’s more bizarre selection decisions, when he was picked up by the team bus whilst on his way to cheer on the Hoops at Broomfield and ended up playing in the match as the chairman was so impressed by his commitment to the cause! Anyway, on that St Andrew’s afternoon, Celts would run out 5-2 winners to move into the top four in the First Division with several games in hand of the leading trio, Hearts, Raith Rovers and Hibernian.
Celtic and Airdrieonians would face each other a further twice that season, the first of those in the opening round of the Scottish Cup on Saturday, 1 February 1958. Ian was not included in the Diamonds team which lost out by the odd goal in seven, having been 4-0 down at one stage, Willie Goldie saving a Neil Mochan penalty. He would again miss out as the sides met at Celtic Park on Saturday, 22 March 1958, as a Bobby Collins hat-trick helped them to a 4-2 win in what would prove to be Sean Fallon’s last game in the Hoops. Ian took part in the reserve clash at Broomfield that afternoon, the Celtic full-backs being an unlikely pairing of Bertie Auld and Neil Mochan!
Ian made a total of 10 League appearances that season, scoring four goals as Airdrieonians avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth, before returning to Jerry Kerr’s Alloa Athletic on 6 June 1958. He would make his second Wasps debut at Gayfield in a 3-1 defeat on Saturday, 9 August 1958, alongside a silky inside-forward called John White, with Denis Gillespie on target. Gillespie would later tie up with manager Kerr at Dundee United, whilst White would sign for Falkirk before August was out and within a year would be a Scotland internationalist with Tottenham Hotspur. He was tragically killed by a lightning strike on a Middlesex golf course in July 1964, whilst at the peak of his powers, aged just 27.
Information on Ian Reid’s second stint at Alloa is sketchy, but it would appear he left at the end of the 1958/59 season.
Peter Goldie on Ian Reid
“Ian Reid was a right-half who was signed the year before me. I think he also came from the Dundee area. He was a really good player, and his passing was a joy to behold, crisp and accurate.”
Hail Hail,
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…
