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Fullname: Michael Hamill
aka: Mickey Hamill, Mick Hamill, Mickey Hammill, Mick Hammill, Michael Hammill
Born: 19 Jan 1889
Died: 23 Jan 1943
Birthplace: West Belfast, Ireland
Signed: 28 Dec 1910 (loan); 19 Oct 1916 (loan); 9 Dec 16 (loan); 18 May & 25 May 1918 (loan)
Position: Centre-half
Debut: Celtic 0-0 Morton, League, 21 Oct 1916
Internationals: Ireland
International Caps: 7
International Goals: 1
Biog
Mickey Hamill is a fascinating player whose life covered a difficult era and encompassed humour, politics, drama but sadly tragedy too.
He is a player that Celtic wanted very much, but after a skilful performance in a friendly against Celtic, Manchester United nipped in and signed him ahead of Celtic for a then record fee of £175 on New Year’s Eve 1910. However, things didn’t fully work out there and he was repeatedly on loan to other clubs (the Manchester Utd coaches said he was short on pace).
“Cool finesse.. a class defender. He could do as he liked with the ball… clever trapping, accurate passing, back-heeling… wonderful headwork… fantastic display”.
A disagreement over a benefit match led to Mickey Hamill returning to Belfast Celtic on a free transfer. The fact that Manchester United received no indemnity for the loss of Mickey Hamill’s services led to an agreement being established between the English Football League and the Irish League regarding the transfer of players between the two leagues.
In 1914, Mickey Hamill led Ireland to their first Home Championship title. This included a victory over England at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough, which was considered by many to be Mickey Hamill’s greatest game. However he would be capped by Ireland on just seven occasions; he later refused to play for Ireland until alleged discrimination against Catholic players by the Irish Football Association ceased. The latter act itself will have endeared him to the very sympathetic Celtic support who could easily relate to his stance having to confront similar issues in Scotland and Glasgow in particular.
During World War I, Mickey Hamill played with Celtic for a period on loan spells, winning a League and Charity Cup medal. He was a very popular figure in his short loans with Celtic, and was regarded as a class defender. It would have been great if he had stayed for longer with the club as the short spells never did him enough justice to make a greater name for himself in the club’s history.
Celtic never lost a game he played in, with 4 wins and 3 draws but he never got to score for Celtic in a competitive match. All his competitive games for Celtic were in the period Oct-Dec 1916. As Celtic were already dominating the league title at this time, his contribution was mostly overshadowed.
Away from Celtic, Mickey Hamill won his first Irish Cup medal with Belfast Celtic in 1918 (with Willie McStay), playing through a knee injury to lead his team to victory over Linfield, something that would have again endeared him to the Celtic support in Glasgow.
He was loaned again to Celtic in May 1918, but didn’t play any competitive matches in this very brief spell. His last appearance for Celtic was in a return appearance for Jimmy McMenemy’s testimonial on 6th Jan 1920.
He played for Ireland against Scotland in the ‘Victory International‘ at Ibrox Park on 22nd March 1919, amusing the crowd with his yells of ‘Celtic’s ball’ at throw-ins, likely to have raised some heckles we’re sure amongst the home crowd.
Interesting is the range of sides he played for. It includes Belfast Rangers, Belfast Celtic, Red Hand FC, Manchester Utd and Manchester City amongst others. He later moved to the US and played for teams in both Boston and New York for a short spell (more rival sides), and made such a name for himself that he even got invited to the White House along with other sporting legends like Babe Ruth (baseball).
When Mickey Hamill returned to Northern Ireland, he signed yet again for Belfast Celtic where he ended his playing career after the 1929-1930 season and became a legend for the ill-fated club. He would later manage Belfast club Distillery and run the ‘Centre-Half Bar’ on Belfast’s Falls Road.
Sadly he died in 1943 in mysterious circumstances, found drowned in the Lagan Canal in Lisburn (N Ireland). His body was recovered but the cause of his death has never been solved.
The Belfast Telegraph newspaper’s respected football writer Malcolm Brodie, the doyen of Irish football, canvassed opinion on Mickey Hamill. Those former players canvassed picked Mickey Hamill unanimously as their greatest player – neither Charlie Tully nor even George Best could touch him. Mickey Hamill was for many Grade A box office in his day, although that is highly subjective but still shows how high in regard that Mickey Hamill was appreciated as a footballer.
An interesting character whose life covered many aspects that have surrounded the lives of many a Celtic supporter over the years, socially and politically. If he had remained with Celtic for a longer spell and played more games, then maybe he would have gone on to become a more celebrated player in Celtic’s folklore. Nevertheless, he is still one many will find interesting to read up on.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1916, 1918 | 7 | – | – | – | 7 |
| Goals | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
Scottish League
Charity Cup
- 1916
Pictures
Articles
Links
- Grave & Memorial
- Celtic & World War One
- Belfast Celtic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdH5y28Gojs (scroll to 13mins)
Anecdotes
Michael or Mick Hammill is the punch-line of a joke that is told by journalist, author and Cowdenbeath historian/fan Ron Ferguson in his book “Hellicopter Dreams“. It tells the story of Tewfik Abdullah one of a quartet of Egyptians who played in Britain after World War I.
The story goes that in 1921, when Abdullah made his debut for Derby County against Manchester City, he ran on to the heavily sanded pitch shouting “Where’s me camel?”
His actual words were directed towards the player he was allocated to mark, and were in fact “Where’s Mick Hamill?” who was playing with City.
By a coincidence the two players would end up playing for Fall River Marksmen though not at the same time. Abdullah was with the Marksmen in 1928 and Hamill in 1924.
(L-R) Irish League medal 1915, Lewis Cup medal 1926 (USA), think next one is an Irish Charity Cup medal & for the last one see below, what an honour!
Mickey at The White House (standing outside the West Wing, no less) in 1925, where he was brought to meet US President Calvin Coolidge, with his colleagues in the Boston Soccer Club. Third from the right is Mickey Hamill.
