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Fullname: Jack Aitchison
aka: –
Born: 5 Mar 2000
Birthplace: Fauldhouse, West Lothian, Scotland
Signed: 1 Jul 2015 (from Celtic youth ranks)
Left: 5 Oct 2020 (to Barnsley)
Position: Forward
Debut: Celtic 7-0 Motherwell, SP, 15 May 2016
Squad No.: 99 & 76
Internationals: ? [which international team played for]
International Caps: ? [complete at end of career]
International Goals: ? [complete at end of career]
Biog![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/a84c794298f8e142649d34010ae69856 "[Untitled]")
There have been few debuts as dreamlike as that what happened with Jack Aitchison. A highly rated youngster through the Celtic ranks, he was given his debut on the league trophy presentation final day of the 2015-16 season, breaking a club record to become the youngest Celtic player on the field for the first team (16 years 71 days old).
Then incredibly in his first minute with his first touch of the ball, he followed onto a through ball to score his debut goal. An incredible start. It was admittedly already a one-sided easy game as Celtic hammered Motherwell in a league season ending match, 7-0 victory which was the final match for then manager Ronnie Deila. The match was also the start for a record breaking unbeaten run in Scottish football for Celtic. So again he set another club record on his debut to become the youngest scorer for Celtic in a competitive match.
As Jack Aitchison was to put it himself:
“I didn’t know what to do when I scored. It is brilliant. Scoring with my first touch was an amazing feeling. I was supposed to be in for recovery work and then I got called into the squad to train yesterday – and then the match squad today. It is amazing. I have been dreaming of this since I was a wee boy. There was a great atmosphere when I scored – I didn’t know what to do! I just need to keep working hard and hopefully I will get more opportunities like this.”
He also became the first player & scorer for Celtic born in the 21st century. For many reading that at the time, it made them feel very old. Despite being Scottish born & bred, he admitted he grew up as an Arsenal fan, which kind of reflected the disappointing changing nature of football support with some millennials.
Under the new managerial regime of Brendan Rodgers, he was loaned out to Dumbarton and then Alloa in season 2018/19, but he was struggling to make an impact at those lower tier clubs. Just one goal in this whole time for those two clubs, but he was still young and time was on his side.
It meant that sadly he missed out on practically the entirety of the incredible domestic Treble-Trebles experience at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers (nine domestic trophies in a row), and then the continuation following under Neil Lennon. Brendan Rodgers was actually very keen on promoting youth talent (and did a fine job of it), but Jack Aitchison seemed to be passed over, making just two appearances during Brendan Rodgers’ reign. Competition was very tight at Celtic for forward and midfield roles, although many other young players managed to break through, the most in generations, including Mikey Johnstone who was of a similar age playing for similar roles.
Jack Aitchison settled in and finally got a long run of matches to establish himself for a season when he moved to English fourth tier Forrest Green Rovers. Interestingly, this club was billing themselves as the world’s first green friendly vegan football club, reflecting changing of times in sport & society as veganism was in vogue.
At the end of it all, he was not getting a chance of a run at Celtic, and in October 2020 as the Coronavirus pandemic was still impacting society, Jack Aitchison signed for Barnsley. Frustratingly, his new club stated on his signing that he would be farmed out to the fourth tier in England (again) for further experience.
“I would like to thank @CelticFC for the last 13 years , thank you to all the coaching staff & the staff behind the scenes as it’s them that make it a great place to be , I have met some great people and made some amazing friends , I cannot thank you all enough”.
Post-Celtic
He moved to Motherwell in January 2023, to help them in their dire predicament to avoid relegation after decades in the top tier, but then in the summer moved to Exeter City….
[…]
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2015-16 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Goals | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| Gpoal | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Total | 3 |
– |
– |
– |
3 |
| Goals | 1 |
– |
– |
– |
1 |
Honours with Celtic
Pictures
KDS
Articles
Celtic teen striker Jack Aitchison is a Gunner at heart
The record books were rewritten at Celtic Park as Jack Aitchison became the club’s youngest debutant at 16 years, 71 days. And, with his first touch of the ball, the academy striker provided a fairytale finale to Sunday’s seven-goal routing of Motherwell by completing Celtic’s scoring.Media attention and social media celebration of the achievement has come unexpectedly.But, while it’s his youth in focus, Aitchison displays maturity beyond his years off the field.Aitchison is level-headed and grateful for the opportunity afforded him by outgoing manager Ronny Deila.The Scotland Under-17 international received his call up into the senior Celtic squad at short notice. “It was amazing,” Aitchison told BBC Scotland. “It was mind-blowing that Ronny asked me to come into the squad, to stay overnight with them in the hotel. “And then when he called me on to give me my debut in front of 50,000 fans, it was just a dream come true.”Even the moments leading up to Aitchison’s call off the bench seemed surprising.”I was just back from the toilet,” the teenager revealed as he recalled his entrance into a game after which Celtic received the Scottish Premiership trophy.”He said Jack go and warm up and the fans were clapping as I was warming up. It was just amazing.”Just looking around the stadium and seeing how busy it was. I’ve never played in front of a crowd like that.”Then, just moments after he stepped on to the field of play, Aitchison found himself with a scoring opportunity in front of goal.”It was my first touch, I was lucky the deflection ran into my path,” he said. “I ran onto it and just hit it.”As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going in. It was the best feeling in my life so far.”It meant he had not only taken over from Mark Fotheringham as Celtic’s youngest-ever player but took the record from David McLean, who was the previous youngest scorer at 16 years and 317 days back in 1907.Now Aitchison says he will work hard to improve and his maturity is such that he is very aware he is not the finished article.He frequently states “the hard work starts now”, he’s simply looking for “more opportunities” and promises he will “keep my feet on the ground”.
With the search for the new Celtic manager ongoing, Aitchison says diplomatically that he doesn’t mind who the club appoint.He is savvy enough to state: “It’s up to me to get in his good books.”The teenager, who has just signed a new three-year contract, admits that Celtic is not the team of his childhood dreams.”I’m an Arsenal supporter,” he revealed.”My dad has always been Arsenal and I just love the way they play.
“However, he’s not admitting to dreams of playing for the Gunners yet and sees his future very much at Celtic Park.Jack Aitchison is a young man with a smart head and feet to match.Certainly, he’s one to watch for the future.
Jack Aitchison’s tribute to late father after double for Scots
Celtic striker Jack Aitchison paid an emotional tribute to his late father as he scored a double for Scotland Under-19s’¨on Saturday to beat the Netherlands ‘“ but insists his dad would still have moaned at him after the game.
By The Newsroom
Monday, 26th March 2018, 7:00 am
Jack Aitchison has impressed for Scotland Under-19s in Germany. Picture: Getty
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/jack-aitchisons-tribute-late-father-after-double-scots-312014
Scotland’s youngsters have put themselves in a great position after two games in their extremely tough Euro Elite Round group in Germany and know if they can beat Norway tomorrow in Lippstadt and the hosts fail to beat the Dutch, they will qualify for the finals in Finland this summer for the first time in 12 years.
Donald Park’s side deservedly beat the Dutch in Arnsberg with a terrific performance that was a real boost for Scottish football after Alex McLeish’s squad lost to Costa Rica, the Under-21s needed an injury-time leveller to rescue a pitiful point in Andorra and the Under-17s lost both their opening games in their Elite Round group.
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Scotland were terrific, with an inspirational performance from Everton powerhouse Fraser Hornby in particular. He is surely destined for big things.
But Aitchison, who turned 18 earlier this month, was the hero and celebrated both his goals with a poignant tribute to his father George, who passed away in January.
And he’s hoping his goalscoring form will be noticed by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after he made history two years ago by becoming the youngest player and scorer at the Parkhead club.
He said: “In each game since my dad passed away, I look up after every goal I have scored. It’s my way of saying thanks to him.
“If he was watching me, he probably would have been shouting at me for my hold-up play! I thought I could have done better to be honest.
“But listen I’ve got to be delighted with the two goals.
“I am just happy we got the win because we deserved the win. All the boys put in a huge shift. I thought we were the better team from the first minute. We believed in ourselves and knew we would beat them.
“I’m scoring goals just now so I am asking the question and hopefully my manager sees I am grabbing some goals and maybe I can get a wee shot again.”
In a curious group, Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway all have three points after two games with a win each. Norway were crushed 6-1 by the Dutch in their opening game but bounced back superbly to destroy hosts Germany 5-2.
But Aitchison is convinced Scotland have enough about them to beat Norway tomorrow and give themselves a chance of topping the group and reaching the finals for the first time since the class of 2006 went all the way to the final in Poland before losing to Spain.
He said: “We watched Holland’s first game when they beat Norway 6-1 and, despite that, still thought they could be beaten because Norway gave some cheap goals away.
“We will take a huge amount of confidence after beating a very good Holland side 2-0. We have always believed we are good enough to qualify and I think we can beat Norway and then see what happens in the other game.”
And Aitchison is relishing teaming up again with Hornby against the Norwegians.
He said: “Fraser is a different type of striker to what I am used to playing with. He’s good in the air and hopefully we have managed to get a good partnership together and have a bit of chemistry as a pairing
Jack Aitchison signs three-year deal with Barnsley
By: Newsroom Staff on 05 Oct, 2020 17:05
http://www.celticfc.net/news/18619
CELTIC Football Club can confirm 20-year-old forward Jack Aitchison has signed for English Championship club Barnsley on a three-year deal. The young striker is a product of the club’s Youth Academy system and has been a key player in the Celtic Reserves over the last few seasons. On the final day of the 2015/16 campaign, Aitchison made club history by becoming the youngest ever debutant for the Hoops senior side. The forward set a second record that same afternoon by becoming the youngest scorer in the club’s history when he hit the seventh goal in a 7-0 win over Motherwell at Paradise. In recent years, Aitchison spent loan spells at Dumbarton, Alloa Athletic and Forest Green – netting six goals in 30 appearances in England’s League Two last season. Everyone at the club wishes Jack every success during his time at Barnsley.