Casey, Jim

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Fullname: James Casey
aka: Jim Casey, ‘Ben’
Born: 2 August 1957
Birthplace: Glasgow
Signed: May 1974
Left: 29 Nov 1980 (to Phoenix Inferno)
Position: Defender/Midfielder
First game : Stenhousemuir home 1-0 24 September 1975 league cup
Last game : Hibernian home 4-0 29 March 1980 League
Only goal : Morton home 2-0 8 March 1980 Scottish Cup
Internationals: Scotland u/21

Biog

Originally a schoolboy signing, Jim Casey signed full-time professional terms with the Bhoys in May 1974.

The Ruchazie born player made his Celtic first team debut in the 1-0 League Cup win at home to Stenhousemuir on September 24th 1975.

In 1977/78, Jim Casey (who was nicknamed Ben after the character Doctor Ben Casey in the popular TV series “Emergency Ward 10“) was given his big break at sweeper after an injury to the experienced Pat Stanton.

He was impressive against Motherwell at Fir Park in an exciting 4-2 win in the League Cup on September 3rd but seven days later Celtic blew a two goal half time lead in the league at Ibrox to lose 3-2 and Jim found himself out of favour. Celtic actually lost all four games in the league that Casey played in that season, but he was hardly the issue that season.

It was to be a disastrous season for Celtic, and Jock Stein’s last. Celtic were to finish fifth, unthinkable even just a season or two back but there was a lot wrong at Celtic at this point.

He was recalled again at sweeper for both legs of the 1977 European Cup games against SSW Innsbruck. Celtic won 2-1 at Parkhead in the first leg but crashed 3-0 in the return after conceding three early goals. The season was a write-off, and Jock Stein was to move on at the end.

After Billy McNeill’s arrival as manager in 1978, Jim was again in the first team squad however disaster struck on December 13th 1978 against Rangers in the League Cup semi final. With the game delicately poised at 2-2 Jim came on for the injured Mike Conroy. In 113 minutes Roy Baines saved a Derek Johnstone shot and the ball rebounded, struck the unfortunate Jim Casey and rolled into the net.

It was Celtic’s first League Cup defeat since outwith the final since 1964, and Jim Casey was dropped from the first team. It was the first defeat he had played in for Celtic that season as Celtic went on to regain the league title, so you could say he was a bit unlucky. He didn’t play for the first team again that season (excluding the Glasgow Cup).

He didn’t have much luck against Rangers, losing in the league to them in Sep 1977 but also losing in the Glasgow Cup final in 1979, in which he scored Celtic’s consolation goal in a 3-1 defeat.

In 1979/80, Jim Casey captained a successful Celtic reserve team, and in his few first team appearances he scored against Morton on March 8th in the Scottish Cup in a 2-0 win. He also played for the first team against Morton and Hibs in the league that season, with Celtic winning both games, but times were changing with a new era beginning with Aberdeen pipping Celtic to the league title.

In May, 1980 Jim Casey was earmarked for a possible place in the Scottish Cup final to replace the suspended Tom McAdam but an injury in training stopped any hopes he had. It was a severe blow to the Bhoy, and in retrospect his first team career was now all but over.

Capable of playing both as a sweeper or as a holding midfielder the former Scotland schoolboy international was never able to hold down a regular first team starting spot, and over the years actually played very infrequently. Celtic won all of his last five games (including two Glasgow Cup games) and didn’t concede any goals in those matches, so he was leaving on a good note.

He eventually left Celtic for US side Phoenix Inferno in November 1980, but he lasted only a few weeks before he was back in Scotland with Arbroath FC.

He retired from play in 1983.

His son Mark Casey was on Celtic’s books from 1999-2001, but sadly never made the step up to the first team.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

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