Connaghan, Denis – The Celtic Wiki

Personal

Fullname: Denis Connaghan
Born: 9 January 1945
Died: 15 January 2024
Birthplace: Glasgow
Signed: 3 May 1963; 25 Oct 1971 from St Mirren
Left: Apr 1964 (free); Apr 1977 (free); 3 Aug 1977 (to Morton)
Position: Goalkeeper
First game: Dunfermline 1-2 Celtic, League, 27 October 1971
Last game: Celtic 5-0 Albion Rovers, League Cup, 6 October 1976
Internationals: None

Biog

“I had to find a phone, then call home and say, ‘tell my Da I’m playing today’.’”
Denis Connaghan recalling the morning of the 1974 Scottish Cup final

Goalkeeper Denis Connaghan first joined Celtic on provisional terms as a youngster in May 1963 but was released by the club less than a year later without making a first team appearance.

He initially went on to play junior football but eventually returned to Celtic Park in October 1971 after making a name for himself at senior level with St Mirren.

Brought back to Celtic by Jock Stein to compete with the then inconsistent Evan Williams, Denis Connaghan made his debut for the Bhoys in a 2-1 league win at Dunfermline on October 27th 1971, four days after the 4-1 League Cup Final debacle against Partick Thistle at Hampden.

A steady if unspectacular performer, Denis Connaghan never really established himself as the automatic first choice No.1, and he spent most of his time at Parkhead battling Evan Williams and latterly Ally Hunter for a first team start.

Denis Connaghan played in the semi-finals of the European Cup against the disgraceful Spaniards Atletico Madrid. He had a magnificent game in the 2nd leg in Madrid when Celtic almost pulled off the impossible task of winning in the white hot atmosphere of the Vicente Calderon stadium.

He also played in Celtic’s winning side in the 1974 Scottish Cup final (v Dundee United 3-0), and he was also in the team that clinched a ninth successive league title at Brockville in April 1974.

In July 1974, against Airdrie at Broomfield, he once infamously threw the ball into the back of the Celtic net from about 12 yards out (Celtic still won 4-2), but people for many years afterwards still asked him:

“Do you remember the day you threw the ball into your own net at Broomfield?”

He is perhaps best remembered for a match the next week, when he saved two penalties against Rangers in a penalty shoot out in the 1974 Drybrough Cup Final, so his luck changed rapidly.

He was out of the side by early October 1974 having shouldered the blame for a 2-1 defeat to Rangers at Celtic Park when he lost a soft goal to Rangers’ Ian McDougall. It was to be a disappointing season as Celtic went on to finally lose the league title after having achieved the record nine league titles in a row.

His last two games were in September & October 1976 as Celtic defeated Albion Rovers 6-0 on aggregate in a League Cup qualifier.

Denis Connaghan was released by Celtic in April 1977 by which time he had made 56 appearances and kept 22 clean sheets.

A likeable individual, Denis Connaghan had been a faithful servant to the Bhoys who never once complained of his constant shuttling between the first team and reserves.

He sadly passed away in January 2024 after a long life.

Playing Career

APPEARANCES	LEAGUE	SCOTTISH CUP	LEAGUE CUP	EUROPE	TOTAL
1963-64, 1971-77	32	4	15	5	56
Shut-outs	11	3	8	0	22 (39%)

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74

Scottish Cup

1974

Scottish League Cup

1974-75

Pictures

Player Pics

Podcasts

CU Interview with Denis Connaghan (2016)

Anecdote

Frank Haffey a Celtic keeper of the early 1960’s is generally regarded as being one of the more eccentric players to have played for the Hoops.

However on one occasion even Frank was surpassed in terms of doing “daft” things by Denis Connaghan a keeper signed from St.Mirren by Jock Stein in October 1971.

In the 1974-75 season in a first round Dryborough Cup game at Broomfield Celtic were coasting 4-1 against Airdrie – Denis went to throw the ball out to Danny McGrain who was playing left back (not his usual right back role that day) and as he went to throw it he changed his mind as he thought Danny was covered by Airdrie’s winger but as he was in mid-throw at this point he lost control of the ball and ended up throwing the ball into the Celtic goal to make the score 4-2.

Fortunately Celtic still won so Denis got let off fairly lightly by Jock Stein.

Jock Stein was never a great fan of the Dryborough Cup which was played early in the season – Jock used it more as a build-up and experimental tournament towards the League Championship.

Jock only took it seriously when Rangers were involved and that year having beaten Dundee in the semi-final Celtic played Rangers in the Final – the game itself ended up a draw and therefore went to penalties.

Denis Connaghan was the hero in the penalty shoot out and Celtic won it 4-2 – so at the end of the day the Gorbals born Denis redeemed himself although he apparently still gets asked “Do you remember the day you threw that ba’ in the net”?

Articles

Interview

(Official site, June 2013)

http://celticunderground.net/denis-connaghan-interview/Some supporters may not know you were on Celtic´s books as a youngster but were released in 1963.
What lay behind your initial departure from Paradise?

At that time there were six goalkeepers. I was going to America for a short period of time for a family wedding and I think there were some crossed lines and they thought I was actually moving to America but I was only going for a month for my sister´s wedding. So I was allowed to go after a year. I was a provisional signing and I played a few reserves games as the reserve team was going then. I had been out at Yoker while at Celtic so I went back junior again and went to Renfrew.

You must have been playing with a lot of talented young players in that reserve team, with the likes of Jimmy Johnstone and other members of the Lisbon Lions squad part of the youth set-up?
The Lions were coming through and even the ones who were more experienced – big Billy was coming through with John Clark who were both in their early 20s. Dick Beattie, John Fallon and Frank Haffey were the keepers there at that time and then you had the likes of Duncan MacKay, Jim Kennedy and Paddy Crerand, before he went down south. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alec Boden was there and Johnny Higgins looked after the young players at that time when they trained at the park in the evenings.

After you left and eventually went on to establish yourself at St Mirren, Celtic entered that period of dominance in Scottish football and won the European Cup in 1967. Did you feel a pang of regret watching it from afar?
I actually made my debut for St Mirren against Celtic in 1966 and played against roughly the Lisbon Lions team. You often wondered what might have been, but you can´t dwell on it too much as what’s for you, won´t go by you. However, you always live in hope that the chance might come along again and in my case it did come along about four or five years later. You still want Celtic to do well, deep down. No-one more was amazed or delighted than me when Celtic won the European Cup. I was out in America when I got a phone call to say that they had won it. Even before I went to America, I was still going to the games. I remember going to the Vojvodina and the Dukla Prague ones. You did think what might have been, but you can´t dwell on it or it can hold you back. You have to be positive and do your best, and fortunately in my case I got the opportunity to return again.

Not many players come back to Celtic. What were the circumstances of your move back to the club?
It took around three years or something! I came back from America and I actually had a meeting arranged with Jock Stein as the announcer at Celtic was actually an ex-school teacher of mine called John Murphy. I had met him and he asked what I was doing. I had been home for a few months and my intention was originally to go back to America but the deal fell through. I decided to stay here, so John took me up to the park one day to meet Mr Stein but obviously it was a Saturday and Jock had other things on his mind pre-match. So it fell by the wayside and I went back to St Mirren. That was around March or April 1968, and during the course of the next couple of years, there were rumours of Celtic still wanting to sign me but things never materialised. Other goalkeepers got in front of me. Gordon Marshall was there and Evan was signed from Wolves, so you kept thinking if these were actually rumours or were people just telling stories. But after the League Cup final against Partick Thistle which Celtic lost 4-1, I got a call on Sunday to say that big Jock was going to get in touch with me about a possible move to Celtic Park. It was obviously unfortunate circumstances that it brought it along with Celtic losing a cup final, and one of their most surprising defeats in a cup final. I was actually playing that day at East End Park for St Mirren and you could hear the murmurs going around the crowd about the score and we could hardly believe it on the park. So that was how I ended up moving at the end of October, 1971.

What was it like going back through the doors of Paradise as a Celtic player once again?
I got a phone call from big Jock. He wanted to meet me at Glen Park as he wanted to keep it quiet and then he eventually said he would meet me at Love Street to save any hassle. So I went down and met him and discussed things and it was never going to be an issue of me about going there, it was just the two clubs being happy. So I went home and thought, ´God, I´ve finally made it´. Although it was disappointing circumstances for the club losing to Partick Thistle, I was just absolutely delighted at the chance to go back and play in such a strong Celtic team, and we proved that by winning the league so many times in a row. And some of the players who were there, I had been in contact with – I was friendly with Harry Hood and I knew Billy McNeill and Jim Brogan as well. I knew quite a lot of the pool, so become part of that was a dream come true.

For most of your Celtic career, you faced a fierce three-way battle for the number one jersey with Evan Williams and Ally Hunter. What was that situation like?
It was difficult. If you were in, you were virtually part of the furniture unless you had a couple of bad games. When I went there I played the first 14 or 15 games then I got an injury. Evan got back in again and took the opportunity. That was the year we went on to beat Hibernian 6-1 in the cup final and you were sitting there thinking that should have been me. There were always three goalkeepers at Celtic. Even when I was there as a youngster, as I said before, you had Frank Haffey, John Fallon and Dick Beattie. Down the years I always noticed that. Gordon Marshall, Evan Williams and John Fallon were there, then John went to Motherwell, Gordon went to Aberdeen and I came in, and then within a year Alistair Hunter followed. So there was always a nucleus of three goalkeepers. When Evan moved away, Peter Latchford came in. It was always a hard battle. When you were in it was great, but when you were out there was no bad feeling or animosity between us. The goalkeepers always got on great. It was big Jock´s thought that the goalkeeping position at Celtic Park was one of the easiest jobs going as the team were always doing that much attacking you never had much to do. So when you were out, it was really hard to get back in. But you could get back in when you least expected it. It was hard battle but there was no animosity. We always got on great together.

Do you have a favourite game from your time at the club that stands out?
My professional debut for St Mirren against Celtic, which was virtually the European Cup-winning team. We were expected to get hammered as the previous week we had got hammered 5-0 by Rangers, and I actually got told by the coach and that I would lose goals and not to worry about and just to enjoy myself and we ended up drawing 1-1! But as far as for Celtic, playing in the Scottish Cup final when we beat Dundee United meant a lot to me as it meant I now had a cup winner´s medal at last having missed out on the Hibs one. The Atletico Madrid game is always one that is brought up but that wasn’t an enjoyable one because of the way the game turned out. The two games I enjoyed most were the Scottish Cup win over Dundee United when we won 3-0 and the Drybrough Cup win over Rangers on penalty kicks. We had never won it before and I managed to save two penalties. It got me out of jail as the previous week I had thrown the ball into my own net against Airdrie at Broomfield from about 12 yards out – which is pretty hard to do when you are supposed to be a goalkeeper! People still say to that me today: ´Do you remember the day you threw the ball into your own net at Broomfield?´ and I say, ´How will I ever forget that!´ But they can´t remember the following week how I saved two penalties against Rangers in the Drybrough Cup. But those two games mean a lot to me.

What lay behind your exit from Celtic in 1976?
You were lucky if you were playing every second or third week and you were turning into a paid supporter. It was myself, Peter Latchford and then Celtic brought in another goalkeeper, Roy Baines from Morton. I had been the one who’d been there the longest and I was the obvious one who would go. And you miss playing. You missed being involved on a Saturday. Big Jock came and asked me how I felt about things and I said I wasn’t really enjoying myself due to the fact I wasn’t playing. So the opportunity came up to go to Clydebank for three months on loan for cover down there. That meant I would be at least getting a regular game every week whether it would be in the reserves or first team. So I decided to move on and take the chance. I had been at Celtic Park for five-and-a-half years and the possibility of getting back in a long-term was basis slim. Peter was well-entrenched and Roy Baines had come in as cover. Tommy Callaghan was at Clydebank at the time so I went down there for a few months. After Clydebank I went to Morton for about 18 months and Clyde for a year, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at those clubs as well, although the pinnacle of my career was at Celtic.

And you had another period in junior football as well?
After Clyde, I spent a year with Arthurlie. I said to Craig Brown, who was the Clyde manager at the time, that the younger players deserved a chance. I got involved in the licensed trade at the time and that took up a greater amount of my time, so I went back junior to keep myself ticking over and I ended up getting to the Scottish Junior Cup final with Arthurlie. It was one of these cross-border things – I live in Neilston and there is no love lost between the two! So I went and played for them and we lost in the cup final to Pollok but it was still a chance to play in a cup final at Hampden. Getting over the injuries was getting longer and longer, though, so I decided to give it up but at least I got the opportunity to play at Hampden again, albeit on a losing team.

Do you keep in touch with any of your former team-mates?
I speak to Bobby Lennox every so often. Sometimes I´m up at the park because I´m involved with the local junior team and a couple of charities, and I see John Clark. I might meet big Billy at a function or out shopping, while Harry Hood and I were at school together and played in the same school team. From time to time, you get the chance to say hello but unfortunately it´s sometimes more unfortunate circumstances.

What else occupies your time at present?
I was involved in the licensed trade for much of the latter part of my life but it had changed a lot and had become a bit of rat race so I had enough of it and took early retirement. After two months I was totally fed-up and now I work from East Kilbride for a pharmaceutical company delivering medicines and controlled drugs around West-Central Scotland to the chemist shops. I could be over the East End of Glasgow and then be down in the south of Ayrshire. I thoroughly enjoy it. It keeps out of trouble and fills me day. I love driving about and seeing a bit of the country. And I also love spending time with my grandkids.

DENIS CONNAGHAN INTERVIEW

Posted by St Anthony | Jul 6, 2020
DENIS CONNAGHAN INTERVIEW

In his latest interview, St Anthony talks to ex Celtic goalkeeper Denis Connaghan, a familiar face from Celtic’s latter 9-in-a-row days from 1971 to 1976.

What was your first Celtic game and who was your first Celtic hero?

I can’t remember a particular game but I used to go to the games as a boy and Johnny Bonner was the Celtic goalkeeper and Johnny, despite his lack of height he was a great goalkeeper. I liked to watch him play and in later years got to know him as he was in the licensed trade when I worked in the licensed trade. He was the first goalkeeper I watched of any standing.

You say you were at Celtic early on. What happened at that time?

I played schools football for Holyrood secondary and our PE teacher was a guy called John Murphy who was also the match day announcer at Celtic Park. Schools football was very high profile in those days and we had Harry Hood and Jim McCalliog in the team and just before that there had been Paddy Crerand, Charlie Gallagher and John Gallacher who had went to Third Lanark. It was through winning things with the school that John got me to Parkhead on trial. I signed as an S form at 17 before they let me go because there were too many goalies. Dick Beattie was still there, John Fallon and Frank Haffey. I actually played a few Celtic reserve games as a 17 year old and I remember playing in a reserve fixture on the night Celtic played MTK Budapest in the second leg of the ECWC in 1964 when they lost 4-0. In those days the reserves attracted good crowds and the punters had their radios and were shouting we were getting beat in Hungary and we could not believe it. So I was released and went back to playing junior with Yoker Athletic and Renfrew. From there I went to St Mirren and after a year or so I went to America for a time in 1967.

How did you get to America?

The manager who signed me for St Mirren was a guy called Doug Millward who had played with Ipswich under Sir Alf Ramsey. He was only there a few months when he was asked to go to America at the beginning of their new football league with Baltimore. He was at Love Street one night and I was talking to him and he said he had 12 or 13 different nationalities in his squad. I joked with him that he couldn’t have a good team without a good goalkeeper and he asked me to go over. I was signed to go to America in October or November 1966 but couldn’t be released and we kept it quiet until March when St Mirren were relegated and I went across.

That must have been a great experience.

It was and I thoroughly enjoyed it in Baltimore. Denis Viollett who was an ex-Man Utd player was in our team and the level of football was very good but they have rules in America where you can be transferred and have no say in the matter. At Christmas Doug Millward gave up his job and Gordon Jago took over. He wanted me to go to Boston and I’d spent a long time getting used to life in Baltimore and settling down. I came home at Christmas and St Mirren asked me to train with them to keep fit. The more I was here, the more Jago tried to push me to Boston, and I wasn’t happy. Alex Wright asked me to come back to St Mirren and I agreed. I was going out with my future wife at that point and it wouldn’t have been fair on her to be in Boston with me travelling all over the USA with the team.

When Celtic won the European Cup in 1967 where was Denis Connaghan?

I was in Baltimore and got a phone call from my parents who told me the good news and I was over the moon. After the final, Alfredo Di Stefano had his testimonial against Celtic and Santi Steba, a team mate who was from Madrid, was saying to me how fantastic Celtic and Jimmy Johnstone were when Celtic beat Real Madrid in Di Stefano’s game. My parents sent all the newspapers over from the Inter Milan and Real Madrid games and I gave it right hard to the English guys especially.

So it was back to Love Street.

I remember a cold, frosty day in 1968 when we beat Rangers at Love Street. Rangers had just signed Colin Stein and in his first three games he had scored something like three hat tricks in a row when we were next in line. We won 1-0 with a goal by wee Hughie Gilshan. It was one of those days were things went well for me and we had a young boy named Andy McFadden up against Stein. Andy played as well as me but I got the headlines as I had stopped Colin Stein from scoring.

Was Gordon McQueen around then?

He came just slightly after this and you could tell he was a player. He was great in the air, very left footed and a confident big guy. He was well brought up in football as his Dad and Uncle were very involved with Beith juniors. He had people around him to help at St Mirren, Willie Fulton was tremendous as a leader and Jim Kiernan was there too.

Saints had a few good players at that time.

Iain Munro was a terrific player. He started off on the left wing but went to left back and was capped by Scotland. Jim Blair, Bobby McKean, Tony Connell, Cammy Murray. Tottenham were said to have been after Cammy but he was loyal to St Mirren. Tony Connell was a great left back, he and I had actually played together at Holyrood. I was fortunate that I was playing with top class players.

When did you find out Celtic were interested in you?

I had an inkling a few times before this. Any time there was a problem at Celtic Park the goalkeeper usually took the brunt of it. The only goalie who never got the blame for anything was Ronnie Simpson because Ronnie would stand and point the finger at somebody else when he let in a goal! John Murphy, my old school teacher, had contacted me and I was also friendly with Jock Stein’s son in law, John Gartland. John and I, and Harry Hood, had kept in touch after school and occasionally went out together. John would tell me ‘I think the big man’s coming to talk to you’ but nothing ever materialised. Then the night after Partick Thistle had beaten Celtic 4-1 in the 1971 League Cup final, John contacted me to say that Jock would be in touch on the Monday morning. Stein called me right enough and we met in a car park in Rouken Glen Park for discussions. An hour later I was told to go to Love Street as Wilson Humphries wanted to speak to me and the deal went through. Money was never mentioned. I got the basic first team wage, the other guys earned more as they had been there longer.

Not long after signing you played in your first Old Firm game in January 1972.

Jim Brogan never scored a lot of goals but I remember that day as he scored the winner in the last minute. I also remember the delight of that goal and running towards Davie Hay and hugging him and Davie saying, ‘Oh no, we better get back into position.’ The atmosphere and the tension was something else and it was a huge day for Jim. I knew Jim Brogan well because his family stayed near mines in Pollokshields and they were in the flowers business. Jim’s brother, Frank, was there with me before at Parkhead as an S form. Jim was a great guy, although very strong minded and never shy at putting his point across.

Was there a lot of competition for the goalkeeper’s jersey between you, Evan Williams Ally Hunter and later on, Pater Latchford.

We were all professional and 100% fighting for a place. There was rivalry because we all wanted to play. I remember big Jock saying to us goalkeepers, that when he passed away he wanted to come back as a goalie, as Celtic did all the attacking and the goalies have nothing to do! Goalkeepers were his pet hate and he would say being the Celtic goalie was the easiest job under the sun but he worked us hard. There was never any animosity amongst the goalkeepers and I got on well with Evan and Ally. I was there for five years but was never left out due to bad play and I made a couple of howlers in my time. It was always through injury and that was frustrating. When I was out someone else was quick to take their chance.

Was there any specialist goalkeeper coaching at that time?

No, you did your own warm up then Jock took the ‘keepers when the rest of the boys were training and we did a work out. He always liked three goalies at any particular time and we had Gordon Marshall for a while, Tom Lally and John Fallon was still there when I arrived. There was a guy called Geir Karlsen who played against us for Rosenborg in the European Cup in 1972 and Jock brought him over too.

Who were the main characters on the dressing room back then?

Dixie was a character and also wee Jimmy. Jimmy loved to sing Rod Stewart songs. Pat McCluskey was another and they were at the wind ups. Lou Macari as well but they were all great. If you wore a floral shirt to training you get expect to get it but they were a good bunch. George Connelly and Davie Hay were pals and Davie looked after George. After training George would head back to Fife whereas the rest would go out in groups. George was a magnificent player, nothing ruffled him and he was similar to Beckenbauer in the way he read the game and glided across the park. It was such a shame he went out the game and what a loss to Celtic. I played with him later on at junior level at international level when John Hughes, big ‘Yogi’, was the manager and he picked me and George Connelly for Scotland juniors.

In 1974 Celtic came across Atletico Madrid but not happy memories.

It was a fiasco from start to finish. It wasn’t a football match it was just an excuse to kick lumps out of Celtic players. One of the most galling things was we had a goal disallowed early on when Harry Hood set Kenny Dalglish up to score but the linesman ruled the ball had went out of play. The annoying thing was their manager was Argentinian and he brought in six hatchet men and some of the tackles look worse now than they did at the time. Even now when I watch it on dvd I can’t believe the tackles on wee Jimmy. Kenny got hammered as well. They did everything to stop us. Ayala got booked after he threw his hands up just to stop me throwing the ball out. The Turkish referee couldn’t control it. It was frustrating that we couldn’t score against eight men but there was no fluidity to the game at any time, it was all stop start and a foul every thirty seconds.

What was Jock Stein’s reaction afterwards?

He was really angry at the way they played. We protested to UEFA and there was talk of the second leg being played in a neutral venue but the following week we were in Fife preparing for a midweek game against East Fife when Jock came in and told us we had to go to Madrid.

The Spanish media had actually portrayed Atletico as being the victims in Glasgow and turned it around in their favour.

We never left the hotel in Madrid after the threats to Jock and wee Jimmy. Anytime we were abroad we had free time to ourselves and the boys liked to go into the city to see the shops or Cathedrals and places of interest. We just trained and had dinner, we couldn’t even use the swimming pool due to the worry about getting sunburn. There were crowds outside the hotel making noises, not the best preparation. The atmosphere was horrendous, I had to report to the referee during the game that I was being hit by pellets they were firing from slings behind my goal. After the game, Calderon, their president, wanted to come and see Jock Stein to shake his hand but Jock told him where to go. For 75 minutes we held out well but couldn’t steal the goal we needed.

On a happier note we got nine in a row at Brockville the following Saturday and then won the Scottish Cup.

There was an aftermath after Madrid and we never played well against Falkirk and were 1-0 down at one point. Kenny equalised but we were still sore after Atletico. Jock told us to enjoy winning the league but it was hard. It’s a game I don’t remember a lot about and when the boys met up in later years we couldn’t even remember the score.

And you were one of the heroes in the 3-0 cup final win against Dundee United.

Andy Gray made a point of mentioning me in his book as I made a great save from him that day. It was a header and what made it for me was that he aimed it high whereas if he’d headed it low it would have been a different kettle of fish. It was a good height for me to throw my body across and get a hand to it. It was great for me as this was my first Scottish Cup medal and I had been injured before the 6-1 win over Hibs in 1972. I remember when we were in Seamill on the morning of the game and Jock read the team out and I was in it. Ally Hunter was kind enough to say ‘good luck big man.’ After the game we were celebrating and big Billy says ‘what about the save Denis made?’ and Jock replied, ‘Aye that’s what he’s there for’ but he later said well done to me in passing and that that was the way I should play every week. That was high praise from Jock Stein! Harry Hood was fabulous that day, he scored and created the other two. I remember at time up Harry made a run for me as he knew this was my first cup medal and we were old pals from school.

The Drybrough Cup tournament in 1974 saw perhaps your worst mistake at Broomfield and then your best saves in the final in the penalty shootout against Rangers.

It was so bizarre if I tried to do it again I probably couldn’t do it. I shouted to Danny McGrain before I threw the ball to him twelve yards from goal on the right hand side with Danny playing at left back. As I went throw the ball an Airdrie player ran to block my throw, so I tried to stop myself from throwing it and the ball flew out of my hand and into the back of the net. I made the front page of the Sunday Post and the Sunday Mail with a photo of the dugout with big Jock, Neilly Mochan, Bob Rooney and Sean Fallon and they are all laughing. The headlines said ‘What is big Jock laughing at?’ Billy McNeill said, ‘Hey Denis, you made it look ten times worse by running after it.’ I am still asked to this day about it. Stein said to me after it, ‘Denis, you’re worse than Frank Haffey at least Frank could sing!’

And the final against Rangers?

That was a fabulous game of football, a 2-2 draw in scorching weather. That was also the year there was the no offside experiment when you could only be offside 18 yards from goal. The players were exhausted as it was more like a game of basketball and it was a very hot day. When it went to penalties I was always quite confident of saving them as I had a good record. I used to try and guess where the penalty taker would put it and I am fortunate I guessed well that day. Our first player to take one was wee Bobby Lennox and he missed so that put the pressure on me. I saved Tommy McLean’s penalty then Derek Parlane hit the next one high to my right and I was fortunate to block the two of them. Wee Jimmy got the winning goal and he put everything into it and blasted at the Celtic end then ran to the corner. Jock never took the Drybrough Cup seriously as he used it as a means of getting the players fit for the season ahead. However, when we got to the final against Rangers all of a sudden it became more important and it was given greater coverage by the press. It was also the only time Celtic won that trophy.

Peter Latchford arrived in 1975 and was number one choice. Did you ask away or did you fight to get back in?

Newspapers reported at the time that I asked away but that’s not true. I didn’t ask away but Jock asked if I fancied moving. There were three of us there, Latchford, Hunter and me so I just wanted to play. Playing every second week in the reserves was soul destroying and you have pride that you want to play. Ally went to Motherwell then Roy Baines came in from Morton. Tommy Callaghan had just moved to Clydebank and Jock asked me if I fancied going to Kilbowie on loan as under study to Jim Gallacher and they were a good side at the time with Davie Cooper. I was working with Dunn and Moore who owned Clyde and Benny Rooney asked me to go to Morton. Big Andy Ritchie was doing well at the time and they had other good player like George Anderson, Davie Hayes and Jim Holmes. They then brought in an American goalkeeper called Dave Brcic and I told Benny I didn’t fancy reserve football at my age so I ended up with Clyde with Craig Brown. After a year at Shawfield I played junior with Arthurlie and we reached the Scottish Junior Cup final only to lose 1-0 to Pollok. Norrie Fulton scored the goal and his son, Stephen went on to play for Celtic. I kicked the ball out and their centre half headed it straight back over our defence and wee Norrie lobbed me. Then that was it.

Best wishes for the future Denis.

Condolences after the passing of former Celt, Denis Connaghan

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2024/january/15/condolences-after-the-passing-of-former-celt–denis-connaghan/

By Celtic Football Club

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15 Jan 2024, 3:23 pm

Everyone at Celtic is saddened to hear of the death of former goalkeeper, Denis Connaghan, who has passed away at the age of 79.

Over a six-year period between 1971 and ’77, Denis played 56 times for Celtic, winning three league titles, the Scottish Cup in 1974 and also the Drybrough Cup that same year.

He actually began his football career with Celtic back in 1963, but left the club a year later. He would go on to spend seven years with St Mirren before returning to Paradise when Jock Stein signed him in October 1971.

He made his debut that same month in a 2-1 league win against Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park, and he would go on to make 14 appearances that season, helping the Hoops win their seventh league title in a row.

During his time at Celtic, he competed with Evan Williams and Ally Hunter for the No.1 jersey, and he was in the side which took on Atletico Madrid in the 1974 European Cup semi-final, playing in both legs.

He was also in the starting XI when the Hoops beat Dundee United 3-0 at Hampden to win the Scottish Cup in 1974, while the previous week he had been part of the team which drew 1-1 away to Falkirk to clinch the club’s ninth successive league title.

Denis also famously saved two penalties against Rangers in the 1974 Drybrough Cup final shoot-out – Celtic’s only success in that short-lived competition.

Denis’ last game for Celtic came on October 6, 1976 in a 5-0 home win over Albion Rovers in the second leg of the League Cup quarter-final.

He left the club the following summer and had brief spells at Morton and Clyde before joining junior side, Arthurlie, in 1980.

Speaking back in March 2017, in an interview for the Celtic matchday programme, Denis Connaghan picked out his best Celtic memory.

“Being part of the Scottish Cup-winning team in 1974,” he said. “There were a couple of earlier finals where I was sitting on the bench or in the stand, so that 3-0 game against Dundee United was one that I really did enjoy. It was a great day for me and a great day for the team.

“Even down at Seamill on the morning of the final, I still wasn’t 100 per cent sure I was in the team. Big Jock had the team-talk and then he said, ‘Right, the team today will be, Denis in goal…’, and I thought, ‘what a relief’. There were no mobile phones in those days so I had to find a phone, then call home and say, ‘tell my Da I’m playing today’.’

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Denis’ family and friends at this extremely sad time.

Former St Mirren goalkeeper Connaghan dies aged 79

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/former-st-mirren-goalkeeper-connaghan-dies-aged-79/ar-AA1n0igK

Former St Mirren goalkeeper Denis Connaghan has died aged 79, following a short period of illness.

He joined St Mirren in 1966 from Renfrew and made 127 appearances for the Buddies, before joining Celtic in 1971.

Connaghan also played for Morton, Clyde, Arthurlie, Yoker Athletic and in America with Baltimore Bays.

A St Mirren statement read: “The thoughts of everyone at St Mirren are with Denis’ loved ones at this sad time.”

Tributes paid to former goalkeeper Denis Connaghan

16th January
https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/24053807.tributes-paid-former-goalkeeper-denis-connaghan/
Denis Connaghan <i>(Image: Supplied)</i>
Denis Connaghan (Image: Supplied)

Arthurlie and Neilston have paid tribute to former goalkeeper Denis Connaghan after his death at the age of 79.

Connaghan played for the Barrhead club following a successful career at St Mirren and Celtic.

He was influential in Arthurlie’s run to the 1981 Scottish Junior Cup final, in which they were narrowly beaten by Pollok at Hampden Park.

Connaghan went on to help out at Neilston and was a valued member of the Brig O’Lea club’s committee for many years.

A Neilston spokesperson said: “Denis joined our committee almost 30 years ago and he was a man of integrity, dignity, modesty, knowledge and experience.

“He will be greatly missed.”

Andy Whiteford, Neilston manager, added: “Such sad news. An absolute gentlemen and a true Neilston legend, whom I had the pleasure of working with and learning from over the last 20 years at the club.”

An Arthurlie spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Denis at this difficult time.”

Connaghan joined St Mirren from Renfrew Juniors in 1966 and made 127 appearances for the Buddies before moving to Celtic in 1971.

He played 56 games in six years for Jock Stein’s side, including a Scottish Cup final win over Dundee United and both legs of the European Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid in 1974.

Connaghan was also in the team as Celtic clinched a record ninth consecutive title at Falkirk in the same year.

He went on to play for Morton and Clyde.

Meanwhile, Arthurlie suffered a potentially damaging defeat against Largs Thistle on Saturday, despite taking the lead and having a man advantage for more than half of the match.

Dylan Dykes fired the hosts in front midway through the opening period, only for Darryl Duffy to equalise almost immediately.

Duffy turned villain for Largs five minutes before the break as he was shown the red card following a scuffle.

Joe Wilton in the visiting goal was called into action on more than one occasion, including keeping out a Conor Bolger header, as Arthurlie tried to regain the lead.

However, they were hit with a sucker punch as Will Sewell crept in at the back post to grab all three points for Largs and leave Arthurlie in the relegation zone.

The Dunterlie side are four points from safety, although they do have games in hand over teams around them.

This Saturday, Arthurlie travel to Hurlford, with a 1.30pm kick-off at Blair Park.

Denis Conaghan: Tributes after death of former Morton goalie

16th January
Greenock Morton FC
https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/24053367.denis-conaghan-tributes-death-former-morton-goalie/
Denis Connaghan <i>(Image: contributed)</i>
Denis Connaghan (Image: contributed)

MORTON legend Andy Ritchie has led tributes to former goalkeeper Denis Conaghan who has sadly died.

The keeper, who joined from Celtic, was part of their championship winning side of 1977. He passed away aged 79 from a short illness.

Andy said: “I was so sorry to hear of the passing of my old friend Denis.

“Denis made a massive contribution to Morton FC during the Championship winning year 1977.

“He was not only a smashing goalkeeper but a lovely man as well.

“Condolences to his family and many friends.”

In a past player interview with Morton, Denis spoke fondly of his time at Cappielow and the joy of winning the league.

He said that he had enjoyed two great years at Morton under legendary boss Benny Rooney and alongside the likes of Davie Hayes and Bobby Russell.

Before joining Morton, Denis had enjoyed a successful spell at Celtic including three league titles amid a nine-in-a-row streak, and a Scottish Cup.

Denis Connaghan: A unique Hampden hat-trick for the nicest of men

Denis Connaghan: A unique Hampden hat-trick for the nicest of men

By Matt Corr 19 January, 2024 No Comments
[Denis Connaghan: A unique Hampden hat-trick for the nicest of men]

Denis Connaghan: A unique Hampden hat-trick for the nicest of men…

Part 1: Two old school friends are reunited at Celtic

More sad news coming through this week as the passing of former Celtic goalkeeper Denis Connaghan was announced.

I remember Denis very well from his playing days at Celtic Park and was also fortunate enough to spend some time chatting with him a few years ago, whilst researching for my Harry Hood biography.

He was a lovely man and so very helpful. Denis had been a schoolboy teammate and close friend of Harry’s in the early 1960s at Holyrood Secondary, before meeting back up with him again when Jock Stein signed the big goalkeeper for Celtic from St Mirren in October 1971. Jock, of course, had brought Harry to the club from Clyde some 18 months earlier.

The month of October 1971 would be pivotal in Denis’ career, with the League Cup in the forefront. Second Division St Mirren were not given much chance against a Celtic side smarting from a shock home defeat to St Johnstone at the weekend and seeking to reach an eighth successive League Cup final, when the teams met at Hampden for the semi-final on Wednesday, 6 October 1971.

That task looked even more difficult when defender Hugh McLaughlin received a second booking just after the half-hour, but a brilliant display by Denis kept the Buddies in the match until Davie Hay – ironically a Paisley man – opened the scoring on the hour mark. Within three minutes, Harry Hood and Bobby Lennox had secured Celtic’s place in the final but no doubt Jock Stein had taken notice of Denis’ goalkeeping performance.

Denis would not be in first-team action on Saturday, 23 October 1971 – St Mirren were the odd team out in the 19-club Second Division – but his career would be positively impacted by events at Hampden, as rank outsiders shocked the football world by scoring four first-half goals against Celtic to win the Scottish League Cup for the first time.

Jock Stein’s transition of the squad which had reached the European Cup final the previous season was already well underway. John Hughes and Willie Wallace were spectators at Hampden, having only recently been transferred to Crystal Palace, whilst Tommy Gemmell would be at Nottingham Forest within a few weeks. With Evan Williams conceding four goals at Hampden, Stein also took the opportunity to freshen up his goalkeeping options, by swooping for Denis just 24 hours after that Hampden defeat.

Jim Blair reported on the transfer in The Evening Times on Monday, 25 October 1971.
Celtic sign Connaghan – St Mirren keeper goes to Parkhead

Celtic boss Jock Stein today signed St Mirren’s Denis Connaghan to bring the tally of goalkeepers at Parkhead to FIVE!

Connaghan, a one-time provisional Celtic signing who was never called up, now joins Evan Williams, Englishman Gordon Marshall, John Fallon, and Irishman Tom Lally, and looks set to make his debut at East End Park on Wednesday night against Dunfermline.

Speaking about the transfer, St Mirren manager Wilson Humphries said – “I had to let Denis go, for I promised him a move if an offer came along.”

Connaghan is very much a football character. The lanky keeper, who in the past has reserved some of his finest performances for the games against Celtic, has always admitted to being Celtic-daft. This move will no doubt delight him, for he thought he had missed his chance of playing at Parkhead.

Connaghan was one of the many Scottish players who tried to popularise football in America. In fact, he left the local team in Baltimore in 1968 to return to Scottish football…and St Mirren.

Jock Stein, who hasn’t been happy with his goalkeeping set-up for some time, obviously feels Connaghan can do a good job for Celtic.

One question remains, however, IS THERE ROOM FOR FIVE GOALKEEPERS AT PARKHEAD?

End of article.
Denis Connaghan

Denis did indeed make his Celtic first-team debut at East End Park in midweek, lining up with his old school friend Harry Hood who scored the winner as the Hoops came from behind to win 2-1. He would then make his home debut in front of a massive 64,000 crowd as Celts faced closest title rivals Aberdeen in a vital League match on Saturday, 6 November 1971. It is a match I remember well, the biggest attendance for a match there I had witnessed at that point. I remember the huge roar as Harry put the Hoops in front at the far end on the hour, then sadly the anguish as Billy McNeill headed past Denis into those distinctive green nets at our end to square the match at 1-1.

But what about that early connection with Harry Hood, Holyrood and Celtic? Below is an extract from Harry Hood: Twice As Good which puts that in context.

Back with Harry at Holyrood, he would almost certainly have been involved in the Under 18 trials for the Glasgow Schools team, which took place at Nether Pollok on Saturday, 4 November 1961. Jim McCalliog represented Holyrood in the Under 15 trials at the same venue, whilst 11-year-old Danny McGrain of Camus Place played for Glasgow West’s under 12s against West Lothian in Blackburn.

Harry would progress to the final trials for Glasgow at the senior age level, played at Lesser Hampden on Monday, 13 November before being selected with Holyrood teammate Tommy Doherty and former Queen’s Park colleague Alex Ingram in the following line-up to face the Rest of Scotland at Cathkin at the end of that month.

Melville (St Augustine’s); Milliken (Hyndland) & Doherty (Holyrood); Wyper (Whitehill), McCarron (Lourdes) & McLellan (Eastwood); Ingram (Eastwood), Samson (Whitehill), McNulty (Lourdes), Hood (Holyrood) & Kilpatrick (John Neilston Institution).

Reserves: Wishart (Shawlands, Rankin (St Mungo’s), Mackay (Shawlands), Neilson (Rutherglen) & Miller (Queen’s Park).

That major step towards Harry’s dream of schoolboy international honours was cruelly crushed when the selectors realised that he had signed amateur forms and played for St Roch’s earlier that season. On Thursday, 23 Nov 1961, it was announced that an “enforced change” would see Hood of Holyrood replaced by Neilson of Rutherglen Academy for the clash with Rest of Scotland at Cathkin the following Monday. It would be small consolation, if any, to Harry that Glasgow duly lost 4-0 that evening.

Harry would pick himself up, dust himself down and focus on doing well for Holyrood and Brunswick for the rest of the campaign, albeit that contract with St Roch’s would have another sting in its tail later that season. Holyrood commenced their League programme in devastating style, an unbeaten run taking them to the top of Division 1D of the Glasgow Schools League, where they would enjoy a season-long tussle with Lourdes for the title. The goalkeeper was a youngster from Pollokshields by the name of Denis Connaghan, who, of course, would feature again in the Harry Hood story. Sixty years down the line, former Celtic keeper Denis still has fond memories of those times at Holyrood.

“We had a great side back then. The manager was a chap called John Murphy, who was actually the stadium matchday announcer at Celtic Park. Unusually, he had looked after us each year, whereas normally you got a new coach as you moved through the age levels. My family had moved from Coburg Street in the Gorbals to Pollokshields in 1957, so I had been at Holyrood from the outset, but I remember Harry and John McCafferty only moved across from St Aloysius in fifth year. A lot of boys did that at the time, as St Aloysius was a rugby-playing school. You could tell right away that Harry was a player. He stood out like a sore thumb. We got on like a house on fire from the start and I became and remained close friends with Harry and Kathie. We both loved our football. He was very modest. Never boasted. Harry did his talking on the park.”

“I remember some of the other boys well. Tommy Doherty at full-back was from Priesthill. He later married Kathie’s best pal, Angela Canning. Defender Andy McManus and winger Harry Murphy both went on trial with Bolton Wanderers, and big Conrad La Pointe was a fabulous athlete. He was six foot plus and a 400m runner. He spoke with a broad Glaswegian accent, and I’m not certain but I think his family origins may have been French Canadian.”

“At outside-right was John Gartland, who revelled in the nickname “Judy” for obvious reasons. He was greased lightning and could run 100 yards in 10 seconds. His parents owned Gartland’s Rolls, a bakery in Rutherglen. It was a family business which was later taken over by one of the bigger companies, Morton’s I believe. John went on a supporters’ charter to Milan for the European Cup final in 1970. One of the stewardesses on the flight was Rae Stein, Jock’s daughter, and they later married.”

“There was only one problem for Harry. He had signed an amateur form for St Roch’s, which prevented him playing in the Scottish Secondary Shield – the schoolboy equivalent of the Scottish Cup.”

It is unclear whether that ban covered all rounds of the major competition or just the final. Holyrood progressed steadily with the key tie being a last-16 clash with Lanark Grammar, Willie Waddell’s old school. The Glasgow boys would eventually win 4-1 at the fourth attempt to reach the quarter-final. There they would face Our Lady’s High from Motherwell, whose colours had been worn with such distinction by both Billy McNeill and Bobby Murdoch. Indeed, Bobby would have been part of their 1960 winning team, as was the aforementioned John Cushley.

Holyrood would again triumph by 4-1, on Saturday, 24 February 1962, to set up a semi-final clash with St Gerard’s from Govan, where yet more future Lisbon Lions had developed their craft, Jim Craig winning Scotland schoolboy caps there the previous season whilst a 16-year-old Joe McBride would possibly have played in their cup-winning side of 1954. For the third successive Saturday, Holyrood would record a 4-1 win in the Scottish Secondary Shield, Harry’s boys now awaiting the winner of great rivals Lourdes and Falkirk High in the final.

As an aside, as Holyrood were beating St Gerard’s at their Dixon Road home, just a few miles away at Parkhead another of the immortal Lions was making his debut in the Hoops. With Ardeer Recreation’s Scottish Junior Cup dreams over, Bobby Lennox had been called up by Celtic, and on Saturday, 3 March 1962, the Saltcoats Bhoy played his part as a late Billy McNeill header secured a 2-1 win over Dundee, handing the title initiative to Rangers with just eight games remaining. Three years earlier, McGrory’s Hoops had beaten Hearts on the final day of the League season to literally hand the flag to Rangers. Bob Kelly may have divided opinion, however, there was certainly never any question around Celtic’s sporting integrity when he was at the helm.

The last day of March 1962 saw a virtual League decider for the Holyrood team, as they travelled to Cardonald to face Lourdes with the following line-up.

Denis Connaghan; Rigby & Tommy Doherty; P McLean, Andy McManus & Conrad La Pointe;
John Gartland, Harry Murphy, John McCafferty, Harry Hood & Gray.

The visitors had led the Division from the outset but would now see Lourdes overtake them following a 4-3 defeat. Holyrood were 3-0 down before John McCafferty pulled a goal back, and it was 4-1 before their two Harry’s – Hood and Murphy – set up a cliff-hanger of a finish. Harry Hood’s direct opponent, Frank McCarron, had been selected with him for the Glasgow Schools side back in November, and the powerful Scotland Schoolboys’ skipper would sign for Celtic on Monday, 28 May 1962. Lourdes would go on to clinch the Glasgow League title after the four Division 1 leaders played-off that same month.

As an aside, whilst Holyrood were going down at Cardonald, just a few miles away at Ibrox there were disgraceful scenes as Celtic lost their Scottish Cup semi-final to a Willie Fernie-inspired St Mirren. Bob Kelly allegedly conceded the tie before the pitch was cleared and the game restarted. Celtic lost 3-1.

April began with the postponement of the Scottish Secondary Shield final at Hampden due to concerns over the pitch cutting up ahead of the Scotland v England clash and the Scottish Cup final, where St Mirren would face Rangers after their Ibrox victory over Celtic. Monday, 9 April 1962 saw Lourdes once again come out on top with a 2-1 victory over Holyrood in the Cameronian Cup final at Cathkin. Five days later, there was finally some joy for Holyrood against their nemesis, as Harry’s boys beat Lourdes 5-1 in the first round of the Maley Trophy at Dixon Road. John Gartland opened the scoring within three minutes, before Harry “cleverly netted” the second and John McCafferty added a third. Gartland and McCafferty would each complete their doubles before a large crowd at the school in the shadow of Hampden. Meanwhile, inside the national stadium, a Scotland side including Billy McNeill and Paddy Crerand were beating England at home for the first time in 25 years, before more than 132,000 supporters. The Holyrood team who triumphed on Saturday, 14 April 1962 was as follows.

Denis Connaghan; Tommy Doherty & Gray; P McLean, Andy McManus & Conrad La Pointe;
John Gartland, T Jones, John McCafferty, Harry Hood & Harry Murphy.

Whether Harry had been forced to sit out the earlier rounds of the Scottish Secondary Shield remains unknown, however, there is no doubt that he missed out on the final. His replacement on the day would be none other than Jim McCalliog, who would later famously make his senior Scotland debut in the 3-2 victory over World Champions England at Wembley in April 1967, the 20-year-old Sheffield Wednesday forward scoring the winning goal on the day 36-year-old Celtic keeper Ronnie Simpson became the oldest Scotland debutant ever. Jim remembers the lead-up to that schools’ final very well.

“I was playing with Holyrood’s under 15’s at the time. Denis Cuddihy, who I believe is the uncle of Paul who works at Celtic, was our teacher, whilst John Murphy was the Head of PE and took charge of the seniors. It was Denis who gave me the heads-up that John wanted me to take Harry’s place in the final, as Harry was ineligible. I wasn’t that comfortable about it, to be honest. It was an honour to be asked but I was worried that it wouldn’t go down well with the team. It felt to me that there were others who had played their part in getting the team to the final, and that one of those reserves should step in. I remember thinking that, apart from anything else, I didn’t want a clip around the ear from one of the older guys. I asked Denis for time to think about it.”

“The decision was then taken out of my hands. John Murphy was adamant that I would play. He told the Under 18 squad that there were to be no repercussions for me. From memory, he said that the decision was his baby – not mine. And that was that. It was the only game I ever played for that team.”

On Tuesday, 15 May 1962, the Holyrood team lined up at Hampden for the Scottish Secondary Shield final against Falkirk High, as follows.

Denis Connaghan; J McQuillan & Tommy Doherty; P McLean, Andy McManus & Conrad La Pointe;
John Gartland, T Jones, John McCafferty, Jim McCalliog & Harry Murphy.

The match would turn out to be a one-sided affair, with John McCafferty putting Holyrood in front as early as the second minute, the powerful striker completing his hat-trick before half-time. He would grab his fourth late on, with John Gartland and Harry Murphy also on target as the blue-clad Holyrood boys won 6-0 to lift the prestigious shield for the first time in the school’s history. The cup final win would cap a pretty memorable few days in the life of the 15-year-old Jim McCalliog.

“That was a huge week for me personally. On the Saturday, I had played for the Scottish Schoolboys team who beat England 4-3 at Ibrox to lift the Victory Shield. Jim O’Rourke and Peter Lorimer, God rest him, were in that side. I walked from Ibrox to our home in the Gorbals and later that evening there was a knock on the door, and there’s a man standing outside who asked to speak with my mum. Turns out he was a Manchester United scout and they wanted me to go down to Old Trafford for a trial. But I had already promised Don Revie at Leeds I would go there, and I wanted to honour my word.”

“Strangely, although myself and the rest of the Under 15’s liked to watch the older team whenever we could, I don’t recall seeing Harry play at that time. I do remember him, and I would get to know him well. Harry was a clever guy, with a mischievous sense of humour. I do recall having a crush on his girlfriend Kathleen at school though! Usually, it was the teachers that was supposed to happen with!”

Matt Corr

To be continued.
Dedicated to the memory of the wonderful Denis Connaghan, gentleman and Celt.

Celtic’s condolences as posted on the club’s official website: