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Note: There has been more than one player to have played for Celtic with the same name, so please check the other namesakes if need be.
Personal
Fullname: John Divers
aka: John Divers Sr
Born: 6 August 1911
Died: 8 June 1984
Birthplace: Clydebank, Scotland
Signed: 2 Dec 1932
Left: 1 Sep 1945 (free); 6 Oct 1945 (Morton)
Position: Inside-left (and later left-back)
Debut: Celtic 2-1 Clyde, League, 2 Apr 1934
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 1 cap v Ireland
International Goals: 0
Biog
The nephew of the great Patsy Gallacher Clydebank-born John Divers joined Celtic in December 1932 from Renfrew Juniors.
After becoming a reserve team regular he made his first team debut in a league clash at Parkhead when Celtic defeated Clyde 2-1 on April 2nd 1934. Despite this it took the player a considerable time to establish himself as a first team regular.
Indeed his, at times, seemingly disinterested performances in the reserves had led to him being placed on the transfer list before the inside-left eventually raised his game to become a near permanent and influential fixture in the side which won the League Championship in 1937-38.
Physically strong and with a great ability to cut inside and make good use of a thunderous shot, John Divers, on his game, was a hugely impressive player. So much so that he was capped by Scotland in October 1938.
Divers’ real asset on the football field was a superb awareness of what was going on around him and a scheming mind which could plot ways through the toughest of defences. He was also the creative mastermind behind the its victory in the Empire Exhibition Trophy of 1938, when Celtic beat Everton 1-0 in the final. He was given the compliment that “[he] played the kind of football you can’t buy with money“.
Unfortunately the horrors of war were to intervene just as John Divers was approaching the peak of his powers. John Divers continued to play for the Bhoys during the regional competitions of the war years but would turn up at Celtic Park in overalls having come straight from a hard shift in his job during the war at the shipyards. The war years were a poor time for Celtic and difficult for John Divers. He moved to Morton on loan for a period (likely easier for him due to work) but returned after the loan to Celtic stronger from his “intensive training” in his shipyard work and moved to the role of left-back.
Team-mate Joe McLaughlin called him:
“…one of the greatest coaches I’ve ever met… the brains of the Celtic team… I never met a man who could lay a pass on like Johnny… he played inside-forward but operated as a fourth half-back passing the ammo, and how he passed it“.
He was eventually released by Celtic in 1945 and joined Morton. As a Bhoy he had made 197 competitive appearances in senior matches and scored 92 goals. At Morton, his side beat Celtic 4-0 in Jan 1948 with John Divers scoring the opening goal (a blow for the Celtic fans who had loved him). Morton team-mate (and ex-Celt) Alex Millar said:
“The ease with which he finds the open space makes defensive work a pleasure”.
He later moved to Oldham before returning to Morton, and became a player-coach for them. He was also Chairman of the Players Union in 1947 (a great accolade for John Divers) and later was briefly player-manager for Portadown in N Ireland in Sep 1950 (although he was suspended soon after in Nov 1950 for some reason [anyone know whole details?]).
His son John Divers junior was also a professional player, playing with Celtic and Partick Thistle.
A great Celtic man who stuck and played for the club during a tumultuous time, and gave more than anyone could have asked for.
He passed away in Glasgow Western Infirmary in June 1984.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | REGIONAL LEAGUE | REGIONAL LEAGUE CUP |
SCOTTISH WESTERN CUP |
TOTAL |
| 1932-45 | 75 | 7 | 93 | 20 | 2 | 197 |
| Goals: | 44 | 4 | 37 | 6 | 1 | 92 |