Foley, James – The Celtic Wiki

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Fullname: James Foley
aka: Fox Foley, John Foley, John Jim Foley, Jim Foley, John James Foley
Born: 19 March 1914
Birthplace: Cork
Died: 14 October 1952
Signed: 24 May 1934
Left: 31 Dec 1936 (to Plymouth Argyle)
Position: Goalkeeper
Debut: Celtic 4-0 Airdrie, League, 19 Oct 1935
Internationals: Ireland (Free State)
International Caps: 7

Biog

Irish goalkeeper James Foley signed for the Bhoys from Cork City in May 1934.

This player’s full name was actually John James Foley. It’s not unknown in parts of Ireland for people to be known by their second given name, hence he was known as Jim Foley.

The Cork-born former Belfast Celtic man had just won the FAI Cup when he moved to Glasgow. An Irish international (see International record below) he made his competitive Celtic debut in a 4-0 league victory over Airdrie at Parkhead on 19th October 1935.

The red-haired Jim ‘Fox’ Foley was mostly a reserve at Celtic Park but he was a competent keeper, a fine deputy for Joe Kennaway and a popular figure among his team-mates.

However, in his only brief run of games (a four game stretch in Dec 1935-Jan 1936) he conceded four goals in a 4-3 defeat to Rangers which likely didn’t help his case. The luck of the Irish deserted Jim Foley although the Herald reporter did state that he–together with his opposite number Jerry Dawson–was “worthy of a special mention”, but still he couldn’t stop Jimmy Smith’s 86th minute header from a corner kick giving Rangers the win.

Regardless of that one poor game, he still kept four clean sheets out of five league games in season 1935-36 which helped boost Celtic to the league title for the first time in ten years.

His only two games the next season were both 3-1 victories, once over Third Lanark (Glasgow Cup) and then Albion Rovers (league).

He departed Celtic in December 1936 for Plymouth after six league appearances for the Hoops and an excellent record of four shut-outs in six league matches.

Between 1936 and 1939, Jim Foley made 41 appearances for Plymouth Argyle.

His later return to Ireland was fortuitous as his team Cork City went on a successful run of two FAI cup medals and three league titles.

He retired from playing football in 1947.

Despite not gaining many opportunities with the Celtic first team, he had his adventures in the Celtic reserves it seems as well. After one incident, a court in Edinburgh accepted that he had been assaulted by a spectator at Tynecastle in a reserve game against Hearts. Yet incredibly it was Jim Foley who was charged and, despite a King’s Counsel’s best efforts, convicted by an Edinburgh Magistrate. From the ‘A-Z of Celts’ by McBride et al:

” . . he got into deep trouble in a reserve game at Tynecastle (28th November 1936). Under intense provocation, Foley drop-kicked a ball point- blank towards the jeering mass behind his goal. There was a pitch invasion, Foley himself was head-butted, then arrested and charged with assault. At the trial in Edinburgh Burgh Court on 1st February 1937, left back Jack Doyle & left half Bertie Duffy both denied the ball had hit a spectator. Both testified it had hit the surrounding wall only. To no avail as Foley was fined £2 with the option of 20 days in the slammer!”

Jim Foley, who by then was actually playing for Portsmouth, had to return up north for this trial, and paid the fine and escaped without an assault conviction.

Sadly, he passed away prematurely in 1952 at just 38, just a few years after retiring from football.