Hughes, Willie

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Fullname: William Hughes
aka: Willie Hughes
Born: 7 July 1909
Died: 1 January 1996
Birthplace: Winchburgh
Signed: 12 Mar 1929
Left: 22 Sep 1936 (to Clyde)
Position: Utility player (played in various roles)
Debut: Celtic 2-0 Motherwell, League, 19 Mar 1929
Internationals: none

Biog

In Celtic’s history there is not likely a lesser known figure who has played for the club for over 100 games and scored 12 goals.

The son of a shale miner, James, and his wife Elizabeth, Willie Hughes began his footballing life with Bellstane Birds (the third incarnation of a Football Club by the same name in the South Queensferry area, around five miles from his birthplace) before moving inland to join Division Two side Bathgate. However, serious financial issues would plight his new club, eventually forcing their resignation from the Scottish League. As a result, Hughes became a free agent, and he was quickly snapped up by Celtic, whilst his teammate Alexander Macpherson headed to Rangers.

Willie Hughes was a very versatile player, and played in numerous roles to fit in the first side. He never managed to be able to command a regular first team slot but was still regarded & respected highly enough to get so many matches under his belt.

He had a fine run when he first signed, playing for the remainder of the 1928/29 season. Yet thereafter, he was in and out the side for short runs, deputising for others such as Chic Geatons.

Signed as an outside-left, he had his moments. In one match v Rangers (8 Sep 1934) he got the ball and ran deep from the Celtic half to then finish the move off with a thunder strike to equalise before half-time. A marvellous moment, and the game ended 1-1.

However it wasn’t enough and some loan spells didn’t help. He was said to be forceful but not constructive on the pitch. It didn’t help that Celtic were into a slow decline as Willie Maley let the first team slip, and the decline was to accelerate later as the war began.

He helped Celtic to two Scottish Cup titles (1931 & 1933), but didn’t get to play in either final, despite having scored in a 3-0 victory over Kilmarnock in the semi-finals in March 1931.

He moved to Clyde in Sep 1936 just as Celtic finally recovered to finally win the league title the season just past with the benefit of Jimmy McMenemy in charge (in practise). Willie Hughes only played in one league game that season in a 2-1 loss to St Johnstone at the start of the season, but he at least deserved the note that he played even just a bit-part in that league title success. Celtic’s first league title in ten years.

Post-Celtic, it was in another Glasgow derby match where he experienced likely his strangest encounter. In April 1937, in a Scottish Cup semi-final replay v Celtic (he was with Clyde, and the game was played at Ibrox), he kept such a tight grip on Jimmy Delaney that a fan invaded the pitch, seized the ball and could not be persuaded to part with it until he had berated Willie Hughes on the torrid time he was giving Jimmy Delaney.

Later – albeit brief – spells with Bo’ness, Arbroath and Hamilton followed.

Off the park, he ran a grocer’s store in Blantyre, and Celtic was to be cemented in the family as he married a sister of Bob Kelly (then a Celtic director and Chairman-to-be). Notable wedding presents included a china coffee service from Willie Maley, a solid silver tea service from Patsy Gallagher, and a walnut grandmother clock from the employees of Blantyre Engineering Co. Ltd., where Bob Kelly was also a director.

Following the death of his first wife in 1960, Willie Hughes remarried in 1962. Once again, he outlived his second wife Marie Gunn, who died in early 1995. Willie Hughes soon followed, passing away on the first of January 1996 at the tender old age of eighty-six.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

• 1935-36
• (played just the one game in the season)
  

Scottish Cup

• 1931, 1933

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