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Name: James Patrick McCarthy
aka: James McCarthy
Born: 12 November 1990
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Signed: 3 Aug 2021 (Free from Crystal Palace)
Left: 7 August 2024 (freed from contract)
Position: Central Midfielder
Debut: Celtic 3-2 Hearts, League Cup, 15 Aug 2021 (subbed on)
Squad No.: 16
Internationals: Ireland
International Caps: 43 [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: 0 [TBC at end of career]
Biog
“It’s a dream come true. Growing up, I was massive Celtic fan and have been since. Throughout the family, it’s a massive thing for each and every one us and I can’t wait to get started now. It’s something you dream of as a kid,”
James McCarthy
James McCarthy was the one who supposedly got away many years ago. A precocious talent, he was sought after by many major wealthy clubs down south when he was very young which cut out Celtic from the reckoning despite having been a West of Scotland born and raised died in the wool Celtic fan. Controversially for many in Scotland, he opted to play for Ireland rather than Scotland too, which led to some unnecessary & caustic articles in the mainstream media which had to be countered.
Despite all the hopes for James McCarthy, he never reached the heights at club level, with injuries being the bane during his career. He helped Wigan win the FA Cup in 2013, but beyond that there was little else of major note down south.
His name had popped up a number of times for a potential move (permanent or on loan) back home to play for Celtic but this didn’t materialise until August 2021, arriving under new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglu. However this time he was seen as a cheap option and one for the squad. In many ways, at the outset it was felt that McCarthy now needed Celtic more than the other way around.
There was no denying his love for the club but he had as much to prove to himself as to the Celtic support & management too. It was a good platform to revitalise his career, but it was a last throw of the dice especially at his now relatively ‘advanced age’ for a footballer. The length of his contract given was seen as excessive too with some rumours claiming it was a key reason for the sudden departure of Dom Mckay as Celtic’s short lived tenure as chief executive.
Early performance reports were not wholly positive as he was out of form and not able to keep up in training let alone on the pitch, and a dire performance v Livingston in the league in a 1-0 defeat saw the knives out for him in the media. However he finally won the plaudits in a 2-1 win over Aberdeen in November 2021, helping set up a goal and showed what he could bring to the side.
Despite reports that he wasn’t a target for signing by Ange Postecoglu or the Celtic scouting team, the management team did give him a number of opportunities to prove himself in the new era. He gave his all when on the pitch and was professional, but like much of his career, it was not panning out as demanded. In fairness, Celtic were restructuring across the club once again, and on-field there were large changes in tactics & personnel with no player immune if they didn’t prove themselves.
Some people had expected McCarthy to be an all action, hard tackling box to box midfielder who could drive the team on with his intensity. However, he was long past that age, and what the team should have possibly tried was to use his experience for a more methodical, tactically aware calming influence whose main role was to retain possession. Possibly asking a bit much but he had scant opportunity to develop with Celtic.
He was to be played only sporadically (mostly off the bench) but then sidelined after the half way mark in his first league season once the stable of Japanese players were brought in and then Matt O’Riley too. He was just shuffled out of the pack which will have been frustrating for him. As Celtic continued to improve on-field, there was little argument for McCarthy to be given starting opportunities. A very capable player to have on the bench, but certainly not a role that McCarthy was hoping for at Celtic.
The arrival of Aaron Mooy in the summer of 2022 was seen as further relegating McCarthy in the line for a first team pick, with many in the support questioning if Postecoglou was unimpressed with McCarthy. As one commentator was to soon put it pithily after some early impressive performances by Aaron Mooy:
“Aaron Mooy is the player we thought James McCarthy was going to be“.
Injuries and age had clearly dented the power and the drive that had once made McCarthy a sought after talent. It also lost him opportunities for gametime and a possible move away (even on a loan basis). Everyone spoke well of him as a person especially for his humour in the backroom.
Not even getting a game in August 2022 for the first team when five substitutions were still permitted and Celtic were nine goals in front v Dundee Utd, that was likely further demoralising for McCarthy. However, he did play in the following match in a mostly second string Celtic side when he was subbed late on in a 4-1 league cup win over Ross County.
He continued to be sidelined by Postecoglou much to the disappointment of McCarthy’s sympathisers, and he played little part over the matches. This included even when Callum McGregor was sidelined for a lengthy spell due to injury with fellow elder statesman Aaron Mooy preferred. It meant he had played next to no part in the incredible treble winning final season under Postecoglou.
It was much the same under Rodgers. To rub it in, he wasn’t even included in the 2023/24 squad team photo!
It was a far cry from 2011 when he was ranked by ‘FourFourTwo‘ magazine as one of “20 under-20” young players predicted for greatness. In fairness, McCarthy wasn’t the only one of that crop not to reach any great heights.
An uncomfortable point was that despite his experience and ability, there was hardly any (if actually any) genuine interest from any other club at any notable level willing to take him, even just on loan. Unhelpfully, it became a running joke for certain online commentators in each transfer window to forecast when he was to be finally unceremoniously released/cut/dumped etc. He deserved better, but in fairness the majority of the support had no issue with him, although the impasse was benefitting no one.
In retrospect, what exactly were those who signed him expecting from him? There were dubious rumours surfacing that surrounded his transfer linked to the short-lived Chief Executive Dom McKay that really didn’t help mattters, the details of which are left off this site, as they were spurious and unsubstantiated (fuelled by social media).
He was reputedly freed in August 2024, having not made a first team appearance since 2022, an ignominious end for the one-time precocious talent. Even at Celtic, where the club was going through a trophy-laden period under Postecoglou and Rodgers, he wasn’t really much of a part of it at all.
Bizarrely, despite the release there were no press releases of his departure at the time, with many then repeatedly querying what had happened to him over the later months! Many even questioned if he had really been released, and was really still just on a very long gardening leave. If it was his preference to leave quietly, then that we should respect.
On this gardening leave, he was back at Hamilton where it all began for him, taking his coaching badges.
We wished him the best.
Post-Celtic
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Quotes
“Huge lift for Celtic with Joe Hart and James McCarthy signings both vastly experienced players and with such a young group they will be great additions.. Hart brought in to play immediately, McCarthy will compete with the strong midfield options we have.”
John Hartson (July 2021)
“Growing up you dream of moments like this. It’s a reality now for me and the family. It’s amazing to put the jersey on and be a Celtic player.”
James McCarthy on signing
“Huge lift for Celtic with Joe Hart and James McCarthy signings both vastly experienced players and with such a young group they will be great additions.. Hart brought in to play immediately, McCarthy will compete with the strong midfield options we have.”
John Hartson July 2021
“Growing up you dream of moments like this. It’s a reality now for me and the family. It’s amazing to put the jersey on and be a Celtic player.”
James McCarthy on signing
“He’s a great guy but sadly a few injuries & niggles have curtailed his time here so he will be looking to move on.”
Brendan Rodgers (Aug 2023)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2021-22 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 22 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 12 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 27 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish League
Scottish League Cup
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Articles
Double signing delight as Joe Hart and James McCarthy join Celtic
Celtic Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of two new players – goalkeeper Joe Hart, who joins the club on a three-year deal from Tottenham Hotspur, and midfielder James McCarthy, who has signed a four-year deal, having left his previous club, Crystal Palace, at the end of last season.
Joe Hart, who has been capped 75 times for England, has twice won the English Premier League during 12 years with Manchester City, when he also won the FA Cup and two League Cups. And following a two-year spell with Burnley, the 34-year-old joined Tottenham in 2020.
James McCarthy is a Republic of Ireland internationalist who has been capped 43 times for his country.
James began his career at Hamilton Accies, making his first-team debut for the club at the age of just 15 back in 2006. After three years there, he moved to Wigan Athletic where he helped them to win the FA Cup in 2013 before he moved on to Everton. And after six years at Goodison, the 30-year-old joined Crystal Palace in 2019.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou said: “I’m delighted that we have signed two top-class players in Joe and James. Both of them have a wealth of experience at both club and international level, and that is something which can only benefit the squad, and I’m looking forward to working with both of them.
“I know our supporters will be well aware of both players, and I’m sure they’ll welcome them to the club and look forward to seeing both of them play for Celtic in the seasons ahead.”
Speaking of his move to Paradise, Joe Hart said: “This is a great moment for me in my career and I am absolutely delighted to be joining a club of Celtic’s stature.
“I know just how big this club is and of the incredible support that it enjoys, and I can’t wait to play in front of the fans at Celtic Park.
“I’m looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates now and getting to work with the squad and, in particular, the other goalkeepers here.”
And James McCarthy said: “To have signed for Celtic is a brilliant feeling and this is a special day for me and my family.
“I know all about the club, the size of it and all the success it’s enjoyed, particularly in recent years. I’m looking forward to pulling on the Hoops, playing at Paradise and helping the team deliver more success to these amazing fans in the seasons ahead.”
“Growing up supporting Celtic, watching Celtic, I know what I means to the fans,” James McCarthy
By Editor 6 August, 2021 No Comments
James McCarthy
“It’s a dream come true. Growing up, I was massive Celtic fan and have been since. Throughout the family, it’s a massive thing for each and every one us and I can’t wait to get started now. It’s something you dream of as a kid,” James McCarthy told the official Celtic FC website this morning. The new Celtic signing who will shortly be speaking to the Celtic Fan Media, including of course The Celtic Star, is clearly over the moon at long last joining the club he’s supported all his life.
Being a fan though is not enough, something we found to our cost last season with McCarthy’s Irish international teammate Shane Duffy. But the circumstances where vastly different and there’s real optimisim that a fully fit James McCarthy will be a huge success wearing a Celtic jersey.
“There has been a lot of speculation throughout the years, but when I knew it was happening this time it was a no-brainer,” McCarthy admitted. He could have ended up joining Celtic before his move from Hamilton to the Premier League. Peter Lawwell submitted a £500k bid back then, Hamilton’s chairman called him back to say it would take £1m but that was apparently too much for the Celtic CEO and McCarthy headed to Wigan. Apologists this week trying to blame that one on the then Celtic manager Tony Mowbray are merely re-writing the history.
But that was then and its a case of better late than never as far as James McCarthy as a Celtic player is concerned. “As soon as I heard about the interest, I wanted to make it happen as soon as possible,” he said.
He’s been around the English Premier League but nevertheless is impressed by Celtics training facilities up at Lennoxtown. “Lennoxtown is an amazing training ground. I’ve been to Celtic Park many times as a supporter, but walking into the Training Centre, being able to put the training kit on, meeting a few of the lads, that’s fantastic.
“Obviously, most of the team were away for the European game, but being at Lennoxtown has been amazing. Again, I just can’t wait to get started.”
McCarthy also revealed that he’s had text messaged from both Ange Postecoglou and Callum McGregor that have made him feel welcome and the news that the fans are back as the restrictions are lifted is massive – something the aforementioned and unfortunate Shane Duffy never experienced. “I want to make sure I give everything. I know what it means myself, and growing up supporting Celtic, watching Celtic, I know what I means to the fans.
“The main thing I want to do is do well – for the club, my teammates and the fans. I want to make sure we win games. I know the pressure that comes with that, and we need to make sure we win, week in, week out.
“I played for Hamilton at Celtic Park a couple of times, but to have the chance to do so in the home dressing room, and to have the backing of a full house, the thought alone is unbelievable and I can’t wait to experience it.”
Concerning reports follow poor performance from Celtic signing
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/concerning-reports-follow-poor-performance-from-celtic-signing-hibs-star-vaults-himself-back-into-contention-rangers-defender-continues-to-struggle-scottish-football-weekend-winners-and-losers-3389431
Sep 2021
James McCarthy (Celtic)
The Irish international and former Everton star was given his first start for his boyhood favourites in the 1-0 defeat to Livingston. It did not go well. He didn’t register a single shot assist during the game and knocked the ball directly out of the park on three occasions before being substituted with 20 minutes remaining. He had started the contest reasonably well enough, looking to implement some one-touch passing in order to instil some urgency, but ultimately his performance was characterised by unadventurous play as he increasingly settled for square or backwards passes, which wasn’t what Celtic required as the game wore on.
To make matters worse, reports out of The Athletic on Monday stated the 30-year-old (signed to a four-year deal this summer) was not someone particularly wanted by either Ange Postecoglou or the scouting department, which hints at transfer interference from the increasingly unpopular majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. And, to top it off, the same report said McCarthy was struggling to match the intensity required in his new manager’s training sessions