Personal
Fullname: Patrick O’Sullivan
aka: Pat O’Sullivan
Born: […]
Died: […]
Birthplace: […]
Signed: 5 Nov 1945
Left: 1947 (free); 23 June 1947 (Alloa)
Position: Outside-left
Debut: Celtic 3-0 Motherwell, Regional League, 10 Nov 1945
Internationals: none
Biog
Pat O’Sullivan signed for Celtic from Airdrie in November 1945. At Airdrie he had earned a reputation as an excellent crosser of the ball and someone with a real eye for goal.
A free-scoring winger with Airdrie, he had played against Celtic on 28th October 1944 and scored two goals but his side still lost 4-2 to Celtic.
He made his debut on 10th November 1945 (just a few months after the end of the war) in a 3-0 Regional League win at Celtic Park against Motherwell.
However his Parkhead career was hampered by injuries, being beset by cartilage and knee problems, and Pat O’Sullivan was to make only 17 league appearances in the Hoops – failing to score. He played mostly from November 1945-February 1946, with Johnny Paton taking over place after this.
He played four league games in January & February 1947, with Celtic winning all four games so he was to sign off on a positive note with the first team, with George Hazlett back in the first team to take Pat O’Sullivan’s place.
He also played in the post-war Victory Cup tournament helping Celtic in the early rounds in two thumping wins before the semi-finals. Celtic went on to be knocked out after a replay in the semi-finals (played against Rangers) but Pat O’Sullivan didn’t play in those matches.
Celtic were a shambles at the time, very poorly managed both at team and board level, and the season after Pat O’Sullivan left, Celtic hit the club’s nadir in season 1947/48 coming close to relegation.
He was released in 1947 and joined Alloa Athletic. He later played for Stirling Albion, Coleraine and Wigtown & Bladnoch.
As a measure of Pat O’Sullivan’s good character, after ex-Celtic colleague John McIlhatton’s premature death at 33, he helped organise fund-raising for John McIlhatton’s wife & children. Much respect to him for that.
Pat O’Sullivan was a product of St Anthony’s and Saltcoats Victoria.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | REGIONAL LEAGUE |
EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1945-47 | 4 | – | 13 | – | 17 |
| Goals: | 0 | – | 0 | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
none