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Fullname: Dr John Atkinson
aka: John Atkinson
Born: 5 December 1884
Died: 26 November 1914, at-sea off West Africa
Birthplace: Cambuslang
Signed: April 1909 (loan)
Position: Outside-left
Debut: Celtic 5-1 Morton, League, 22 April 1909
Internationals: N/A
International Caps:N/A
Biog
Outside-left John Atkinson enjoyed a brief but remarkably successful Celtic career hitting two goals in his only league appearance for the Bhoys which helped guide the first team to the league title.
A backlog of fixtures saw championship-chasing Celtic having to play 8 games in 11 days during the climax of the 1908-09 season. During this arduous run-in the Bhoys suffered a blow when on 21st April 1909, Celtic’s key player Davie Hamilton was injured in a 1-1 draw with Hamilton Accies which meant he was unfit to face Morton the next day.
The Accies agreed to loan Cambuslang-born amateur John Atkinson to Celtic for the occasion, whereupon he produced a great display to score twice in a 5-1 victory v Morton at Celtic Park. This was allowed because John Atkinson was an amateur player, and was his sole appearance.
After the Morton match, Celtic won the five remaining league matches that season, to take the club to a fifth-straight league title. Sadly John Atkinson didn’t get to play in any more of these games. It was a tumultuous time, as just a few days before John Atkinson’s debut, the Scottish Cup final replay between Celtic & Rangers had ended prematurely due to a match riot.
As Celtic won the title by the slimmest of margins, just 1pt ahead of Dundee, then every point counted and every contribution mattered, so John Atkinson could look back proudly on playing his part in this campaign for Celtic.
He went on to qualify as a doctor in October 1910, obtained a practise in England (Co Durham) and was still playing football in North East England in 1912.
He later travelled abroad, working in Madagascar.
Tragically on 26 November 1914, at the young age of 29, he drowned in an accident off the west coast of Africa.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1909 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | 1 |
| Goals: | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
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John Atkinson, born at Cambuslang on 5 December 1884, was an outside-left who made four appearances for Queen’s Park in season 1904/05, but it was with Hamilton Academical that he spent most of his career. In 97 league matches, Atkinson scored 27 goals.
He made one appearance for Celtic on 22 April 1909, and scored two goals as Celtic thrashed Morton 5-1. It was a kind gesture by Accies to loan him to Celtic, as the usual Celtic outside-left, David Hamilton, had been injured in the match between the two sides the previous day. Celtic had a fixture backlog and play eight times in 11 days!
Partick Thistle took him for a month or so in March 1910, and thereafter he qualified as a Doctor and practiced in County Durham until the outbreak of war. He then travelled abroad, working in Madagascar. Tragically on 26 November 1914, at the age of 29, he drowned in an accident off the west coast of Africa.
![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/0653f4d9dd8abfcc15005f9bc1c2586b "[Untitled]")
Thx to @stuthejag for the below.
DEATH OF WELL-KNOWN FOOTBALL PLAYER
Midlothian Advertiser – Friday 04 December 1914
Regret will be felt at the death of Dr John Atkinson, the old Hamilton Academical Football Club forward. Dr Atkinson, it appears, was drowned on the West African Coast on Thursday last. Local followers of the game will remember that Dr Atkinson played for a season with West Calder Swifts when they were at their best, and when they defeated many well-known clubs. The Swifts got Atkinson transferred from the Hamilton Academicals, and he was one of the most popular players in the Swifts team. He was a son of Mr Robert Atkinson, Burnbrae Farm, Blantyre.