Blair, John

Biog

John Blair joined the Bhoys from the famous Belfast Celtic in 1910 but his stay at Glasgow’s Celtic Park was to prove short lived. He had come to the shipyards at Clydebank and Celtic then took him on.

He was an international player  for Ireland in 1907 and 1908 against the home nations. He had also previously won caps as an amateur for the Amateur Ireland side.

Despite the international honours, after making his debut appearance at Parkhead on 19th November 1910, in a 0-0 draw v Third Lanark, the forward was to never appear for the Celtic first team again in a major fixture. The match report didn’t paint the play at all well:

“It was a sorry match at Celtic Park with the ground conditions providing but a poor reason for the bad play. All over the shooting was bad but even the finishing was not so wretched as the midfield play of the forwards. (Glasgow Herald)”

It wasn’t a great season for Celtic, who having dominated the league for the past six years with a then record six titles in a row, in this season (1910/11) Celtic collapsed to fifth behind even Falkirk & Partick Thistle.

He was transferred to Motherwell at the end of the season, but he ended up playing little for Motherwell, and was to then spend most of his playing career in the Irish leagues.

It wasn’t to be for John Blair at Celtic, but he was one of the fortunate number to have had the honour to have played for both Celtic & Belfast Celtic (two spells with the latter).

After hanging up his boots, he was to later serve as President of the then Irish League in 1921/22 in what was a period of major upheaval in the Emerald Isle.

He passed away in 1934.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

none

Pictures

• Player Pics

Links

• Belfast Celtic
• NIFG site