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Fullname: Austin Collier
Born: 24 July 1914
Died: May 1991
Birthplace: Dewsbury
Signed: May 1941 (loan)
Position: Left-half
Debut: Queen’s Park 5-2 Celtic, Charity Cup, 21 May 1941
Internationals: none
Biog
Left-half Austin Collier was a wartime loan signing who played three league games for the Bhoys in 1941.
A York City player, Dewsbury-born Collier was a Physical Training instructor with the army. He was stationed in the Glasgow area and had impressed during a spell with Partick Thistle.
The Englishman came to Celtic in May 1941, making his debut on May 21 in a 5-2 Glasgow Charity Cup victory at Queen’s Park. He then played in some ‘Summer Cup‘ matches v Hibs.
Despite Celtic’s initial enthusiasm in capturing the player, he soon lost his place in the team, and he was to only be at Celtic for a very brief spell of around 5 months.
He played three times for Celtic at the start of season 1941/42 in the wartime Regional League, and his sides won two of the three matches (4-2 v Albion Rovers and 5-2 v Clyde). The only defeat was a 3-0 season opener v Hearts.
By October 1941, Austin was at Third Lanark (loan), and during the remainder of the war years enjoyed spells at various Scottish sides (inc Partick Thistle & Hibs).
Later he was stationed in Italy in 1944 and played for the British Army versus France in Naples in the autumn. He was also in the United Services that held Matt Busby’s unbeaten Army XI (then touring round the Mediterranean) to a 2-2 draw in 1945.
After the war he played for Queen of the South, and a few lower tier sides down south. He was later serving as assistant manager at Halifax Town, and appears to have settled down in Yorkshire.
He passed away in 1991.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | REGIONAL LEAGUE |
SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1941 | 3 | – | – | – | 3 |
| Goals | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
none