McCluskey, Pat

M | Player Pics | A-Z of Players

Personal

Fullname: Patrick McCluskey
aka: Pat McCluskey, Paddy, ‘Fat Pat’
Born: 13 April 1952
Died: 24 Aug 2020
Birthplace: Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire
Signed: 20 May 1969; 20 May 1970 (second contract)
Left: 12 Aug 1977
Position: Fullback/Sweeper/Midfield
First game: Albion Rovers home 5-0 5 February 1972 Scottish Cup
Last game: Hibernian away 1-1 30 March 1977 League
First goal: Dumbarton away 6-1 2 December 1972 League
Last goal: Ayr United away 5-3 1 May 1976 league
Internationals: Scotland U/23; none for senior

Biog

“He works on the principle, the bigger they are, the harder he hits them”. From ‘An Alphabet of the Celts’ book

A hard tackling midfielder/defender, Pat McCluskey signed for Celtic in May 1969 from Maryhill Juniors. He is the son of former former football & singer John McIvor (professional name).

He was a Scotland Junior international and what he may have lacked in finesse he made up for in drive and determination.

“Is there a better defender in the country?… McCluskey is much more convincing than [George] Connelly“.
“He’s a good hard tackler… breaks things up… not a John Clark… more a young Bobby Murdoch in the back four“.
“He works on the principle, the bigger they are, the harder he hits them“.

His Celtic debut came in a 2-1 Glasgow Cup defeat at Clyde on 6th May 1971 although his big chance came in April 1972 when he was pitched in at left back against Inter Milan in the semi final of the European Cup in the San Siro. Pat McCluskey coped well and such was his performance in the second leg at Parkhead he had the courage and confidence to take a penalty in the shoot out, even though Celtic lost 5-4 on penalties. He was very unlucky not to be in the team for the 1972 Scottish Cup Final against Hibs.

For a period in the 1972/73 season he replaced Bobby Murdoch at right half and scored a hat trick in that position against Dumbarton at Boghead on 2nd December 1972, although in the main most of Pat McCluskey’s appearances were in defence. In September 1972 he earned rave reviews in the 3-1 thrashing of Rangers at Hampden when Parkhead was under redevelopment.

Pat McCluskey lost few tackles and his commitment and fearless approach to the game made him an asset to the Celtic defence and then latterly the midfield, where he replaced the departed Davie Hay as the key ball winner.

By 1975 Pat McCluskey was a mainstay of the Celtic side as the old guard such as McNeill, Murdoch, Brogan and Johnstone moved on. Celtic were now in a period of transition.

On September 13th 1975 Pat McCluskey had the distinction of scoring all three goals in Celtic’s 2-1 over St Johnstone at Muirton Park, thankfully for him and Celtic the balance was in Celtic’s favour.

He was an expert penalty taker and scored from the spot in the 1975 Scottish Cup Final although his versatility of playing anywhere in defence or midfield sometimes was to his detriment as he never regularly played in a settled position. Pat McCluskey’s weight was sometimes called into question, as with Bobby Murdoch previously, but he has denied having any weight issues and there is no way Jock Stein would have tolerated any unfit players in his side.

At the international level, in common with many great Celts of the time, overblown controversy reared its ugly head due to laddish behaviour when the national and under-23 squads played in a European Championship match in Denmark in 1975. An SFA official was apparently none too pleased when he entered the room of McCluskey and Billy Bremner to find them turning a bed upside down as a prank. Along with Willie Young, Joe Harper and Arthur Graham – collectively renowned as The Copenhagen Five – they were banned from the national eleven and Scotland lost what might have become the nucleus of the best drinking team in the world. There was also said to have been a ‘fracas‘ in a Copenhagen nightclub on the same night. Although the ban was later lifted in 1976, that game in Denmark was to be Pat McCluskey’s last in a Scotland jersey. It all robbed him of a deserved Scotland cap.

Back at Celtic, in May 1976 Pat McCluskey had the honour of captaining Celtic for the one and only time in an end of season game at Tynecastle, likely partly given as a token of respect for his time and effort at the club which all respected. Celtic sadly lost 1-0 but that shouldn’t take away from the honour for him.

He scored a fair few for a full-back, and some of Pat McCluskey’s goals were memorable ones. In October 1973, he scored two very important efforts, the first an equaliser in the 69th minute against Hibs on 20th October and the winner against Aberdeen in the League Cup quarter-final at Parkhead in a 3-2 win, on 31st October, which took Celtic through to the semis. Both goals were fine hard driven low shots from the edge of the area.

He was a stalwart of the Celtic side from season 1972-73 till 1975-76, but lost his Celtic place to the veteran & highly respected Pat Stanton at the start of the 1976-77 season, and thereafter played in only a handful of games in his last season. Celtic had just lost the league title in the prior season, and changes were expected with Pat McCluskey being a casualty of the moves which called time on his playing career at Celtic. He was only 25, and sympathisers argued he still had plenty in him to give to Celtic.

Post-Celtic
Pat McCluskey departed to First Division Dumbarton in August 1977 for a fee of £15,000 and a lot of Celtic fans felt he was allowed to leave on the cheap. In retrospect, his departure was to be premature as Stanton played only one more game after suffering a bad knee injury and Pat McCluskey would have been a useful replacement. His leaving was to be much regretted and top division English sides Newcastle United and Norwich City were after his services so one can only wonder why he ended up at lower league Dumbarton.

He later moved onto Airdrie, Pittsburgh Spirit (USA) and Queen of the South before wrapping up his playing career in 1985.

He won three league titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup during his time with Celtic, playing 189 times and scored 12 goals. He was fortunate to have played in the latter years of a golden age for Celtic as the First Team achieved nine-in-a-row league titles, and he more than played his part in this success. A bit of an unheralded hero.

Pat McCluskey was a ‘jersey player‘, a whole hearted and enthusiastic Celt who gave his all when playing in the green and white. Due to the wonderful cache of players at Celtic at the time such as Danny McGrain and Dalglish, players like Pat McCluskey were overshadowed. However, that shouldn’t mean he was not valued; he was more than worth his great weight in gold.

Later in life he was working on the North Sea oil rigs.

He was still very much at Celtic Park supporting the Hoops, and was a popular host to the fans on match days at Celtic Park. He also attended Celtic events such as Celtic Graves Society commemorations where all found he was a very decent man to speak to.

He sadly passed away in August 2020, just as the new season had started after Celtic had completed winning nine-in-a-row league titles matching the achievements of the Celtic teams that Pat McCluskey had been part of.

“Had a few great Celtic days over the years with Pat McCluskey at home and abroad. He always had a big smile, a kind word and an infectious laugh.”
Tony Hamilton on Pat McCluskey (2020)

“Sad to hear the news about Pat McCluskey. Shared many happy years and many laughs with him growing up at Celtic. Fantastic company as well as a very good player. RIP Paddy. Gone but never forgotten.”
Kenny Dalglish on passing of Pat McCluskey (2020)

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League Division One

• 1972-73, 1973-74, 1976-77

Scottish Cups

• 1974, 1975

League Cup

• 1974-75

Pictures

• Player Pics

Articles

Pat McCluskey: Huge impact during short spell at the Showgrounds

The Sligo Champion
29 Oct 2003

Pat McCluskey, the former Glasgow Celtic and under-23 Scottish international, is featured this week as Michael Moran continues his series of articles to mark Sligo Rovers 75th anniversary.

SLIGO Showgrounds and Italy’s San Siro Stadium may be worlds apart at opposite ends of the footballing spectrum, but for former Sligo Rovers favourite, Pat McCluskey, the two are indelibly entwined.

One groomed his fledgling career; the other provided his eagerly anticipated, but somewhat unexpected, debut for Scottish giants, Glasgow Celtic.

Under the management of the late Jock Stein, Celtic had been involved in one of the greatest upsets north of the border when they lost a League Cup Final 4-1 to unfancied Patrick Thistle before a crowd of 62,740 at Hampden Park on October 23rd, 1971.

Celtic ultimately claimed their ninth Scottish title and ambitions of a repeat of their historic 1967 European Cup triumph were high when they reached the semi-final in the New Year.

Old rivals, Inter Milan provided the opposition in what was a memorable encounter, both for the Parkhead club and the young ‘cub’ McCluskey.

“Jim Brogan was injured in the first leg in Italy and I had to come off the bench to replace him. I remember it was snowing and obviously it was an incredible place to make my first senior appearance,” McCluskey recalled from his home near Glasgow this week.

Celtic had played defensively and there were many observers who suggested that they deployed extra personnel in their own half to protect the then seventeen-year-old midfielder.

The match ended in a scoreless stalemate and McCluskey kept his place for the second leg at Celtic Park. Predictions that the Italians would sit back and be content to take their chances in a penalty shoot-out proved correct and there was no breakthrough for either side at the end of 120 minutes.

Inter’s Mazzola cracked home Milan’s first spot-kick, just as he had done in the Final in Lisbon five years previously, and when ‘Dixie’ Deans drove his effort over the crossbar, the dye had been cast and Celtic were on their way out.

For McCluskey, it was a bitter disappointment, but he was to go on to play over 200 games for Celtic, helping them lift nine trophies along the way. He earned nine Scottish Under-23 caps and also played for Dumbarton and Airdrie in the Premier League, Pittsburgh Spirit in the United States and Queen of the South.

Another former Celtic legend, Sligo’s Sean Fallon, was instrumental in McCluskey following in the footsteps of his father, John and wearing the ‘Bit O’Red.’

“I was only sixteen at the time and I remember being delighted to get the chance to go to Sligo. I had signed full-time at Celtic and after sweeping the dressing rooms and preparing the gear for the ‘Lisbon Lyons’, I put the brushes aside and was training five days a week at Celtic Park.

“Celtic ‘loaned’ me out to Sligo and at first I was flying over for the games, but later moved into digs with goalkeeper, Tom Lally. Our landlady was Florrie Gilmartin and I have some tremendous memories of many happy times there,” Pat explained.

Despite the fact that his stay at the Showgrounds was short, decades later the memories linger of McCluskey as one of the greatest mid-fielders ever to play for Sligo Rovers.

In one season, he featured in Rovers heartbreaking F.A.I. Cup Final ‘trilogy’ against Bohemians in 1970, lined out in a Blaxnit Trophy Final and firmly established a reputation as an exceptional talent.

“Crucial to my career and a terrific experience,” was how McCluskey described his time with Sligo.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it, but of course it was unfortunate that a great team did not win the F.A.I. Cup,” he added.

A native of the Kilsyth area of Glasgow, McCluskey played for his St. Patrick’s secondary school team from the age of fourteen.

Celtic scout, Francie Meehan, who had played alongside Sean Fallon, invited him to Parkhead for trials, though he had also spent a month at Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, before the lure of Celtic Park won out.

“I always wanted to play for Celtic. My father John had advised me to go to the other clubs as I had agreed I would go to England for trials, but Celtic was always in my heart and that was where I wanted to be,” he maintained.

At a time when Glasgow Amateurs were not officially affiliated to Celtic, McCluskey won Youth League and Thompson Cup honours and it was clear from an early stage that he had special skills.

Celtic felt that a season in the League of Ireland would help his talent develop and Rovers supporters who had the pleasure of seeing McCluskey in action still talk fondly of his stint here.

“Ken Turner was manager and I recall they had been doing reasonably well in the league and were chasing the club’s first ever cup win. I spoke with Ken and he asked me would I join Sligo and had no hesitation in doing so. Looking back now, I don’t regret it for a minute,” he said.

McCluskey described the league as “very physical and “very hard”, but with some outstanding individual players involved.

“The F.A.I. Cup was the big thing in my season at Sligo. We had done okay in the league and had some fine individuals including Kevin Fallon, Tony Stenson, David Pugh, Tony Fagan and Johnny Cooke.

“The cup campaign just seemed to take on legs of its own as it went on and I remember the semi-final against Cork Hibernian because they were the favourites tgo perhaps go the whole way and lift the trophy.

“We eventually beat them after a replay and felt then that nothing could stop us. We had beaten the best and I certainly didn’t fear Bohemians,” Pat says.

McCluskey thought he was set to become a Cup Final goalscorer in the first instalment at Dalymount Park, as he outlined: “I hit the ball from about twenty-five yards and I honestly felt it was going into the top corner. Bohs ‘keeper, Dinny Lowry, brought off an unbelievable save.”

His father was watching from the stands, as he had done for the semi-final, and McCluskey said he was patently aware of the “buzz of expectancy” which was surrounding Sligo for the decider.

“I knew Rovers had never won the cup and we all were aware of what it meant to everyone. It was a big disappointment to lose in the end,” he added.

The All-Ireland Blaxnit Trophy offered the chance of at least some sort of compensation and a Joey Wilson goal gave Rovers a one-nil victory over Derry City in the semi-final set up a return to Dalymount Park and a joust with Coleraine.

“Again it was unfortunate that we didn’t get anything because our fans had been superb and had followed us up and down to Dublin so often,” Pat said.

Meanwhile, Celtic scout and St.Patrick’s Athletic manager, John Colraine, had been monitoring McCluskey’s progress at the Showgrounds and the reports back to Celtic were complimentary to say the least.

“Celtic must have been happy. I went back after the season was over and broke into the first team as a result of getting on against Inter Milan. I played with some fantastic players there, including the likes of McGrain, McNeill, Johnstone, Hay, Lennox, Dalglish and a host of others,” he stated.

McCluskey shared in many Celtic successes and nine Scottish Under-23 caps were added to his impressive list of medals.

However, the chance of a full cap evaporated when he was involved with what became known as the ‘Copenhagen Five’, the number of players banned for life after incidents following European Championship qualifiers in Denmark.

“Billy Bremner, Arthur Graham, Will Young and Joe Harper were also disciplined, but it was all a bit of high spirits really. The Under-23’s travelled with the senior squad and without going too much into it, we felt the authorities went a little over the top. There was no chance of an appeal at that stage and it was frustrating,” Pat acknowledged.

McCluskey, who retired in 1985, is still involved with Celtic, working in the hospitality and corporate sector and is a familiar figure on match days at Parkhead.

“I enjoy it and it keeps me in contact with some old friends,” he remarked.

He returned to Sligo on three occasions for friendly games with Celtic and Dumbarton in the past and says he is determined to pay another visit very soon.

“It would be great to go back to see old friends. I hope Sligo Rovers do well and get back where they belong, in the top flight in the not too distant future,” Pat concluded

Pat McCluskey

By: Newsroom Staff on 25 Aug, 2020 09:31
http://www.celticfc.net/news/18464
EVERYONE at Celtic Football Club is saddened to hear of the death of former player, Pat McCluskey, who has passed away at the age of 68.

Pat played for Celtic between 1969-77, making 191 appearances for the club and scoring 13 goals. A versatile player, who could be deployed in a number of positions, and who always gave his all for the Hoops, his competitive debut came in a Scottish Cup tie against Albion Rovers in February 1972, when he replaced Dixie Deans in a 5-0 win for Celtic.

In that 1971/72 season, Pat made a total of eight appearances, which included playing both legs of Celtic’s European Cup semi-final clash against Inter Milan.

During his time with the club, he won three league titles – including the season when Jock Stein’s side clinched their ninth league title in a row – two Scottish Cups and the League Cup, while he also played in the 1974 European Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

Pat later had spells with Dumbarton, Airdrie and Queen of the South, as well as a season in the United States, and would later be a popular matchday host at Celtic Park alongside some of his former team-mates.

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Pat’s family and friends at this very sad time.

Pat McCluskey’s “devotion to the Celtic was obvious,” David Potter

By David Potter 25 August, 2020 No Comments

Pat McCluskey’s “devotion to the Celtic was obvious,” David Potter

The news of the death of Pat McCluskey was greeted with sadness in the Celtic community this morning. He was a man who played his own small part in Celtic history, and is one of the few players to have scored a penalty kick in a Scottish Cup final, joining men like Willie Orr, Andy Lynch, Odsonne Edouard, Henrik Larsson and a few others. Pat did this in 1975 (Billy McNeill’s last game) after Paul Wilson had scored a couple of headers.

I met him twice. One was in the corridor of Station Park, Forfar on 28 April 1984 when his team, Queen of the South, had just lost 0-3 to Forfar Athletic. It was hardly the highlight of his career, and he was looking suitably despondent. He was not exactly “Fat Pat” as he was unfairly called, but he was certainly “wide” or “broad”. I nodded in his direction, and his first question to me was “How did Celtic get on today?”. He smiled when I told him they had beaten Hibs 3-2.

Celtic stars Danny McGrain, Andy Lynch and Pat McCluskey

The other time was early this century when he came to our Supporters Club along with Joe McBride and Bertie Auld to discuss the state of the nation. Bertie was the star of the show, Joe, a naturally shy man had to coaxed and pleaded with into telling us how good he was, but Pat, whose career had, in all truth, been less outstanding than those of the other two, spoke knowledgeably about the game, talking honestly and refreshingly about Jock Stein, his disappointments and of course that night with the Scotland squad in Copenhagen in 1975, when a spot of “high jinks” (to put it tactfully) saw him and four others banned from playing for Scotland. It was Joey Harper who led him on, claimed Pat!
But he came across as an honest lovable man whose love for Celtic shone through everything he said.

He came from Kilsyth (next door to Jimmy Quinn’s Croy!). He joined Celtic in 1969, made his debut in early 1972 and won three Scottish League medals, two Scottish Cup medals and a Scottish League Cup medal. He could play either in the central defence or (less often) as a midfielder, and he was never out of place alongside Billy McNeill and Kenny Dalglish. Pat played 115 times for Celtic and scored 10 goals.

He was allowed to go to Dumbarton in 1977. Many supporters felt that this was a mistake, for 1977/78 was a disaster of a season when Celtic never recovered from the sale of Dalglish in August, and McCluskey might well have helped shore up the porous defence, especially when McGrain and Stanton were injured as well. He then moved to Airdrie and latterly Queen of the South, after a season in the USA.

In truth, Pat was never one of the all-time greats like Quinn, McGrory, McNeill or Larsson, but he was an honest journeyman, and a very lovable man whose devotion to the Celtic was obvious whenever one met him. He was frequently seen outside Celtic Park on match days talking to supporters.

PAT MCCLUSKEY: AN APPRECIATION

PAT MCCLUSKEY: AN APPRECIATION

Posted by St Anthony | Aug 25, 2020 | Season 2020-2021 | 0 |
PAT MCCLUSKEY: AN APPRECIATION

Every Celtic fan will have been saddened to hear the news of the passing of ex-Celtic player, Pat McCluskey, yesterday.

Pat was an integral part of Jock Stein’s Celtic side in the mid 1970’s and played a major part in the trophy winning years between 1972 and 1977. He was a versatile player who was happy to play full back, centre back and midfield to equal effect. A graduate of Celtic’s renowned ‘Quality Street Gang’ reserve set up, Pat broke into the Celtic side in the spring of 1972 and showed his talent and nerve by taking part in the two dramatic European Cup semi finals against Inter Milan, especially the second game when he showed great composure to score in the penalty shoot out as a teenager.

Pat remained on the edges of the first team after that. He made the headlines when he scored a spectacular hat trick from a midfield role in the 6-1 win over Dumbarton in late 1972, and in 1975 he had the unique record of scoring all the goals in the 2-1 win against St Johnstone at the old Muirton Park – at both ends. He grabbed his chance of a regular place when George Connelly sadly broke his leg against Basle in 1974 and Pat took his place as sweeper behind Billy McNeill in the Celtic defence. There was more European Cup semi final heartbreak in the controversial defeat to Atletico Madrid in 1974 but on a happier note Pat was a part of the double winning team that year after he played against Dundee United at Hampden in a 3-0 Scottish Cup final win. The next season saw the young McCluskey play another starring role as Celtic won the three domestic cup trophies available to them but lost out to Rangers on their quest for 10 in a row. Perhaps Pat is best remembered for scoring the clinching goal from the penalty spot in the 3-1 cup final success over Airdrie in May 1975.

By this time he had become a popular figure amongst the Celtic supporters due to his combative, hard tackling style and his great will to win. It’s easy to remember those parts of his game but he also displayed good control and was a fine passer. He played a full part in the traumatic 1975-76 season when Jock Stein was missing after a near fatal car accident near Lockerbie and in May 1976 he had the honour of captaining Celtic in a game against Hearts at Tynecastle. In the summer of 1976 Jock Stein returned to the helm and brought Pat Stanton from Hibs. This, alongside the advent of the young Roy Aitken, saw Pat drop out of favour for a while but he still played enough games to gain a league medal as Celtic triumphed again in 1977.

In the summer of 1977 there was tremendous disappointment when the talismanic Kenny Dalglish defected to Liverpool in a blaze of publicity. At that same time Pat departed to Dumbarton for a modest £20,000 fee with not much attention paid to him. Within days of Pat leaving, Pat Stanton was injured in Celtic’s opening game against Dundee United which resulted in him having to retire from the game. Had Pat been around he would have been the perfect replacement for Stanton alongside Roddy MacDonald in defence and may have helped to avoid a highly painful season as Celtic struggled defensively to replace the effective Stanton. Jock Stein definitely erred on this occasion by allowing such a whole hearted Celtic to depart prematurely.

In later years I had the pleasure of being in Pat’s company and speaking with him. He was sent home in disgrace from Scotland duty in 1975 after the ‘Copenhagen affair’ when five Scotland players (Billy Bremner, Joe Harper, Willie Young, Arthur Graham and Pat) where barred from playing for Scotland for life after an incident in a Copenhagen night club He commented that this had been an over reaction when bouncers had clashed with an inebriated Bremner and the others had not really been involved. He also took exception to those who thought he was overweight (he was referred to by many Celtic supporters as ‘Fat Pat’) and he claimed that the Celtic hooped shirts actually make some players look broader, depending on their shape. On a happier note he recalled playing foursomes with Kenny Dalglish at golf and making a fair bit from the other players, Apparently Pat and Kenny were exceptional golfers.

However, the most interesting thing he did say concerned his departure in 1977. I asked why he moved to Dumbarton who were a second tier club in Scotland at that time when there had been interest from Newcastle and Norwich who were top tier English clubs back then. Pat said that as well as that English duo, Hearts and Dundee were after him and all were prepared to pay a good bit more than the £20,000 which Dumbarton forked out. Pat said that he was told Dumbarton were his only option and he said that he believed that Jock Stein did not want him to go to another major club where he may have been a success as this may have reflected badly on Stein.

There’s a complimentary phrase which old time Celtic fans like to use – ‘jersey player.’ This is reserved not so much for the glamorous flair players but for those who go put and fight on the field for the Celtic cause and gain the respect and affection of the Celtic supporters. We’ve had plenty of them through the years such as Davie Hay, Jim Brogan, Roy Aiken, Neil Lennon and Scott Brown. Guys who put themselves on the line week after week and drive their team mates on to greater effort. I can think of no finer compliment to say that Pat was one of the finest jersey players I have seen.

Thanks for the memories Pat and may eternal light shine upon you.

By Matt Corr 26 August, 2020 No Comments

A supporter who lived his dream, Pat McCluskey of the Celtic

Sad news yesterday with the passing of another great Celt from the wonderful Jock Stein era, Pat McCluskey.

Pat was born in Kilsyth on Sunday, 13 April 1952. The day before his introduction to the world, Jimmy McGrory’s Celtic had completed their League programme with a battling 3-3 draw at Cathkin, thanks to late goals from Bobby Collins – a penalty to complete his double – and captain John McPhail. Earlier, Sligo Bhoy Sean Fallon’s unfortunate own goal had given a struggling Third Lanark side, including future Scotland manager Ally MacLeod, a 3-1 lead.

The reigning Scottish Cup-holders would finish a hugely disappointing campaign in the bottom half of the table, 9th out of 16, a distant 17 points behind that tremendous Famous Five-led Hibernian side, who defended their title. Indeed, Celts earned only four more points than relegated Morton. It would be another two years before Jock Stein captained Celtic to a first Championship in 16 seasons and a first Double since the time of Maley, back in 1914, albeit the Hoops would have a Coronation party to enjoy in May 1953. Off the field, Bob Kelly was maintaining his stance against the SFA’s instruction to remove the Tricolour from the Jungle.

The first Celtic games of Pat’s lifetime would see the Hoops visit the country at the heart of that dispute and which had triggered the formation of the club, with opening opponents Bohemians and Sligo Rovers later to feature in his own story. And the close-season of 1952 would see another event at Parkhead which would have major implications for the young McCluskey, as Croy full-back Frank Meehan joined the Hoops from Petershill, perhaps passing Gil Heron at the front door as the Jamaican left for Third Lanark after five games and two goals for Celtic. More on some of those connections to follow.

Pat McCluskey would learn the game at his local secondary school, St Patrick’s in Kilsyth, then Glasgow Amateurs, before turning junior at Maryhill. Having spent time on trial at Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, it was that same Frank Meehan, now a Parkhead scout, who invited the youngster to Glasgow’s east end, where Pat duly signed for Jock Stein’s recently-crowned Treble winners on 20 May 1969.

Pat would then follow in the footsteps of his father, John, by turning out for Sligo Rovers, the 17-year-old heading to the west coast of Ireland on a season-long loan, no doubt with input from a certain Sean Fallon.

It would prove to be a memorable experience, as Rovers marched all the way to the FAI Cup final in Dublin on Sunday, 19 April 1970, just days after his parent club’s famous victory over Leeds United at Hampden which saw Stein’s men reach a second European Cup final.

Having disposed of highly-fancied Cork Hibernians in the last four, Sligo were seeking a first victory in their third final appearance, whilst opponents Bohemians were looking to end the domination of bitter Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers in the nation’s premier knockout competition – the Southside Hoops having won seven of the previous eight, including the last six-in-a-row – by winning the trophy on their own Dalymount Park pitch.

McCluskey would go closest of all to taking the trophy to Sligo, his powerful drive producing a wonderful save from Bohemian’s keeper Dinny Lowry, as the match ended goalless. The reply would also fail to provide a goal for the 11,000 crowd, nevertheless, twice that number would pack into the stadium for a third game, which Rovers lost by the odd goal in three, despite taking the lead through Johnny Cooke.

Pat and his Sligo Rovers teammates would quickly return to Dalymount Park for the All-Ireland Blaxnit Cup final, this time the opponents being Coleraine. Sadly, victory and silverware would again evade ‘The Bit o’ Red’, the Derry club retaining their trophy with a 4-2 win.

Nevertheless, Pat’s performances would have encouraged good reviews from another former Celt, St Patrick’s Athletic manager John Colrain, who was also scouting for the Parkhead club. Pat would head back to Glasgow for the 1970/71 season, where he would be joined by the Sligo Rovers goalkeeper with whom he shared digs, Tom Lally. The Galway stopper would fill the gap left by Ronnie Simpson, who had retired on the day of the European Cup final defeat by Feyenoord, to complement Jock Stein’s first-team keepers Evan Williams and John Fallon.

FAI Cup Final (1970)

Remarkably, Pat and Tom would make their senior Celtic debuts together, at the end of that first season. Having clinched the club’s second batch of six-in-a-row League Championships by beating Ayr United 2-0 at Hampden on Thursday, 29 April 1971, Jock fielded the Lisbon Lions for a final hurrah against Clyde at Celtic Park two days later, the IMMORTALS rolling back the years with an emphatic 6-1 victory on the most emotional of afternoons.

The two clubs were then scheduled to meet in the semi-final of the Glasgow Cup at Shawfield on the following Thursday, two days before the Scottish Cup final clash with Rangers. Stein listed the following team for the latest meeting of the old east end rivals, on the day Bertie Auld signed for Hibernian on a free transfer:
Tom Lally; Pat McCluskey & Jimmy Quinn; Bobby Murdoch, Tommy Gemmell & John Clark; Danny McGrain, Davie Cattenach (captain), Kenny Dalglish, Stevie Chalmers & Vic Davidson.

This would prove to be an historic night in many ways. None of the four Lions would feature in that weekend’s Scottish Cup final, and indeed neither John Clark, who limped off at half-time, nor Stevie Chalmers would feature again for the club, both moving to Morton that summer.

Ward White replaced Clark at half-time for what would turn out to be his only senior appearance for Celtic, a fate which also befell goalkeeper Tom Lally. And the award of the captaincy to Davie Cattenach in the presence of so many Celtic greats suggests that he already suspected this may be the last of his 17 games for the club, despite remaining at Parkhead until joining his hometown club Falkirk the following January.

The chant “There’s only one Danny McGrain” would have been wholly inappropriate for the 3,500 fans who rolled up to Rutherglen. Celtic’s soon-to-be legendary full-back was wearing unfamiliar number seven shorts, whilst his namesake cousin was making his debut in the Clyde midfield. He would become the Shawfield club’s youngest-ever captain whilst still a teenager, a record he holds to this day.

Tragically, he suffered brain injuries following a goal-line clearance against Dundee United in February 1974 and was forced to retire the following May. Danny passed away in August 2004 just into his 51st year.
Little-known striker Kenny Dalglish, barely out of his teens, would fail to get on the scoresheet at Shawfield, however, he would net six in his next match for the club 10 days later, against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in a testimonial for Frank Beattie. Kenny would take that incredible scoring form into the new season and would be a Scotland internationalist before Christmas.

As a footnote to the career of Tom Lally, I have to mention his feat of becoming the top goalscorer at his club whilst playing between the sticks. Having returned to Ireland in October 1971 to join St Patrick’s Athletic, then spending the 1976/77 season at Athlone Town, Tom joined hometown club Galway Rovers as they joined the Irish top-flight in the summer of 1977. The big goalkeeper netted from four penalty kicks in that inaugural season, a scoring record which, incredibly, none of his outfield colleagues could match! Lally would remain at the club through the name change to Galway United before returning to Sligo Rovers for a final playing stint in the 1987/88 campaign, which sadly ended in relegation for his team.

Whilst Tom Lally’s Celtic first-team career had started and ended at Shawfield, Pat McCluskey would gradually play his way into Jock Stein’s plans. He would have to wait until February 1972 before tasting competitive action again, replacing Dixie Deans on the hour-mark with the Hoops 3-0 ahead against Stein’s old club Albion Rovers at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup.

Pat slotted in beside Billy McNeill to allow George Connelly to display his wonderful talents in midfield, as Celts cruised to a 5-0 win despite a late penalty miss from Kenny Dalglish. Pat would then replace Dalglish for the final half hour in his next appearance, the following month against Ayr United in a 2-0 home win, four days before the European Cup quarter-final tie against Ujpest Dozsa in Budapest.

The youngster’s next opportunity would come four weeks later in the semi-final of Europe’s major competition. Jock Stein had seen his full-backs dropping like flies in the run-up to the rematch with Inter Milan, Danny McGrain suffering a fractured skull at Brockville, and David Hay, Jim Brogan and Jimmy Quinn all nursing injuries. Brogan would last an hour in the San Siro before giving way to Pat McCluskey, who slotted into the back four to secure the 0-0 draw which Celts hoped would be enough to set things up for a third European Cup Final. Pat would get his first competitive starting slot in the Hoops at Rugby Park on the Saturday, as Celts won 3-1, the team lining up as follows;
Evan Williams; Jim Craig & Pat McCluskey; Bobby Murdoch, Billy McNeill & George Connelly; Jimmy Johnstone, Vic Davidson, Dixie Deans, Tommy Callaghan & Bobby Lennox.

McCluskey would retain his place as Celts repeated that scoreline against the same opponents in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden the following Wednesday, with Killie goalkeeper Ally Hunter giving a performance which probably sealed his transfer to Celtic in the January.

Pat would come off the bench at Methil three days later to replace Lou Macari, as Celtic set a new Scottish landmark by clinching a seventh successive League flag with a 3-0 win over East Fife, however, he would play the full 120 minutes as the Hoops agonisingly lost the return leg with Inter Milan on penalty kicks, the youngster coolly converting his effort in front of 75,000.

The return from injury of Jim Brogan would see the Kilsyth Bhoy miss out on a Scottish Cup-winners’ medal as Celtic inflicted a record-equalling 6-1 defeat on Hibernian with Dixie Deans atoning for that penalty miss with the first of his three hat-tricks against the Edinburgh side.

Season 1972/73 would be a breakthrough one for Pat, as he made 26 appearances in the side which extended the League-winning sequence to eight at Easter Road in the April. He scored three goals in the campaign, and they all occurred in the same match!

On Saturday, 2 December 1972, McCluskey hit a hat-trick from his midfield role at Boghead, as Dumbarton were hammered 6-1. Ex-Celt Willie Wallace grabbed the late consolation for the Sons, whilst another former Parkhead man, John Cushley also netted, albeit at the wrong end. The home side also featured the young McAdam brothers, Tom and Colin, in their line-up.

Celtic’s hat-trick hero Pat McCluskey

Seven days later, Pat would feature in his first cup final as a Celt. Sadly, it would not be a winning one, as Turnbull’s Hibernian took a measure of revenge and the League Cup, following a 2-1 victory.

Pat would endure defeat again in the following season’s League Cup final, this time at the hands of Dundee in that miserable lunchtime ‘showpiece’ of December 1973. The second of his two goals that campaign had decided the quarter-final tie with Aberdeen at Celtic Park, a tremendous shot from outside the box beating Bobby Clark after Kenny Dalglish and Drew Jarvie had exchanged doubles.

A goalless second leg at Pittodrie set up a semi-final against Rangers at Hampden, Harry Hood scoring the final Celtic hat-trick against the original club. Pat’s other strike had also come in October, McCluskey coming on as a second half substitute for the injured Billy McNeill to equalise against Hibernian at Celtic Park.

He would appear in both legs of his second European Cup semi-final, against Atletico Madrid in April, before playing at Brockville as nine-in-a-row was clinched then at Hampden as the Scottish Cup and Double were secured against Dundee United the following month. In total, Pat turned out 45 times in the Hoops, the Kilsyth Bhoy now very much an established first-team regular.

There would be a second Scottish Cup-winners medal the following May, Pat slotting home his penalty kick to secure a 3-1 victory over Airdrieonians in Billy McNeill’s last game. He had also scored from the spot in the shootout win against Rangers in August which saw Celtic win their only Drybrough Cup and he would complete a silver Treble by finally winning that elusive League Cup medal also, following the 6-3 win over Hibernian in October 1974.

Sadly, there would not be a tenth consecutive League title to celebrate, following a dramatic collapse by the Hoops after New Year 1975, and Olympiakos ended European hopes at the first hurdle, however his return of three goals from 48 appearances made this a successful season for Pat from a personal perspective.
There was a difficult start to the new Premier League era for Pat when he was one of five Scotland players banned for life after an incident in a Copenhagen nightclub. That Under-23 appearance would prove to be Pat’s ninth and last at international level.

On the domestic front, Celts would struggle in the absence of Jock Stein following his horrific car crash in July, as Jock Wallace’s Rangers secured a first Treble in 12 years. Despite the lack of team success, Pat would break the 50-game barrier for the first time, whilst adding four goals.

Two of those came at Muirton Park just after the Scotland problem in September 1975, McCluskey claiming an unique hat-trick by adding St Johnstone’s goal in a 2-1 win for Celtic just one minute after scoring at the right end, whilst his penalty conversion in the 7-0 win over Icelandic outfit Valur Reykjavik 10 days later would see him score in European competition for the first and only time, on the night his near namesake George made his Hoops debut.

Pat also captained Celtic for the only time, in the absence of Kenny Dalglish, for the final League game at Tynecastle, on Monday, 3 May 1976. Two days earlier, he had scored his 12th and final Celtic goal as the hoops fought back from 3-1 down to win 5-3 against Ayr United at Somerset Park.

The return of Jock Stein to the hotseat in the summer of 1976 would coincide with the demise of Pat’s Parkhead career. That Double-winning season would see McCluskey make just 16 appearances for Celtic, seven of those in the League Cup. He would drop out of the side after the 2-0 defeat by Wisla Krakow in Poland at the end of September, making only three starts after the turn of the year.

Pat would run out in his beloved Hoops for the final time at Easter Road on Wednesday, 30 March 1977, for a rescheduled League match with Hibernian, which ended 1-1. Roddy MacDonald would then return from injury to take his place as the title was secured at the same venue with a Joe Craig goal three weeks later, and as the Double was clinched following the 1-0 ‘Andy Lynch’ Scottish Cup final victory over Rangers in May.

On 12 August 1977, just three days after King Kenny left for Liverpool, 25-year-old Pat joined Dumbarton, having made 195 appearances for his boyhood club and scoring 12 goals. He would spend three seasons at Boghead, playing over 100 League matches for The Sons, before moving to Airdrieonians in 1980. A half-century of games at Broomfield was followed by a spell in the indoor leagues of the USA with Pittsburgh Spirit, before Pat returned to complete his senior career with another 50 games for Queen of the South, between 1983 and 1985.

Beyond his playing days, he was still a popular figure around Parkhead, part of the matchday hospitality team and turning out for Celtic Graves Society events, always finding time for his fellow supporters, in my opinion often the sign of a true Celt.

I had the pleasure of meeting Pat just once…but what an occasion it was, in the immediate aftermath of that fabulous 4-2 victory on the night that 10 men won the League, in May 1979.

This is an extract from a piece I wrote for The Celtic Star about that evening.

This bizarre season continued for me in the unlikely setting of the main stand at Ibrox on the Friday night, as St Mirren chose to play their home game in Glasgow, whilst work on their new terracing commenced.

I would stand on that Paisley terrace twelve months hence, to watch another dramatic title climax play out, with a very different and unwelcome outcome. In the meantime, however, the fans who said goodbye to the old Broomloan Road End, scene of so many Celtic parties and not a few heartbreaks over the years, witnessed two late headers from George McCluskey and Bobby Lennox, to win a tense match and move the Hoops to the summit for the first time, on goal difference from Dundee United who had now completed their programme, as Rangers prepared for a Scottish Cup Final meeting with Hibernian the following day. Two wins now required for the most unlikely title success for Celtic.

For those of us at Celtic Park for the penultimate game of the season, against Hearts on the night of Monday, 14 May 1979, it was another nervous 90 minutes. A Mike Conroy header, Celtic’s 100th goal in all competitions that season, eventually proved decisive and sent the Hoops three points clear of our Glasgow rivals. Thoughts now turned to our final match of the 1978/79 campaign, defending champions Rangers at home on the following Monday.

Two Hampden stalemates with Hibernian meant that their final two League matches, against Partick Thistle and cup final opponents Hibs, would now take place after the Parkhead clash. A win or draw would leave the title in their hands. Only a Celtic win would be enough for us.

The tension was crackling in the old ground, as the week’s talking stopped, and play began. On a bright May night, old foe Alex MacDonald came back to haunt Celtic again with an early strike and we still trailed 1-0 at the interval. Things then went from bad to worse early in the second half, as a grounded MacDonald felt the wrath of Johnny Doyle and, suddenly, we were reduced to 10. But not just any 10, as led by Roy Aitken, in his finest of many fine hours in his beloved Hoops, Celtic attacked the Ibrox side at will, overturning that deficit to take a 2-1 lead, following goals from Feed the Bear himself and George McCluskey.

There was a final act of defiance from John Greig’s Rangers, just two minutes later, as they rallied to protect their dream of back-to-back domestic trebles. My heart sank into the seat below, as Bobby Russell’s shot following a corner, arrowed through our defence to crash against the Janefield post and bounce over the line for 2-2. However, there is often a magic about Celtic and this particular night was not to end in tears for those of a Hoops persuasion.
Inspired by a blood-curdling Jungle roar, the sheer willpower of Aitken and McCluskey drove them down the Celtic right, forcing a fatal mistake from Colin Jackson and providing a precious lead with just five minutes remaining. With those five minutes feeling like 50, Big Roy again brought the ball out of defence and found Murdo MacLeod on the left side of the box. As 30,000 Celtic fans screamed in unison for him to hit it anywhere, he came up with a better option, as his shot flew past Peter McCloy into the top corner and the title was ours, amidst incredible scenes of joy.

A short time later, thanks to the fact that Dad worked in the stand on matchdays, providing hospital broadcast and Golden Goal services with his colleague Jim Divers, I had the privilege of standing in the Director’s Box, as the stocking-soled Celts did their lap of honour in front of a delirious support.

I recall ex-Celt, Pat McCluskey, standing next to me and simply repeating the word “Wonderful”, then shaking his head. A veteran of Hampden triumphs and European Cup semi-finals, Pat may have thought that he had seen it all, however this incredible May night was something else.

In the foyer downstairs, sat an expressionless Alex Ferguson, the manager of Aberdeen. He would not know, at this point, that his team would be the successors to Celtic, as champions of Scotland, within 12 months. But that would be another day. For now, the night belonged to Billy McNeill and his team of young Lions, who had persevered through this strangest and tightest of seasons to reclaim the title in the most dramatic of circumstances.

The legend of ‘10 men won the League’ had been born.
Sleep in peace, Pat McCluskey of the Celtic. A supporter who lived his dream.

Hail Hail!

Matt Corr

---