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Personal
Fullname: John McIlhatton
Born: 3 January 1921
Died: 13 February 1954
Birthplace: Ardeer, Scotland
Signed: 23 Nov 1940 (trial)
Position: Inside-right
Debut: Hamilton Accies 1-0 Celtic, Regional League, 23 Nov 1940
Internationals: none
Biog
John McIlhatton played for Celtic as a trialist in a 1-0 Regional League defeat to Hamilton Academicals on November 23rd 1940. It was at that point Celtic’s seventh defeat in a row in a dreadful period for the club.
However, the young John McIlhatton (just 19 years of age) was dropped for the next game which saw Celtic finally win a game. Sadly he was not to be given any further opportunities to prove himself.
Although the Bhoys were keen to sign the obviously talented inside-right they dallied in securing his signature long enough for the player to be tempted to join Albion Rovers.
It was to prove a costly mistake for Celtic as John McIlhatton is reported to have developed into a wonderful winger who was soon to be the most sought after player in Britain. He was said to have been a great dribbler with the ball and was a goal creator.
In 1944, he scored a double with a late winner for Albion Rovers in a 2-1 victory over Celtic in the league in January 1944. A big victory for their club as Celtic finished second in the league, whilst Albion Rovers finished second bottom (just behind local rivals Airdrie).
It was typical luck for Celtic, nothing could ever go right for the club during the war years of WW2, and in retrospect this loss just compounds the misery from those days. On the other hand, he was a young player and it was going to be difficult to invest time & plan for the long-term in youth players in an ever-changing environment.
He eventually left Coatbridge in April 1946 to sign for Everton in a hefty £5,000 transfer deal where Everton secretary Theo Kelly said:
“In Johnny McIlhatton we have as good a player as Stanley Matthews”.
By trade he had been a welder in the Ardrossan Shipyards before that move to Everton, and was a regular for the first team in season 1946-47 as Everton finished tenth in the top English tier, the first reunified league set-up post-war. He made 58 appearances for that club.
At Everton, reportedly he suffered with injuries during the second half of the 1947/48 season and again the following season, prompting a move back up north.
He returned to Scotland to play for Dundee in 1949 and then Raith Rovers in 1950, before a move to Barry Town.
Sadly he died prematurely at only 33 years of age. Too short a life for any man. Ex-Celtic colleague Patrick O’Sullivan helped organise fund-raising for John’s wife & children which is something much to respect.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | REGIONAL LEAGUE |
SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1940 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Goals | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
none