| S | A-Z of Players | Players | Player Pictures | Other players who never played a game | Forum |
This comes from the Celtic View of 4/12/85
Mahdi Saleh was an Iraqi originally from Basra who had played for the Iraq National Football team. Son of a ship-builder from Basra he was studying Naval Architecture at Glasgow Technical College. Whilst attending a game at Celtic Park on 10th October 1953 against Raith Rovers he was asked by people around him if he'd like to know the rules of the game. Far from wanting to know the rules, what Mahdi wanted was a game. Luckily enough one of the company knew or had connections to Sean Fallon and Mahdi was called to Celtic Park for a trial.
And thus it was that a 22 year old Iraqi footballer ended up playing part-time football for Celtic Reserves whilst studying to be a Naval Architect!!
