Shevlin, Peter – The Celtic Wiki

Biog

Fullname: Peter Shevlin
Born: 18 November 1905
Died: 10 October 1948
Birthplace: Wishaw, Scotland
Signed: 11 Oct 1924; 22 May 1934 (loan)
Left: July 1927 (South Shields)
Position: Goalkeeper
Debut: St Johnstone 0-0 Celtic, League, 18 Oct 1924
Internationals: None

Biog

Peter Shevlin’s 2-3 year tenure as Celtic’s number one goalkeeper, was sandwiched between the hugely popular captain Charlie Shaw, and the legendary but tragic hero John Thompson. Therefore he has been overshadowed in retrospectives, despite playing a notable role in successful period for Celtic. At 5’7″, Peter Shevlin was small for a goalkeeper, although a full inch taller than Charlie Shaw, so height isn’t everything.

Peter Shevlin was born in Wishaw on 1905, and he was a junior with Pollok and St Rochs before joining Celtic in 1924, for a fee of £120. He was reported to be “a goalie of class” as a junior and reputedly on Newcastle’s books as an amateur.

After a shaky start in a spell in which Celtic struggled to win matches and would have knocked back many other goalkeepers, he settled into the role and helped Celtic to the Scottish Cup title at the end of the season in a nail-biting last-minute victory against Dundee. This put a shine on an otherwise poor season (Celtic finished fourth, 16pts behinds title winners Rangers).

It was said early on that:

“His guardianship is not distinguished by complete confidence… he seems unable to take defeat philosophically.“

He appears to have made amends for the above criticism, when in the following season (1925-26) he was an ever present helping Celtic win the league title, playing his part with only 40 goals conceded in the league, just 15 in home games. An excellent record.

He was held partly to blame by some for the 2-0 defeat by St Mirren in the 1926 Scottish Cup Final, letting David McCrae have a free header from a corner in two minutes and allowing a shot from Jimmie Howieson to pass over his hands in 26mins. If Celtic had won this final, then this would have given Celtic their fourth ever double, but the loss can hardly can be attributed to him alone. In any case, Celtic had turned things around with Peter Shevlin on board this season, just a minor curiosity that it was a mirror image to last season in the titles taken.

His greatest save was said to have been in the Scottish Cup semi-final on 26 March 1926, Jock Hutton had made it 1-1 from a penalty in the 56th minute. Straight from the kick-off, Aberdeen came back and their centre-forward Tom Pitrie hit a ball full force from point-blank that Peter Shevlin performed a miracle to stop.

On 5th February 1927, while playing in a Scottish Cup tie against Brechin City at Glebe Park, Peter Shevlin let in three soft goals including a howler in the opening minute, and Wille Maley decided to give the 18-year-old reserve keeper, John Thompson, a chance. He turned out to be outstanding, quickly displacing Peter Shevlin. Things could have been different as his understudy had been an American-Swede named Julius Hjulian.

It was the end of the road for Peter Shevlin at Celtic, and he moved on to South Shields in July 1927, where his fine form gave room for thought for the Celtic management to bring him back as a replacement for John Thompson after John Thompson had died prematurely.

He made over 100 league and cup appearances at Celtic Park in his three year spell, with two major trophies won.

One added note of trivia is that during his time at Celtic, the club had signed Julius Hjulian, the first person from outwith the British & Irish Isles to have played for the club (albeit not with the first team). He was a Swedish emigrant to the USA. Julius Hjulian is notable also as the first player ever on Celtic’s books to have played in the World Cup (he did so with the USA). Peter Shevlin managed to keep him out the first team with his good form, so quite a feat on paper to better an international goalkeeper.

Post-Celtic
In 1931, Peter Shevlin became player/manager of Shelbourne in Dublin, before returning to Scotland in April 1933 for an eventful two seasons with Hamilton Academicals. He was in the Accies’ side which won the Second XI Cup in 1934 but a very unfortunate injury kept him out the 1935 Scottish Cup Final v Rangers, having played in the team all season. He was freed by Hamilton in May 1935 and became captain at Albion Rovers where he wrapped up his career.

He had returned to Celtic in a very brief loan in 1934, but was to play for the First Team again for just one more game on 27th May 1934, in a friendly v a North France Select in a Tour of France, replacing Joe Kennaway which Celtic lost 4-2.

Staying in the English Midlands in Spring 1941 he was badly injured by enemy bombing (machine-gunned and battered with shrapnel during the Midlands blitz) and spent the rest of the year in hospital.

He died prematurely in Manchester on 10th October 1948, at the age of 43.