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Personal
Fullname: Patrick Travers
aka: Paddy Travers, Pat Travers
Born: 28 May 1883
Died: 5 February 1962
Birthplace: Beith
Signed: 29 August 1911 (from Aberdeen)
Left: 3 June 1912 (to Aberdeen)
Position: Inside Forward
Debut: Celtic 3-2 Clyde, League, 2 Sep 1911
Internationals: none
Biog
A fine inside forward Beith-born Paddy Travers signed for Celtic in August 1911 having left Aberdeen. He was so desperate to join Celtic he actually reinstated himself as an amateur, and so it cost Celtic nothing to sign him up. It was said that he also wanted to return to Glasgow due to business interests.
His debut was a 3-2 home league win over Clyde on 2 September 1911 at Parkhead. Despite that win, it was to be a tough start with Celtic losing three games and drawing one in his first six games (includes games in the Glasgow Cup). These losses included successive defeats to Hamilton and Rangers which in retrospect had a big indent on the title challenge.
Competition for a starting place from the great Patsy Gallacher and injuries meant Paddy Travers’ chances at Parkhead were to limit his opportunities, however he was still mostly a regular throughout the 1911/12 season.
Sadly, it meant he lost out in playing in the Scottish Cup final of 1911/12 having played in the rounds leading up to the semi-finals before hand. This included a double over Aberdeen in a 2-0 victory in third round, which on paper was probably his highlight. He’d also scored in the previous round in a 3-0 win over East Stirlingshire.
It was a tough season with Celtic finishing runners-up to Rangers in the race for the title.
He returned to Aberdeen in June 1912 after 22 league & Scottish Cup appearances and 6 goals for his beloved Bhoys.
Post-Playing Career
After hanging up his boots, he became manager at Dumbarton taking over from ex-Celt George Livingstone. He then went to become the Aberdeen manager, and led them to some success, and then later moved to Clyde as manager.
In 1937, Paddy Travers took Aberdeen to the Scottish Cup Final, the first time Aberdeen had ever appeared in the final. They were defeated 2-1 by Celtic in front of a record official attendance of 146,433.
Rumours were at one point that once Willie Maley’s time was finally up as the manager, that Paddy Travers had taken the Celtic manager’s role (it went to Jimmy McStay).
Paddy Traver’s managerial achievements saw him reach four Hampden finals with Aberdeen and Clyde. He won the cup for the Bully Wee in the 1939 final beating Motherwell 4-0 and then again in 1955 after they beat Celtic in a replay.
He was also a runner up as manager with Clyde in the Scottish Cup in 1948-49 when Clyde lost 4-1 to Rangers in the final. In season 1951/52, Travers led Clyde to four trophies in a single season; the Scottish Division B league title, the B Division Supplementary Cup, the Glasgow Cup and the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup.
Little wonder then that the Sunday Herald newspaper ranked him as one of Scotland’s 50 greatest managers ever.
Curiously, before marriage he would take holidays to the Isle of Man with Rangers’ architect of bigotry Bill Struth and his wife. It was said that they shared many a joke on the ‘silliness’ of the religious divide in Scottish football. It would have been interesting to hear what Bill Struth said in these conversations.
Paddy Travers passed away in 1962.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1911-12 | 18 | 4 | – | – | 22 |
| Goals: | 3 | 3 | – | – | 6 |
Honours with Celtic
Scottish Cup