Celtic Player of the Day – Joe McLaughlin

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The Celtic Star

·15. Juli 2025

Celtic Player of the Day – Joe McLaughlin

Joe was a Celtic stalwart in the dark years of the Second World War as the club struggled to come to terms with war-time football in extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

Joe McLaughlin

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Joe was a miner, and therefore was in reserved occupations and so permanently available subject to the usual problems of transport. He was a man of extraordinary versatility and although his favourite position was right half, he could play centre half as well, and in the forward line too.

Versatility was a prized commodity in the crazy world of the wartime football, but wherever he played, there are very few instances of the newspapers saying that McLaughlin ever let Celtic down.

Joe McLaughlin

He had one success with Celtic and that was when they won the Glasgow Charity Cup in 1943, but that was scant reward for the service that he gave Celtic in those difficult times.

In autumn 1945 Celtic made one of their many mistakes at this time by allowing him to go to Hamilton Academical, but he then went to Aberdeen with whom he won a Scottish Cup medal against Hibs in 1947. He died in 1971.

David Potter

Coming soon on Celtic Star Books…

A decade book-ended by two Scottish Cup finals, reflecting the thrilling rollercoaster of events and emotions which defined Celtic Football Club in the 1980s.

Where the exciting young teams created by Billy McNeill and David Hay captured our hearts as they challenged for honours against the toughest of opposition at home and abroad.

Led by inspirational captains, Danny McGrain, Roy Aitken then Paul McStay, we enjoyed so many iconic triumphs as Celtic supporters that decade.

Who can forget those late comebacks to win the Scottish Cup against all odds,

with unbelievable strikes from Davie Provan and Frank McGarvey in 1985 then Frank McAvennie’s Centenary double three years later.

Or thrilling last-day title victories, none more so than the Miracle of Love Street in May 1986.

Glorious European nights against Ajax and Sporting Lisbon, and of course, this is Celtic, so there will always be a Partizan Belgrade thrown into the mix.

The fairytale club indeed, but with a few twists in the plot.

In his last work before his untimely death, legendary author and historian David Potter takes the reader step by step on that fascinating journey, recalling in his own inimitable way the triumphs, tragedies and characters involved in that unique chapter of our incredible Celtic story.

David is now very much part of that story, and in May 2024 he was posthumously honoured with the club’s Special Recognition Award, for ‘bringing something exceptional to the Celtic table.’

He was indeed a truly exceptional man, and it is a fitting legacy of work he leaves us.