John Fallon’s Celtic Story – The Original Holy Goalie, Part 2

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The Celtic Star

·22. August 2025

John Fallon’s Celtic Story – The Original Holy Goalie, Part 2

The Original Holy Goalie – Part 2: John Fallon living the dream as a young Celt before injury strikes…

John Fallon, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

After nine months of reserve football at Celtic Park, 19-year-old John Fallon was handed his first-team debut by Jimmy McGrory on Saturday, 26 September 1959, unbeaten Clyde the visitors for the fifth League match of the season. It was a sad time at the club. Just eight days earlier, former player Donald Weir was one of 47 men who lost their life following an underground fire at Auchengeich Colliery in Chryston, Lanarkshire. He was just 30 years old.

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Earlier that month there had been a happier occasion involving Celtic, the Glasgow giants playing a friendly match against West Lothian junior outfit Fauldhouse United on Wednesday, 9 September 1959 as a gesture of thanks for the recent signing of two of their stars, John Fallon and Dan O’Hara.

A late ‘work-related’ injury to Frank Haffey gave John his big chance against Clyde, and he took it quite literally with both hands. The Shawfield side had won the Scottish Cup the previous year and their team included Scottish internationalists Harry Haddock and George Herd, plus future Rangers manager David White. Oh, and I’m sure John would appreciate the irony in that the referee for his senior debut was our old friend R H Davidson of Airdrie!

Celtic’s old friend R H Davidson of Airdrie refereed John Fallon’s Celtic debut against Clyde in September 1959

John Curran also made his first start for the club, replacing young Billy McNeill at right-back, whilst Tommy Mackle came in for Bertie Auld on the left wing to make his sixth – and as it turned out, final – appearance. Steve Chalmers’ double against Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy seven days earlier saw him make just a second League start.

The full Celtic side was as follows:

John Fallon; John Curran & Neil Mochan; Eric Smith, Bobby Evans & Bertie Peacock; Steve Chalmers, Mike Jackson, Jim Conway, John Divers & Tommy Mackle.

The 27,000 crowd would enjoy a hard-fought matched which ended a goal apiece. Celts took the lead just before the break, Tommy Mackle crashing a free-kick home off the underside of the bar, his second and final goal for the club. Tommy’s only other goal had come in his debut in the League Cup opener at Starks Park the previous month.

The Bully Wee maintained their unbeaten start with the equaliser 12 minutes after the restart, centre-forward Ian Meek arriving a fraction of a second before John Fallon to divert Alex Wilson’s cross into the net. Nevertheless, the media were fulsome in their praise of Celtic’s latest star, this from the Sunday Post.

“All eyes were focussed on young John Fallon. The ex-Fauldhouse youth had an excellent debut. It was thoughtful of Bobby Evans early on in giving him a pass-back with a sort of “Get the feel of it, boy.” But no such invitation was given by the Clyde fellows, and Fallon took the credit for the save of the day when he gripped in magnificent fashion from Currie, bending banana-like in the process.”

John retained the gloves seven days later for what would prove to be another momentous day for Celtic, who fielded six teenagers in their youngest-ever team at that point for the visit to League Cup semi-finalists Arbroath. Ireland’s Home International match with Scotland at Windsor Park, Belfast the same afternoon pitted Hoops wing-halves Bobby Evans and Bertie Peacock in opposition. The two gaps created in the Celtic line-up saw right-back Billy McNeill return to the side but at centre-half, whilst alongside him for the first time in that glorious partnership was 18-year-old debutant John Clark. The third change saw another future Lion Bertie Auld take his place on the left flank, replacing Tommy Mackle.

A fifth Lisbon hero, Steve Chalmers, netted twice as John enjoyed his first win and clean sheet as a senior in Celtic’s 5-0 success, prompting the complimentary but rather unkind comment in The Scotsman, “I like Fallon’s goalkeeping much better than the brand served up by Haffey.” Other Lions on target that afternoon were Joe McBride, who scored from the spot in Kilmarnock’s 2-2 draw with Dundee at Rugby Park, and Willie Wallace, who scored the only goal in Stenhousemuir’s Second Division victory over Dumbarton at Boghead.

Celtic v Wolves, 12 October 1959. Floodlights at Celtic Park! Photo The Celtic Wiki

Celtic’s League campaign continued the following week with a 1-1 home draw with Aberdeen, John once again performing well, but the calibre of opposition was ramped significantly 48 hours later, as English champions Wolverhampton Wanderers arrived in town to open Celtic Park’s new floodlights, the tallest such structures in world football. Wolves would add the FA Cup the following spring to their two successive League titles in what remains their greatest era, and even with a side sprinkled with reserves they were a class above the young Celts. Goals from England inside-forward Peter Broadbent and top scorer Jimmy Murray midway through each half dimmed the lights on the Hoops party in front of 45,000 with a 2-0 win.

Celtic v Wolves, 12 October 1959. Match Programme. Photo The Celtic Wiki

John’s successful introduction to senior football had also captured the interest of the Scotland selectors. Towards the end of the month, they announced the team to face Wales at Hampden in November, Scotland captain Bobby Evans and Bertie Auld the two Celts involved in a side packed with household names such as Denis Law, Ian St John, Dave Mackay and John White.

The committee also named a ‘Young Team’ to join the full squad in training at Turnberry, a first call-up for Celtic’s latest sensation, their teenage goalkeeper John Fallon. And by mid-November, John was ‘in a short leet of two’ for the Scotland Under-23 goalkeeper’s position, with Burnley’s Adam Blacklaw. That would be a sliding doors moment for John as the young Aberdonian Blacklaw got the nod. He would go on to represent his country at senior level.

Scotland striker Ian St John would score against Celtic as John continued his inaugural run in the first team through that autumn, although the young Hoops replied with five of their own to rout Motherwell’s highly-respected Ancell Babes. And England’s Joe Baker did so twice the following week, as Hibernian came back to share six goals in an Easter Road thriller, with John and Bobby Evans standing between Celtic and defeat.

Celtic goalkeeper John Fallon holding his biography which was written by David Potter with John’s significant input! Photo The Celtic Wiki

As often happens with such young sides, results were inconsistent, the form team at that time being Hearts, who topped the League whilst beating Third Lanark to retain the League Cup. When Celts lost 3-2 at home to Dundee on Saturday, 5 December 1959 Jimmy McGrory’s men dropped to 12th in the 18-club Division, the Hoops already 11 points behind eventual champions Hearts.

John had been given his opportunity initially when regular first-choice goalkeeper Frank Haffey had suffered an injury at work, Haffey fortunate to escape with bruises when he backed into a revolving lathe which tore the clothes off his back. So it was ironic that it was an industrial accident which caused John to drop out following that defeat by Dundee, John lifting heavy steel springs in his garage role when one slipped and badly injured his thigh.

That would be the first major blow of John’s senior football career, the Sunday Post highlighting his frustrating situation as the new decade kicked in.

“Met a player with a sad look in his eyes during the week, John Fallon, the Celtic goalkeeper. John just can’t get rid of the thigh injury that is keeping him out of the Celtic team these days. As he has now been taken off treatment altogether, he feels his return to the fray is further away than ever. John received this injury at his work, but what made it worse was the fact it was on the same spot where he had taken a bad knock the previous Saturday. Celtic have decided complete rest is now the only answer.”

March saw the first step on the managerial ladder for Jock Stein, Celtic’s outstanding Reserve Team coach appointed as the manager of struggling First Division Dunfermline Athletic on Sunday, 13 March 1960. John would of course be reunited with Jock at Celtic five years later.

The crazy world of Celtic goalkeepers then kicked back in as Frank Haffey conceded four goals to Rangers at Hampden in a Scottish cup semi-final replay on Wednesday, 6 April 1960 and was promptly handed his Scotland debut against England at the same venue three days later! Frank was beaten by a Bobby Charlton penalty early in the second half and then saved a spot kick from the same player with 15 minutes remaining. The Hungarian referee ordered a retake due to infringement and this time the young Manchester United winger blasted the ball past the post as the match ended 1-1 in front of 129,000 spectators. Frank’s next appearance against England 12 months later would not end so well, to put it mildly.

Frank Haffey, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Haffey was suffering from a back injury as Celtic hosted Partick Thistle three days later, John handed the gloves again but perhaps wishing he hadn’t as the Jags inflicted a 4-2 defeat before just 5,000 fans. Future Thistle manager and Parkhead assistant Davie McParland opened the scoring before George Smith became the latest to join that select club of visiting players who have netted a hat-trick at Celtic Park.

Thistle were actually 4-0 up before a late Steve Chalmers double reduced the embarrassment somewhat from the scoreline, the only consolation for John being that he was noted as one of the outstanding performers on the field. Nevertheless, Haffey was restored for that weekend’s trip to Dens Park.

Frank Haffey’s concussion, sustained in a collision with Dunky MacKay at Dundee, allowed John another opportunity 48 hours later at Broomfield, Celtic Rising to the challenge on Easter Monday to see off Airdrieonians 5-2 thanks to a late hat-trick from Steve Chalmers. And he retained his place for the final League game of the season, played at Celtic Park on the last day of April, Celtic’s season summed up as they allowed a 3-0 half-time lead against St Mirren to slip in the final 12 minutes to end the campaign in ninth place following the 3-3 draw.

The big news as the Charity Cup commenced the following week was the granting of Bobby Evans’ transfer request by the Celtic board. The Scotland captain would be missing 24 hours later as incredibly this time Celtic came back from three goals down with half-an-hour to play to force a 3-3 draw with Clyde at Parkhead, thanks to goals from Bertie Auld, Neil Mochan and skipper Bertie Peacock, who then won the coin toss to set up a semi-final tie with Rangers.

Only 15,000 spectators were inside Ibrox three days later for the sixth meeting of the clubs that season, and there was a certain irony that this time it was Rangers who progressed to a final with Partick thistle after guessing correctly in a second coin toss following a 1-1 draw. John’s first-half collision with winger Alex Scott left both players severely hampered for the remainder of the game, Pat Crerand with a stunning late leveller for Celts after Ralph Brand opened for Rangers, with an injured John struggling to get down to stop his low shot. The Celtic side for John’s first experience of that fixture on Tuesday, 9 May 1960 was as follows:

John Fallon; Dunky MacKay & Jim Kennedy; Pat Crerand, Billy McNeill & Bertie Peacock; Bobby Carroll, Steve Chalmers, Neil Mochan, John Divers & Bertie Auld.

John would miss out on another historic occasion because if that injury five days later, Haffey restored as Celtic wore numbers on their shorts for the first time in a 5-1 Friendly win over Dutch champions Sparta Rotterdam.

Stevie Chalmers, Celtic FC. Celtic v Dutch champions Sparta Rotterdam, as Celtic wear numbers on the shorts for the first time ever, photo The Celtic Wiki

The youngster was convinced that his season was over as Celtic headed for a short tour of Ireland with just Frank Haffey as goalkeeper, but yet again fate, injury or illness intervened, Haffey struck down with flu and John receiving a last-minute call to pick up the overnight sail from Glasgow’s Broomielaw dock.

Jimmy McGrory fielded the side from Ibrox for the opening game of the tour, against Derry City at Brandywell on Thursday, 19 May 1960. Bobby Carroll opened the scoring in the tenth minute, Bertie Peacock doubling that advantage immediately from the kick-off. Four minutes into the second half Neil Mochan ended the scoring at 3-0. And at midday on the Friday, Bobby Evans’ 16-year love affair with the Hoops came to an end at Celtic Park, Parkhead coach Sean Fallon and club secretary Desmond White present as the former Celtic captain signed for Ted Drake’s Chelsea in a deal worth more than £15,000.

The Daily Record of Monday, 23 May 1960 featured another former Celtic skipper, John McPhail, discussing the magic of another Hoops legend, Charlie Tully, whilst reporting that yet another icon – Neil Mochan – was wanted as the new player-manager of FAI Cup-finalists Cork Hibs, where Tully was currently carrying out that role! Confused? Well, let me explain.

McPhail was now a journalist, Charlie wanted to continue as a player in Cork but live in Belfast, and Neilly was considered by Hibs to be an ideal replacement. The previous afternoon, Tully had scored and starred despite his side going down 6-3 to Celtic at Cork’s Mardi Park. Charlie even took a free-kick FOR Celtic at one stage, with Mochan almost converting his delivery! Celtic’s legitimate goals came from Johnny Kelly – a replacement for Stevie Chalmers – and Mochan doubles, John Divers and Bobby Carroll, with well-again Frank Haffey back between the posts and John Clark in at left-half for Bertie Peacock.

Cork Hibernian 3-6 Celtic. 22 May 1960. Back Row – L to R – Dunky McKay, Pat Crerand,,Johnny Kelly, Frank Haffey, Jim Kennedy, Billy McNeillFront Row – L to R – John Divers, John Clark,Neilly Mochan ,Bobby Carroll, Bertie Auld. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Tully guested for Irish champions Limerick in the third match of Celtic’s tour, with youngsters Jim Upton making his debut at right-back and John Hughes at outside-right on Tuesday, 24 May. The Irish genius helped himself to a hat-trick as the sides shared six goals.

John had missed out on that 3-3 draw but he returned for the final match of the Irish tour and his debut season 48 hours later, a 6-0 win over Dublin outfit Drumcondra at Tolka Park. Neil Mochan added another two goals to his tally with Steve Chalmers, Bertie Auld, Bobby Carroll and John Divers completing the rout.

Celtic v. Rangers Ronnie Simpson and John Fallon hug each other after the 2-1 defeat of Rangers. 23rd October 1965

So a rollercoaster eight months for John Fallon ended with an emphatic victory and a clean sheet in Ireland. Indeed, with a family background from Sligo, where else but the Emerald Isle would the teenage John want to end his first season living his and our dream as a Celtic player.

God bless you, John.

The Original Holy Goalie.

Matt Corr

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Foreword by Danny McGrain. Published on Celtic Star Books on 5 September 2025. Click on image to pre-order.

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