Thomas McAteer was at the veteran stages when he signed for Celtic | OneFootball

Thomas McAteer was at the veteran stages of his career when he signed for Glasgow Celtic in 2010 at the ripe old age of 34, not so bad an age nowadays but back then it was deemed Auld! Especially for an athlete of any kind...

Thomas McAteer, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Coal miner Thomas was an accomplished and established defender when he signed from Clyde in 1910, having spent the chunk of his career down south.

Thomas was Born in 1876 in Smithstone Row near Croy, a row of miners houses constructed for the mainly Irish Catholic community who worked in the pits.

Thomas’s father was a pit worker and he followed in his father’s footsteps down the mines combining his day job with pulling on his boots for junior sides Kilsyth Wanderers and Smithstone Hibernian.

His good form caught the attention of several scouts and he wasn’t long in signing his first professional contract with Bolton Wanderers in 1898.

Thomas would spend the next three years in Greater Manchester before moving to London after signing for West Ham United, and then going on to have spells with Brighton, and Carlisle, before heading back north to Clyde via a spell with Dundee.

It was a combination of his performances for Clyde and his close friendship with Neighbour and fellow Croy man Jimmy Quinn that nudged Celtic in his direction.

At the age of 34 Thomas knew that time was ticking on his footballing career and made the most of that time signing for Celtic and playing under the guidance of Willie Maley.

Thomas made his mark in his first campaign at the club scoring four goals (not a bad return for a defender) with one of those goals coming against Rangers at Ibrox on league duty, but his finest accolade was scoring a ‘screamer’ in the 2-0 Scottish cup final replay victory over Hamilton which saw the Celts lift the Scottish Cup.

Thomas would play another season at Celtic before retiring from professional football in 1912 after making 28 appearances for the club registering a decent record of five goals.

Thomas McAteer’s Scottish Cup medal, 1911.. Photo The Celtic Wiki

He went back to working in the pits as well as turning out for the likes of Wishaw Thistle, Albion Rovers, Abercorn and Broxburn Rovers before enlisting his services in the bloody battle that was World War One where he also turned out for the Battalion side.

After surviving the brutality of trench warfare, Thomas headed back home to work once more in the pits.

Thomas McAteer, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Thomas McAteer would live a long and fulfilling life, passing awy at the age of 83 in 1959. His name will always be remembered for his contribution to the Celtic cause where he proudly wore those famous green and white hoops.

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