Tommy Callaghan
Scottish footballer and manager (1944–2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tommy Callaghan (6 December 1944 – 25 October 2024) was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Celtic, Dunfermline Athletic and Clydebank. He was a left-sided midfielder famous for his long attacking runs from deep positions, and powerful shot.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 December 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Cowdenbeath, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 25 October 2024 (aged 79) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Lochore Welfare | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1968 | Dunfermline Athletic | 126 | (20) |
| 1968–1976 | Celtic | 172 | (14) |
| 1976 | → San Antonio Thunder (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 1976–1978 | Clydebank | 30 | (2) |
| 1978–1979 | Galway Rovers | 29 | (4) |
| Total | 366 | (40) | |
| International career | |||
| 1968–1971 | Scottish League XI[1][2] | 2 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1978–1979 | Galway Rovers | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
Born in Cowdenbeath, he signed for Celtic from Dunfermline on 22 November 1968 for a reported £35,000. Although he scored on his debut the following day in a 4–0 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill, he took a long time to settle at Celtic Park and was never really accepted by the supporters. After making more than 250 appearances for Celtic, Callaghan moved on to Clydebank on 4 November 1976. He scored for his new club on his debut three days later. He left Clydebank in 1978 to become player-manager of Galway Rovers in Ireland.
Callaghan represented the Scottish League twice and gained his first Scottish Cup winner's medal while with Dunfermline in 1968, his final season with the Fife club.
Personal life and death
His brother Willie played for Dunfermline and Scotland, and his father William, maternal uncles Patrick Flannigan and David Flannigan, son Tommy Callaghan Jr[3] nephew Willie Callaghan Jr, and grand-nephew Liam Callaghan[4] all played football to some extent.[5][6]
On 25 October 2024, Callaghan died at the age of 79.[7]