News and Events | Tommy Callaghan (6 December 1945 - 25 October 2024)
A member of Dunfermline`s 1968 Scottish Cup winning side
6 December 1945 `“ 25 October 2024
Everyone at East End Park is deeply saddened to hear of the death of one of Dunfermline Athletic`s all-time greats, Tommy Callaghan. While much has been made, quite rightly, about his fantastic achievements with Celtic, Tommy also made a huge impact with the Pars, and many people have very fond memories, not just of his time as a player with the Pars, but also of his many visits and contributions to our Former Players Association of which he was an active member from its inception.
Club Historian Duncan Simpson tells the story of Tommy Callaghan.
Born in Cowdenbeath in 1945, Tommy was the youngest of four brothers and football was very much in the blood. Older brother Willie joined Dunfermline and by the time that Tommy was playing at the age of sixteen for local junior side Lochore Welfare, Willie had made his first team debut at East End Park. Tommy himself didn`t hang about either. Lured to East End Park in the knowledge that Stein had proven to be a brilliant manager with the Pars, and one who undoubtedly was happy to give youth its chance, he signed for Dunfermline in September 1962. In a later interview Tommy said:
`When he signed me I was unbelievably chuffed because my brother Willie was already at Dunfermline, and he made you want to go and play for him. If you were down he would lift you up, and if he thought you were up there, he could bring you right back down even quicker!`
Tommy made his Pars debut in no time at all in a friendly match against Norwegian club Rosenborg Ballklub on 3rd October 1962. He was called up at the age of 17 the following year to be given an early opportunity to show what he was capable of, making his debut in a Division One league match against Queen of the South on 23rd March. He was back in the side a month later in a 3-0 win over Aberdeen, and even at that stage looked like he could remain a regular in the team. Unfortunately, it proved to be a painful experience after he was hospitalised for ten days with concussion and missed the final five games of the season after a clash during a match against Celtic on 27th April.
Tommy was initially considered to be a winger when he first came into the first team squad, but soon found himself playing at wing-half. Following Jock Stein`s move to Hibernian, Willie Cunningham assumed the managerial reins at East End Park and both brothers became regulars in the side. As a young midfielder Tommy Callaghan began to show the confidence that comes from being in a successful side. During season 1964/65, however, Tommy was to experience many of the highs and lows associated with senior football. Indeed, that season was to hold particularly bitter-sweet memories for the Pars side of the time.
The team enjoyed the club`s best ever League performance, finishing in third place on 49 points, just one point behind champions Kilmarnock and Hearts (Killie won the championship from Hearts on goal difference). Dunfermline also reached the quarter finals of the League Cup and the final of the Scottish Cup, where they were defeated 3-2 in a thrilling match by a resurgent Celtic team, courtesy of a last minute header from Billy McNeil.
The Pars also progressed in the Inter-City Fairs Cup. The tie against VFB Stuttgart was to see Tommy involved in two crucial incidents: the first leg at East End Park looked to be heading for a 0-0 when George Peebles had a penalty saved. Tommy Callaghan, however, struck a superb twenty yard drive into the net in the second half to give Dunfermline a precious lead to take to Germany. Undaunted by the experience of losing a third play-off match 2-1 to Bilbao in Spain, the Pars commenced a fresh European campaign the following season. Tommy, who by this time was becoming an increasingly influential player in Athletic`s midfield, scored in the opening game at East End Park against Danish club Boldklub 1903. He was a player who seemed particularly suited to European games, as his record of five goals in fourteen European ties shows. Indeed, only two players have scored more goals in European matches for Dunfermline. He once described the Pars European routine under Jock Stein:
`When we went to the away legs, we usually flew out on the Monday, did some light training on the Tuesday, played on the Wednesday, and came home on the Thursday. We usually rested up, or had a sleep on the afternoon of the game `“ Jock Stein believed in that for all of us! We always played in front of good crowds in Europe `“ any British team was a big attraction in those days! We had a few of our own supporters, usually a few of those who were regulars in the East Port Bar. The highlight after the game was to relax, and have a beer or two, but we were careful not to overdo it `“ we always got an early flight on Friday mornings, and no one wanted a sore head with that!`
Just as great things were being said and expected of Tommy, he had to endure a long spell out of the game. Tommy broke a leg in a league match against Clyde on 5th November 1966 and was out for three months, which virtually finished the season for him.
The following season Tommy gained his cherished Scottish Cup medal after defeating Hearts in the final 3-1. The 1968 Cup campaign remained his outstanding memory of his days at East End Park, and given the events of the previous season it is easy to see why that would be the case. The first round of the Scottish Cup saw the trickiest of draws, away to then European Champion`s Celtic, but it was a match which Dunfermline sensationally won 2-0. In a later interview for the Pars match programme, Tommy recalled, `Aye, it was a good start! We had such a good team at the time though; we really weren`t frightened of playing anyone. If we were away to Celtic, or Rangers, or any of the other great Scottish sides then, we always wanted to beat them and prove we were the best. When we won 2-0 at Parkhead, it really was a dream come true. There was a photograph in the paper the next day of George Farm and me having a hug after the final whistle, it`s a rare photo that as it didn`t happen too often after that!`
Tommy`s relationship with then manager George Farm did indeed deteriorate to the point where he felt he had to ask for a transfer. In the end he got his wish and on 22nd November 1968, Tommy left Dunfermline, joining Celtic for a then record fee for the Glasgow club of £35,000. Just prior to this Tommy had been selected along with his brother for the Scottish League side to play the League of Ireland. He was only 23 at the time, holder of a Scottish Cup winners medal, and seasoned European campaigner.
As usual, Stein had done his homework because Tommy went on to play a major role for Celtic during most of their glory years. He won six consecutive league winners medals between 1968 and 1974; four Scottish Cup winners medals and one Scottish League Cup winners medal. He made a big contribution to Celtic`s wonderfully successful European campaigns of the day featuring in the European Cup Final (on the bench) in 1971, and two semi-finals of the same competition in 1972 and 1974.
Tommy left Celtic in 1976 to play for a resurgent Clydebank and he played a significant part in their rise to the Premier League at that time. In 1978, he moved to Ireland to become player/manager with Galway Rangers but a year later he was back with Clydebank helping out with the reserves. Finally, Tommy moved to Firhill to assist Bertie Auld with Partick Thistle.
In later years, Tommy became a hospitality host at Celtic Park, a job he enjoyed immensely. However, despite all of his commitments at Parkhead, he also always had time for his first professional club, and indeed his son Tom played for the Pars briefly in the 1990s. Tommy senior was always keen to visit East End Park and took part in a great variety of different events, from giving us a lot of laughs at the hospitality chat-in on match days, playing for the `˜Living Legends` team as part of the half-time entertainment for the Stewart Petrie Testimonial in 2003, to, along with brother Willie, signing bottles of the club`s Christmas limited edition whisky entitled `˜The Brothers`! He loved being with his former players, but he was also that kind of person who was always willing to do anything he could to help the club.
In a playing career with Dunfermline that spanned over six and a half years, Tommy made 204 first team appearances for Dunfermline in league, national and European cup matches, scoring 25 goals. Those that had the good fortune to watch him play will remember his incredible energy, and his long, loping strides that seemed to eat up the ground at a remarkable rate of knots, turning defence into attack. He was once described by one of his former teammates Harry Melrose who we also sadly lost a short time ago as, `A cultured player who was the perfect link between defence and attack. Jock Stein took him to Celtic which showed how highly big Jock rated him.` He was undoubtedly one of those players, both for Dunfermline and for Celtic, that would rank in many people`s `˜Best Uncapped Player` list.
Tommy, or Tid to his teammates, had played a crucial role in the development of a side that had grown from relative obscurity to being a club that could compete not just with the best in Scotland, but also with the top sides in Europe. For that reason, he will always remain a hero at East End Park.
Our sadness is shared by fans across the country who enjoyed his football, his kindness and his banter. RIP Tommy. Our thoughts are with Kathy, Marie, Tom, and his grandchildren.
Related Stories
views: 169