Died: 7 Aug 1941
Place of Death: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Signed: 27 May 1893 (loan); 3 June 1893 (permanent)
Left: Mar 1895 (to Newton Heath [forerunner of Manchester Utd])
Debut: Celtic 5-0 Rangers, Charity Cup, 27 May 1893
Position: Centre, Inside-left, Foward
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 4
International Goals: 1

Biog

Joe Cassidy was a strong and burly forward who played for Celtic for two seasons.

He won a Charity Cup Medal and was part of the team that won the Club's second Championship flag in 1894 as well as a Glasgow Cup winners medal.

Joe played for Scotland 4 times scoring once.

He went on to play for Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Workington Town as a player-coach and retired in November 1906.

Post-Celtic
Joe joined Newton Heath in time for them to win their 1893 test match - or relegation play-off - against Small Heath. His emergency work done, he returned to Celtic until Newton Heath came calling again, two years after his initial two-month spell.

Cassidy stayed in Manchester much longer second time around, establishing himself as a powerful and prolific goalscorer in five years with Newton Heath from 1895. Seems as if he is a bit of a legend in Manchester. He is in the top ten of Manchester United's top scorers just making it past the 100 mark in his last game for Newton Heath in 1900. He is a place above Bobby Charlton.

In April 1900 Cassidy was sold to Manchester City for £250. The club directors admitted that he was the best forward they had ever had but because of Newton Heath's serious financial problems he had to be sold. During his time at the club he scored 100 goals in 174 appearances.

Cassidy also did well in his first season at his new club ending up as top scorer with 14 goals in 30 games. However, he was sold to Middlesbrough at the end of the season for £75 on the grounds he was not worth his £4 a week wages. The manager of Manchester City, Sam Ormerod, complained about this decision but it was now clear that the directors of the club had lost confidence in him and he was no longer making the key decisions.

Cassidy became a strong favourite with the Middlesbrough fans and over the next five years scored 34 goals in 135 appearances. Cassidy became player-coach at Workington in 1906.

In April 1916 the Manchester Football News reported that "Joe Cassidy, whose connections with Manchester football extended over such a long period, has had a mental breakdown." It is not known whether this was connected to the First World War.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

• 1893-94

Pictures

• Player Pics

Links

• Celtic Grave Society forum

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