Long, Hugh

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Fullname: Hugh Bradley Long
aka: Hugh Long
Born: 3 Jan 1923
Birthplace: Glasgow
Died: 1988, Glasgow
Signed: Summer 1942 (from Maryhill Harp)
Left: 18 Mar 1944 (free); 22 Mar 1944 (Clyde)
Position: Outside-left
Debut: Celtic 2-2 Dumbarton, Regional League, 8 Aug 1942
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 1
International Goals: 0 (v N Ireland)

Biog

Signed from Maryhill Harp in the summer of 1942, Hugh Long was an all action outside-left who would end up playing his best football away from Parkhead.

His Bhoys debut came in a 2-2 Regional League draw with Dumbarton at Celtic Park on 8th August 1942. At Parkhead, it was said that he displayed more energy than skill.

Despite the poor standing of Celtic at the time, he played a strong role in helping Celtic win (minor) silverware in winning the Glasgow Charity Cup in May 1943, one of only two trophies won by Celtic during those difficult war years. He scored once in the first match in a 3-0 win over Queen’s Park, and then again scored a goal in the final v Third Lanark, a 3-0 win. Times were bad for Celtic back then but this victory likely put the smiles back on the faces of the Celtic support for a little while.

Admittedly the Glasgow Charity Cup is not a significant tournament but still 25,000 turned up to watch it to savour the moment in those difficult times. It only partly made up for another very poor season for Celtic who ended the 1942-43 season in ninth place on the same points as Dumbarton in the wartime Southern Scottish League table, with Rangers far ahead on top and Morton next.

In his time at Celtic, he scored three goals in the league in just two matches, all in back-to-back games in January 1944: twice v Third Lanark and then once v Hearts a few days later. A fine personal achievement but they were to be his only goals in the major competitions for Celtic. It did help Celtic recover in the league table to end the next season as runners-up, again though behind Rangers.

Curiously, despite finally becoming a regular player from early Jan 1944, playing eight games in a row to near end-February, he would leave soon after and joined Clyde on a free transfer in March 1944. The league season may have been practically over but the Southern League Cup was still being contested as well as the Glasgow Charity Cup to come. Celtic were having a fine record in the matches in which he was playing that season.

At a time when Celtic were a shambles (across team & board management) it seems that Hugh’s departure was to be a big loss to Celtic. As was once said below about him, he had dig:

“He could never put the brakes on. Every game meant expenditure of 100 per cent effort… a human whirlwind… with the guts and go that so often accompany red hair.”

At the Bully Wee (‘Clyde’), he was switched to left-half where he matured into an excellent player with a fine long career for that side, and became a Scotland international earning one cap (a 0-0 draw with N Ireland). He was described as a player with intelligence and a perfect mix of graft and craft, and is regarded as one of the classiest outside-left players to have played for Clyde: “A fine constructive player“.

His manager at Clyde, Paddy Travers, described him as “the toughest egg I ever met”. Paddy Travers was an ex-Celtic player and then later the Aberdeen manager before moving to Clyde as manager.

Seems Celtic may have lost out on a very good player who could have made a bit of a difference for the First Team. During the war and for many years after, Celtic remained a poor side. Hugh Long on the other hand had a good career at Clyde, and Celtic supporters were likely left to wonder “What if?“. Then again, Clyde were not a a major premier side but neither were Celtic for much of the 1940s either who did little better.

After a ten year career at Clyde, Hugh had a late spell at Worcester City and then retired from play in 1956.

He passed away in 1988.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Glasgow Charity Cup

• 1

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