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Fullname: Gerald Padua McAloon
aka: Gerry McAloon, Gerald McAloon
Born: 13 Sep 1916
Died: 13 April 1987
Birthplace: Gorbals (Glasgow)
Signed: Sep 1943-44 (loan); 4 Oct 1946 (from Brentford)
Left: 17 Aug 1948 (to Belfast Celtic)
Position: Inside-Forward
Debut: Celtic 1-0 Hamilton Accies, Regional League, 18 Sep 1943
Internationals: n/a

Biog

Bob Crampsey in his Evening Times page of November 7, 1987 in response to a query as to whether or not Jean McFarlane and Jerry McAloon had played for Dunfermline in the war-time North-Eastern League answers by stating that Jean McFarlane signed for Dunfermline from Middlesbrough in 1934 but he could find no record of Jerry McAloon playing with the Pars, but states that he did play with Airdrie in 1939-40 and had a spell with Dumbarton later on.

The Calgary Herald of March 17 1939, states that Wolves, crippled by injuries, signed Brentford inside forward McAloon for a fee of about £4,500 ($21,150). Gerald McAloon had been a regular with Brentford FC in seasons 1937/38 and 1938/39 and had played in a tie against Hearts in the Empire Exhibition Trophy. He would later rejoin Brentford.

Initially signed by Celtic in a wartime loan deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers Gerry McAloon made his debut for the Bhoys on September 18th 1943.

The inside forward scored the only goal of the match on that debut outing at Parkhead as Celtic defeated Hamilton in a Regional League tie. McAloon remained at Celtic Park for the remainder of that campaign where he scored 19 goals. He rejoined Celtic on a permanent basis in 1946 in a swap deal with Brentford which saw George Patterson go in the opposite direction.

Said to have "blistering footwork" and "He may prove the elusive link Celtic have long been looking for." It wasn't to be so.

Although a clever player Gerry had trouble combining his football career in Glasgow with working in London and then later in Ireland. He used to travel up on Fridays to get a good sleep the night before. It was never going to work out. Consequently he could not hold down a regular starting spot with the first team. It was a poor time to be involved with Celtic, the club were at their worst and the Huns had their hands on the levers of all parts of the management of the game.

Celtic were poorly managed, and the change in managers from McStay to McGrory little worked when really it was the mishandling of the board and their over-eager meddling with the first team above the head of McGrory was responsible for the shambolic state of the first team's results and low standing.

The highlight of his time in the loan spell was winning all six games in the qualifying of the Regional League Cup. If only we had him permanently and based in Glasgow full-time then you never know, we may have had a star on our hands and the barren years may have been anything but that.

He joined Belfast Celtic in August 1948 after 54 appearances and 30 goals for the Hoops. A remarkable record and one of the few great players for Celtic during the War Years (and he was just a loan signing then!) and then also for a few years thereafter.

Later, after football he became a janitor at Sacred Heart (Bridgeton) a school involved in the formation of Celtic. Sadly he died from hypothermia in 1987.

A man who will be remembered for having achieved a proud record in what was a very difficult time for Celtic.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

none

Pictures

• Player Pics

Links

• Belfast Celtic
  
• Celtic & World War Two