Callachan, Henry

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Fullname: Henry Callachan
aka: Henry Callaghan, Harry Callachan, Harry Callaghan
Born: 9 April 1903
Died: 11 Feb 1990
Birthplace: Madras, India
Signed: 11 Aug 1925 (£50 from Kirkintilloch Rob Roy)
Left: 24 Sep 1927 (to Leicester City)
Position: Full-back/Right-back
Debut: Celtic 0-0 Dundee, League, 31 Oct 1925
Internationals: none

Biog

The son of a Scottish soldier Henry Callachan was born in Madras, India.

He cost Celtic £50 when he signed from junior outfit Rob Roy (Kirkintilloch) in August 1925. The right-sided full back was bought as cover for Willie McStay but found himself also behind Hugh Hilley and latterly Peter McGonagle in the battle for a first-team slot.

He was described as:

“A very stylish full-back… plays as McNair played – the ball comes to him more often than he goes to it… he knows the art of taking up position… McNair’s successor”.

He made his debut in a 0-0 league draw with Dundee at Celtic Park on 31st October in the Championship winning 1925/26 season, and was to earn a run of games towards the tail-end of the season. Celtic did not lose any of those games he played in that season. He didn’t get to play in any of the matches to the Scottish Cup final which Celtic lost to St Mirren.

Similar to his first season, he again was to play little in the following season (1926/27) and only won a run of games late on. Celtic lost only one of the games in which he played, so he had a good record. However, Celtic lost their league title and came third behind Rangers & Motherwell. Also, Celtic were conceding heavily, and in his 1926/27 appearances, the first team conceded 8 goals in those five games (not that it was necessarily his fault).

This time Celtic went on to win the Scottish Cup that season, but again sadly for Henry he played no part in that run. Celtic had after that last season begun a lull, something that was unimaginable a generation or so back. The club’s old hegemony was now long gone and not to return till the mid-1960s.

He was not to become a regular starter, and in September 1927 he moved south to join Leicester City after 11 league appearances in the Hoops, but things didn’t work out there at his new club either. He moved on to various lower tier clubs including Tunbridge Wells Rangers, Burton Town, Wigan Athletic and Market Harborough Town.

He passed away in 1990.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

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