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Fullname: David Cattanach
aka: Catt, Davie Cattanach, David Cattenach, Davie Cattenach
Born: 27 June 1946
Died: 4 February 2022
Birthplace: Falkirk
Signed: 19 August 1963
Left: 20 January 1972
Position: Defence/Half-back/Full back
First appearance: Saint Mirren home 5-0 league 9 April 1966
Last appearance: Cowdenbeath home 3-0 league 7 November 1970
Only goal: Dundee United away 5-0 league 30 March 1968
Internationals: none
Biog 
“Davie Cattanach was there [in the reserves] most of the time as well and he was a rough and ready defender who was very enthusiastic… had great enthusiasm for the club and still worked hard.”
Danny McGrain on Davie Cattanach (2012)
Half-back David Cattanach was signed by the Hoops in August 1963 from Stirling Albion having been a much sought after youngster with Manchester United and Liverpool on his trail.
He made his first team debut in a 5-0 win over St Mirren on 9th April 1966 in a league clash at Parkhead. A member of the squad during the all conquering 1966-67 season it wasn’t until the next year that he got a regular run of games. In September 1967 Davie Cattanach played at Ibrox in front of a massive crowd of 90,000 and was capable of playing in a number of positions.
On January 28th 1968 he was at right back when Celtic lost to Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup and Davie Cattanach carried the can for the defeat. Taking in the quality of the squad of the time, any player was easily replaceable which was a difficulty for everyone. Being so versatile also ironically worked against him as he became a utility player. He was good enough for any side but Celtic were so strong in depth during his time at the club.
He was rarely given many runs in the first team, the longest was a four match stretch in season 1967-68 stepping in for Jim Craig who took back his role.
He continued to play sporadically and scored his only goal at Tannadice in a 5-0 win in March 1968 after coming on as substitute for Charlie Gallagher. In the Autumn of 1970 he had a fine spell in the side as sweeper which included playing in Finland against Kokkola in the European Cup and he was regarded as being unlucky losing his place to Jim Brogan after that.
He made a total of just 19 appearances for Celtic – with that one goal – before joining hometown club Falkirk in January 1972. After hanging up his boots, David Cattanach went on to be a very successful businessman.
He may not have reached the heights of others, but he was much more an important person off the pitch. A lauded youngster as mentioned above, he was one of the initial members of the “Quality Street Gang” group of players alongside George Connelly and Davie Hay, with whom he remained close friends for life, and became a fine captain of that successful development side. Whilst the careers of his fellow colleagues rose, his never did but he played a part in their rise. In fairness, when you look at the quality of his fellow players at the time it was quite a challenge to even just make the first team.
In the early days, many players from the “Quality Street Gang” and others used to meet up and stay with him at his home for a get together around once a month and have a friendly (albeit competitive) kickabout. The players lining up for these games were astonishing (Hay, Macari, Connelly, Gorman, Dalglish, McGrain, Alex Smith etc) . It was such a major part of these players playing development, that those who couldn’t make it used to enquire about how the games went and what were the scores (and it was all just a kickabout!). It was something special and a whole education in itself. It played a strong part in the development of all those players, and it was all in Davie Cattanach’s back garden.
On a personal level, what was most important about Davie Cattanach was that he looked out for others, such as watching out for George Connelly (whose full situation Davie Cattanach admits he didn’t know in its entirety at the time). George Connelly was thankful for his friendship and Davie’s departure from Celtic is attributed in part to having fuelled George Connelly’s later accelerating downward spiral at Celtic (both personally and on the pitch).
One other story Davie Cattenach recalled was that of Tony McBride. Heralded as a prodigious talent, the drink destroyed Tony McBride. Davie Cattanach tried to pull him straight to no avail, but it’s a measure of Davie Cattanach’s character that as a colleague and a friend that he at least tried to help him.
Despite Davie Cattanach’s own lack of success to cement his place in the first side, he will be best remembered by those who knew him. It is a measure of his character that he stayed at Celtic to remain a squad player when he could have played in the first team for virtually any other club in Scotland.
We wished all the best to this fine Celtic gentleman. His worth to the club and his fellow players was more than simply the sum of the goals he scored or the number of matches he ever played in.
Even well after leaving the playing side of the game, he was still very much part of the Celtic supporters’ communities, and so many have spoken very highly of his contributions and assisting supporters, writers and social media people.
Davie Cattanach passed away in February 2022 after having been diagnosed with cancer six weeks earlier. He will be very fondly remembered by all who knew him.
Quotes & Anecdotes
“Davie Cattanach was there [in the reserves] most of the time as well and he was a rough and ready defender who was very enthusiastic. It was good for us to see someone who was perhaps out the picture but still had great enthusiasm for the club and still worked hard. He also takes a bit of credit for our knowledge of the game.”
Danny McGrain on Davie Cattanach (2012)
1) Great story from George Connelly’s book
They decided they were gonna do Alex MacDonald during a game v Rangers as he was always a dirty bastard against them. The chance came and Cattenach caught up with him around the throat with his boot as Macdonald bent down to header a ball. MacDonald got carried off and Cattenach gets away with it.
They go in at half time, dressing room cock a hoop at getting rid of MacDonald. Stein comes in and goes mental at Cattenach: “If you ever make another tackle like that again it will be the last time you wear the hoops!”.
Dressing room falls silent and all the players have their heads down as Stein goes for it.
“I was walking towards the door to go out for the second half chastened with my head down ” said Davie Cattenach.
“Next thing is I felt an arm going round my shoulder, I look round and it’s Sean Fallon.
“He whispers in my ear: “Son, that’s the greatest tackle I ever seen in my life!“”.
2) From St Anthony of TheCelticWiki
Davie Cattanach had a very aggressive playing style and was a great competitor. Whilst researching the ‘Kenny of the Celtic’ book, an ex-Celtic player regaled me the following story.
Kenny Dalglish was a very young and slightly built inside forward at the time and one night during a reserve fixture, a more experienced opponent left Kenny on the ground after taking a liberty with a bad tackle.
He then proceeded to shout in his direction: ‘That’s how ye tackle, ya Fenian b*****d!’.
At the first opportunity Davie Cattanach sought retribution on Kenny’s behalf by leaving the said offender lying in a heap in pain after a tackle of his own whilst leaning over his opponent and telling him: ‘That’s how Fenian b******s tackle!’.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1963-72 | 10 (3) | 3 | 1 (1) | 1 | 15 (4) |
| Goals: | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Honours with Celtic
none
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David Cattanach RIP
https://thecelticstar.com/david-cattanach-rip/
By DAVID POTTER
7 February, 2022
It was with regret that we learned of the passing of David Cattanach (sometimes listed as Cattenach) who was with the club from 1963 until 1972, always a good reliable player in the reserve team, but although he played 19 times in the first team, he was never really good enough to dislodge Bobby Murdoch from the right half or Jim Craig from the right back position.
Born in Falkirk in 1946, he joined the club from Stirling Albion in August 1963 (the same time as the protests against Bob Kelly) and he was always much boasted about as a “promising” youngster. He promised for too long, however and was never really given a chance to deliver. His best opportunity came in January 1968 when he took the place of Jim Craig (who was ill) for a spell, but David sadly came to grief on that awful day in late January when we exited the Scottish Cup to Dunfermline at Celtic Park. David was badly at fault with one of the Dunfermline goals, and he fell from grace immediately because that was a defeat which hurt Jock Stein (and indeed the rest of us) very badly, and David faded from the scene.
In summer 1970 after Bertie Auld and Tommy Gemmell were sent home from the tour of the USA for bad behaviour, David was summoned to help in the full back position and performed creditably. In 1972 he joined Falkirk and later became a Coach with Stirling Albion before disappearing from the game and becoming a business man in Falkirk.
He was not the worst player Celtic ever had – there have been others of lesser ability who have won medals – but David’s misfortune was that he was just around at the wrong time.
DAVIE CATTANACH: AN APPRECIATION
http://celticunderground.net/davie-cattanach-an-appreciation/
Posted by St Anthony | Feb 7, 2022 | Season 2021-2022 | 0 |
DAVIE CATTANACH: AN APPRECIATION
Celtic supporters were sad to learn the news at the weekend that ex Celtic Davie Cattanach has passed away.
Davie signed for Celtic as a 17 year old in 1963 and was at the club for nine years. Despite not holding down a regular first team place he was an essential squad player whose versatility was put to good effect as he was capable of playing at full back, centre back, and in midfield. Although he did not play in a great deal of games it should be borne in mind that Davie played for Celtic at a time when the Celts could have realistically taken on any team in world football and be expected to win. To even be a squad player at Parkhead, you had to be of an exceptional standard.
That high standard of player was also reflected in the reserve team of the mid to late 1960’s when Davie, as one of the more experienced players in the side, was often the captain. That reserve side is famed for producing the likes of Hay, Macari, Connelly, Dalglish, and McGrain and Davie was said to be great influence and example to these boys as they were making their way in the game.
Davie had a very aggressive playing style and was a great competitor. Whilst researching the Kenny of the Celtic book, an ex-Celtic player regaled me the following story. Kenny Dalglish was a very young and slightly built inside forward at the time and one night during a reserve fixture, a more experienced opponent left Kenny on the ground after taking a liberty with a bad tackle. He then proceeded to shout in his direction, ‘That’s how ye tackle, ya Fenian b*****d.’ At the first opportunity Davie sought retribution on Kenny’s behalf by leaving the said offender lying in a heap in pain after a tackle of his own whilst leaning over his opponent and telling him, ‘That’s how Fenian b******s tackle!’
In 2013 I had the pleasure of attending Paul John Dykes’ book launch of The Quality Street Gang, a book which detailed the careers of the young players at the club during the Stein era, Davie included. He spoke at the event, smartly dressed and with a distinctive mop of thick white hair. He described how Celtic had three teams at one point, full team, the reserve team and a third team which played in the combined league. He told of how no matter what level you played at how it was imbued into each player how privileged they were to pull on a Celtic jersey. He gave an emotional account of his own memories and also recollections of his team mates from that era. For those of us who still retain the old fashioned values of being a Celtic player above monetary gain, it was delightful to hear
At his peak, Davie Cattanach could have walked into virtually any team in Scotland in the late 1960’s but was totally devoted to Celtic. He may not be one of the more well remembered players of the Stein years but those Celtic fans who supported the club in those days will testify to the small, but important, role he played within the club.
May eternal light shine upon him and may he rest in peace.
Condolences after the passing of former Celt, Davie Cattanach
By Celtic Football Club
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2022/february/07/condolences-after-the-passing-of-former-celt–davie-cattanach/
Everyone at Celtic is saddened to hear of the death of former player, Davie Cattanach, who has passed away at the age of 75.
Davie joined Celtic in August 1963 from Stirling Albion, and was part of the legendary Quality Street Gang of talented young players who came through the ranks of the club, alongside the likes of Davie Hay, George Connelly, Danny McGrain, Kenny Dalglish, Lou Macari and Vic Davidson.
Davie Cattanach made his debut just under three years later, on April 9, 1966 in a 5-0 home win over St Mirren, and over the next six years he would go on to make a total of 19 appearances in all competitions with 15 starts and four substitute appearances.
Davie also scored one goal for Celtic, which came on March 30, 1968 in a 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice.
His 19th and final appearance for the club on November 7, 1970 in a league game at home to Cowdenbeath. He left Celtic just under two years later, signing for his hometown club, Falkirk.
The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Davie’s family at this extremely sad time.
Death of former Celtic ‘Quality Street Gang’ player David Cattanach
https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/death-of-former-celtic-quality-street-gang-player-david-cattanach-3559466
David Cattanach, former Celtic player and a respected Falkirk businessman, has died aged 75.
By Jill Buchanan
Tuesday, 8th February 2022, 12:54 pm
One of the Parkhead club’s ‘Quality Street Gang’, the defender didn’t play many first team games for the club but was a popular figure in the dressing room during the 1960s and 70s.
Celtic led the tributes in a statement: “Everyone at Celtic is saddened to hear of the death of former player, Davie Cattanach, who has passed away at the age of 75.
“The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Davie’s family at this extremely sad time.”
Cattanach joined Celtic in August 1963 from Stirling Albion, but didn’t make his first team debut until April 1966 in a 5-0 league win over St Mirren at Parkhead.
Playing under manager Jock Stein, he was part of the talented group of youngsters known as the ‘Quality Street Gang’ whose numbers included Davie Hay, George Connelly, Danny McGrain, Kenny Dalglish and Lou Macari.
Although he only played a total of 19 games for Celtic, scoring one goal, he was happy to remain a squad player when he could have had his pick of almost any other club in Scotland.
Ten years ago Danny McGrain said of him: “Davie Cattanach was there (in the reserves) most of the time as well and he was a rough and ready defender who was very enthusiastic… had great enthusiasm for the club and still worked hard.”
His time at Parkhead came to an end in 1972 when he joined his hometown club Falkirk, later becoming a coach at Stirling Albion.
After he left football his ventures included the hospitality business running Chequers in Hallglen with fellow Celtic footballer Jim Brogan and for the last 21 years has hosted hundreds of weddings and functions at The Three Kings in Shieldhill, near Falkirk.
Together with son James, and daughters Paula and Catrina, he was hands on in ensuring that every couple who were married in his venue had a special day.
Always impeccably dressed in his dinner suit, his quite spoken charm ensured that everything went smoothly.
He died on Friday, February 4 after a short illness