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Fullname: Michael Haughney
aka: Mike Haughney
Born: 10 December 1926
Died: 22 February 2002
Birthplace: Paisley
Position: Right-Back
Signed: 29 January 1949
Left: 1957 (retired)
Debut: Celtic 3-2 Rangers, League Cup, 13 Aug 1949 (scored once)
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 1
International Goals: 0
Biog
There’s no better way of starting your Celtic career than smashing home a late winner against Rangers and that’s exactly what Mike Haughney did in his first game in the Hoops.
Signed from Newtongrange Star on 20th January 1949 Mike Hauhgney made his debut at Parkhead on 13th August 1949 as the Bhoys defeated Rangers 3-2 in a League Cup encounter (and managed to score a goal also). Mike Hauhgney had started that game at outside-left but for most of his Celtic career he would play at right back.
His first outing in that position as right-back came in the famous Glasgow Charity Cup ‘Danny Kaye final’ when Celtic defeated Rangers 3-2 at Hampden on 6th May 1950 in front of the renowned American entertainer Danny Kaye.
His first season (1949/50) was one not to forget for him, as despite the poor overall results for Celtic, Mike Haughney was one to stand out by scoring an incredible 18 goals. As well as scoring on his debut, he then scored a hat-trick v Aberdeen in a 5-4 victory in his next match (both matches in the league cup).
However, he was more of a defender, and injuries lost him valuable gametime time from the season following, and it wasn’t till 1952/53 that he was once again a full regular.
Mike Hauhgney – whose studies at Edinburgh University meant during his early years at Parkhead he could only train part-time – made the right-back berth his own and he was in that position for some notable Celtic triumphs including the St Mungo Cup and the Coronation Cup. Legendary coach Jimmy Hogan bemoaned that Mike Hauhgney was only a part-time player, and stated that:
“He has the hardest and most accurate shot I’ve seen in years, if he could train regularly, he would soon achieve top grade“.
It wasn’t to be easy as Celtic struggled to pick itself up having been long in the doldrums, and it wasn’t until Jock Stein’s arrival that the club was revitalised.
Working with Jock Stein in defence, he was to become a key part of the 1953-54 league and Scottish Cup double winning side, most notably as the penalty kick taker five times. He scored two penalties v Hearts in Feb 1954 but Celtic still lose 3-2, but he scored penalties v Stirling Albion (4-3 win) and v Hamilton (2-1 win) in close run victories. He played in the Scottish Cup final for Celtic to seal the double, but also scored the winner in the final league match of the season as Celtic won 1-0 v Hamilton to wrap up a memorable time. It was the club’s first league title in 16 years, a major achievement after so long in the doldrums.
As a further reward, in April 1954, he was capped by Scotland for the clash with England (played on a bleak wet Saturday) losing 4-2.
However, winning further silverware was to be limited as the First Team reverted back to its underachieving status. He was a member of the squad that won the league cup title for the first time in season 1956-57, defeating Partick Thistle 3-0 after a no-score replay, and played throughout that run. It was though another difficult season as Celtic finished fifth in the league and struggled to make any dent for the title, but Mike Haughney was a regular and contributed 8 goals in the league to help push Celtic forward.
A dependable, solid and wholehearted Celt, Mike Haughney played 233 times in the main competitions for the Hoops and scored 44 goals, mostly from the penalty spot where his trademark blast down the middle became much emulated by others.
At the end of the 1956-57 season Mike Hauhgney chose to retire from full-time football, despite the pleas to reconsider from Celtic officials, and he emigrated to the USA.
He emigrated to the States at the same time that Celtic were embarking on their 1957 American tour. His last game for Celtic was in the Glasgow Charities Cup game against Rangers at Ibrox on 1st May 1957, sadly not quite the mirror to his Celtic career as the Bhoys lost 1-0.
Prior to signing for Celtic, during the second World War, Mike Hauhgney was a Captain in the Commando Unit of the Seaforth Highlanders.
He later emigrated to Indiana USA in 1957 after leaving Celtic.
He passed away in 2002.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1949-57 | 159 | 29 | 45 | N/A | 233 |
| Goals: | 32 | 5 | 7 | – | 44 |
Honours with Career
Scottish Cup
Scottish League
Scottish League Cup
Scotsman, The (Edinburgh, Scotland)
March 7, 2002
Mike Haughney, Celtic and Scotland footballerBorn: 10 December, 1925, in Paisley Died: 22 February, 2002, in Peoria, Illinois, aged 76 MIKE Haughney played as a forward and right-back for Celtic FC in a football career spanning from 1949 to 1957.
Football flowed through his very veins. His uncle, Andrew Haughney, played, albeit briefly, for Aberdeen FC, and his great-uncle, Peter Dowds, was one of the first Celtic players.
Born in Paisley, Haughney grew up in the mining village of Dalkeith, outside Edinburgh, and was educated at St David’s School. He soon took to sport as his field in which to stand out from his seven siblings, and at an early stage came to the attention of his teachers and coaches as a youth of exceptional promise.
The Second World War intervened, and in his late teens and early twenties he rose to the rank of captain in the Commando unit of the Seaforth Highlanders.
In 1949, he was signed by Celtic from Newtongrange Star, training with the Parkhead team part-time while also studying for a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Edinburgh. “Haugh-nae bother!” declared a newspaper headline reporting on his debut game with Celtic: in the first match of the 1949-50 League Cup, he scored the winning goal against Rangers in front of a crowd of 70,000.
He ended his first season as joint top scorer with John McPhail, with a tally of 12 goals; but his true position was to be as a defender, not a striker. After a period of injury, he was reinstated as right-back, and blossomed in the new position. He also excelled as a redoubtable penalty-taker, scoring 23 out of 25 of Celtic’s penalties between 1953 and 1957.
Team-mates over those years included Bobby Collins, Bertie Peacock, Charlie Tully, Neil Mochan and Jock Stein, and together they fought many a battle against Scottish and European teams.
In 1954 he was awarded his first full international cap, in a 2-4 defeat at Hampden against England – the same year that Celtic won the League and Cup double for the first time in 40 years.
He is also remembered for scoring the only (somewhat controversial) goal against Hearts in the whole of their campaign for the Scottish Cup in 1955-56, when in the final the Edinburgh team beat Celtic 3-1.
A year later, Haughney quit football, and Scotland. In 1952, he had married Winifred Ross, and together they emigrated to America in 1957 to build a new life. He took up employment with a bakery firm, and with his characteristic blend of perseverance, intelligence and good humour, gradually worked his way up to an executive position.
Very much a family man, Mike Haughney was devoted to his wife and children, and then his four grandchildren, and always kept in close touch with his brothers and sisters, sharing his gentle, wryly humorous observations on American life with his Scottish family. He was active in his local church, and well known in the community, where he lived at Palos Heights, not far from Chicago.
On 7 February, Mike and Win Haughney celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary together. Shortly afterwards, he fell ill and passed away peacefully at the home of his son in Peoria, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his wife, children Mike and Sandie; and four grandchildren.
Obituary
February 24, 2002
Section: Obituaries
Edition: All
Page: B06
Michael Haughney Sr.
PEORIA – Michael A. Haughney Sr., 76, of Peoria, formerly of Palos Heights, died at 3:05 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, 2002, at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Born Dec. 10, 1925, in Paisley, Scotland, to Michael and Margaret Daley Haughney, he married Winifred J. Ross on Feb. 7, 1952, in Edinburgh, Scotland. She survives.
Also surviving are one son, Michael (and Theresa) of Peoria; one daughter, Sandy (and David) Gawinski of Appleton, Wis.; four grandchildren; two brothers, Andrew and John, both of Scotland; and three sisters, Mary Meechan and Helen Donoghue, both of Scotland, and Thomasina Richardson of England.
One brother and one sister preceded him in death.
A World War II British Army veteran, he was stationed in Cairo, Egypt, retiring as a captain.
A professional soccer player, he played for the Glasgow Celtics and played at the Coronation Cup for Queen Elizabeth.
He graduated from Edinburgh University in Scotland with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.
He was a personnel manager, last working for Cornell Forge Co. until retiring in 1992.
He was a member of St. Alexander’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus in Palos Heights.
A funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Peoria Heights, where visitation will be one hour before. The Rev. William Watson will officiate. Cremation will be accorded, and burial of ashes will be at a later date. Wright & Salmon Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Copyright (c) 2002 The Peoria Journal Star, Inc.
Charitable supporter donates memorabilia for auction
February 1, 2023
Supporter Bill Daly, a family member of 1950s’ Celtic player Mike Haughney, is supporting both Celtic FC Foundation and Beatson Cancer Charity by auctioning some prized possessions.
Bill hopes to raise as much as possible with his unique football memorabilia dating back to 1952, which will be auctioned via McTear’s Sporting Auction, who have also very kindly waived their seller’s fees in support of his efforts.
Bill’s cousin, Mike, played at right-back for Celtic between 1949 and 1957, scoring on his debut against Rangers and, unusually for a full back, went on to score a further 43 goals.
Winning five major honours throughout his Celtic career, Mike played alongside the legendary Jock Stein before retiring in 1957 and moving stateside to Indiana with his family.
It is that historic link with the club that has now led Bill to support the Foundation. He said: “My cousin played against so many famous teams and would take his notebook into the opposition dressing room after each match and collect signatures for me.
“As a young child I remember being so grateful and to still have that book now, is really special.”
Alongside the endless pages of historic teams’ signatures, Mike and Bill also gathered a mixture of tickets, programmes and other footballing memorabilia throughout the years.
Bill was in Lisbon on that historic day in 1967 and his collection includes his original European Cup final ticket.
Bill continued: “The European Cup ticket brings back some lovely memories. With an amazing personal link to Celtic Football Club and our history, it was incredible to be there on the day. Being able to pass these on and support two amazing charities at the same time feels like the right thing to do.”
Although the Celtic memorabilia piques real interest, the stand out item is an original collection of signatures from the famous ‘Busby Babes’, when Manchester United played a friendly against Celtic in 1956. Two years later, in February of 1958, many of the team who played that day would sadly lose their lives in the tragic Munich Air Disaster.
Along with the ‘Busby Babes’ collection, there are many other wonderful items in the auction, including the signatures of many teams such as the Arsenal team of 1953, the Wolves team of 1954, the Partick Thistle team circa 1950s and the Aberdeen team circa 1950s.
All proceeds will be split equally between Celtic FC Foundation and Beatson Cancer Charity and will be gratefully received by both charities.
You can support Bill’s wonderful fundraising efforts by participating in the auction with McTear’s. You can bid on the auction lots (1516 to 1533) in person or online
