Higgins, John

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Fullname: John Higgins
Born: 7 Jan 1933
Died: 8 June 1994
Birthplace: Uddingston
Signed: 10 Jan 1950
Left: 1 Aug 1959 (Queen of the South)
Position: Outside Right
Debut: Celtic 0-0 Clyde, (Glasgow Charity Cup), 3 May 1952
Internationals: none
Celtic Coach: 1961
Chief Scout: 18 June 1967 – 3 July 1975

Biog

The talented John Higgins was signed as a teenager by Celtic in January 1950 from St John’s Uddingston BG. He was a part-timer for a good deal of his early time at the club whilst he completed his apprenticeship as a draughtsman and only opted to go full-time in 1952.

An outside-right John Higgins’ first team debut would come in an uneventful 0-0 Charity Cup draw at Parkhead against Clyde on 3rd May 1952 and it would be another 17 months before he made his first league appearance. Having him flounder in the reserves rather than being milked in the first team is another indicator to the poor management back in the day.

After finally forcing himself into the first team John Higgins would play a key role in the league and Scottish Cup double triumph of season 1953-54. He had the intelligence and ability to both create and score goal from out wide and was a potent attacking outlet for the Hoops. Just a year after being a little known reserve he was regarded as one of the Bhoys’ key men.

He scored the goal that sealed the league titled in the 1953-54 season, and was said to have had a fine game against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup winning final for Celtic.

Sadly though John’s obvious talent was not allowed to flourish as he was struck by a seemingly never ending run of injuries. In Dec 1954 he suffered a broken toe, and this was followed by fluid on the knee.

He attempted several comebacks but despite some fine performances he would never reach the heights of his breakthrough year. He missed most of season 1955-56, but came back to have a great season in 1956-57 scoring 17 goals in 29 league & Cup games including four against Airdrieonians in a 7-3 victory in the league. He was a consistent scorer for much of the league campaign, and it was as productive a time as his first two seasons.

However he was out for all of 1957-58, and despite making a partial comeback in season 1958-59 playing in his accustomed outside right position, he was to only play in ten games and score two goals. He now looked half the player he had been. He was freed from Celtic in May 1959.

John Higgins would briefly join Queen of the South in August 1959 but within a month he had called time on his career after finally admitting defeat in his constant battle with a knee injury.

For a man marked as potentially “The New Delaney” this was a painful moment to see the end of his Celtic career finish so prematurely. He was a reliable scorer for the first team when on former but his development was continually curtailed due to his injury jinx.

John Higgins played in total 87 times for Celtic (which includes three Glasgow Cup games), and scored 42 goals (one in the Glasgow Cup).

Taking in all the travails that Celtic endured during the 1950’s which just resulted in endless underachievement, John Higgins helped to play a good part in a short but great period for the club. His loss to the first team possibly exacerbated what was then already a difficult situation, as with John Higgins in the side maybe things wouldn’t have been as bad for the first team in those difficult years.

Post-Celtic
He stayed in close contact with staff at Celtic Park and returned as a youth team coach in the 1970’s working with the youth team and the Reserves as well as carrying out a scouting role on Celtic’s behalf from 1967 onwards going on to become chief scout at Parkhead. He resigned as Chief Scout at Celtic Park in July 1975.

One of the great moments of pride was being the reserve manager, a side that contained the crown jewels of Celtic youth football history, mostly the Quality Street Kids, something he acknowledged and should take some pride from for his part in their progress:

“I believe we have the best reserve strength in Britain. What’s more, the majority of the boys are Celtic-reared.”

After football, he continued to work as a draughtsman for Babcocks in Paisley for many years.

He passed away on 8 June 1994. A long life, and deserving of much respect from the support.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

• 1953-54

Scottish Cup

• 1954

Pictures

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