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Fullname: Charles Edward Napier
aka: Charlie Napier, Happy Feet, Charles Napier
Born: 8 Oct 1910
Died: 5 Sep 1973
Birthplace: Bainsford (Falkirk)
Signed: 10 Oct 1928
Left: 12 June 1935 (to Derby County)
Positions: Forward
Debut: Celtic 2-1 Queen’s Park, League, 19 Oct 1929
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 5
International Goals: 2
Biog
Dazzling footwork and an abundance of skill made Charles Napier a huge Celtic favourite.
Celtic signed the Bainsford-born forward as a teenager in October 1928 from Alva Albion Rangers and after a period farmed out to Maryhill Hibernian he made his debut in a 2-1 league win over Queen’s Park on October 19th 1929.
The Hoops support took an immediate shine to Charlie Napier whose artistry on the ball was both entertaining and effective.
Originally viewed as a winger capable of playing on both flanks, Charlie Napier – nicknamed ‘Happy Feet’ by the support – not only possessed the skill and pace to unlock defences he also had the ability score with both feet (hence the nickname). For a support blessed earlier with Patsy Gallagher, Happy Feet was a favoured son, seen as being a decent heir to Patsy Gallagher’s throne (even though he wasn’t necessarily in the same sphere as Patsy).
His prowess in front of goal was such that manager Willie Maley decided that Charlie Napier would be most effective as an inside-left rather than on the wing and it was in this position that he really excelled.
He played a key role in the 1931 Scottish Cup final when with under 10 minutes remaining his cheeky lob from a free kick set up Jimmy McGrory to score and spark a late and dramatic comeback as Celtic came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Motherwell.
The undoubted low point of his Celtic career came on September 5, 1931 with the tragic death of John Thomson. Charlie Napier was in the Celtic team on that fateful day at Ibrox.
Victory in the 1931 Scottish Cup replay and further Scottish Cup success in 1933 gave Charlie Napier his only major honours as a Celt. After knee surgery in 1934 his career as a Bhoy began to draw to an end and he fell out with the club over terms for a benefit game, as he refused to re-sign for Celtic unless the club guaranteed his benefit.
Reluctantly he eventually left for Derby County in June 1935 after the English side agreed to pay the considerable sum of £5,000. He was signed by a guy called George Jobey (Derby manager). The transfer was said to be swift and its pace took all by surprise.
Around the same time, he had played a great game for Scotland v England, having taken the two corners that helped Dally Duncan score twice against the English for victory.
Manager Willie Maley was said to not entirely favour him. Charlie Napier was said to be a flashy dresser (for example he wore bowler hats & spats on occasion), and it was said he did not always fit in with the other players. Maley was said to wonder that possibly Happy Feet should be moved on, and was he a possible reason for the then repeated inability to win the league? Possibly, but maybe he was also a scapegoat for the repeated failures.
Like other talented players, his critics moaned that he had the frustrating knack of playing to the gallery instead of doing what was best for the team at times, but you need an entertainer on the pitch.
Happy Feet said on leaving: “I’m sorry to leave Celtic Park. I’ve made friends I’ll never forget… I know my faults and it won’t be for want of trying if I don’t get over them.”
By then Happy Feet had played 200 games for Celtic and scored 92 goals. He had also made three starts for Scotland and established himself a deserved place in Celtic history, and was the first Celt to play at Wembley Stadium (London).
However, in total he left Celtic with little to show in silverware. Two Scottish Cup medals are a poor return for someone of his quality. Manager Willie Maley was waning and the side were suffering in part from this. The club had been going through a a slow decline for many years.
Celtic did win the league the season after Charlie Napier left as Jimmy McMenemy took over as Assistant Manager (acting as the manager in all but name). If Charlie Napier had got to play under Jimmy McMenemy, he could have won a coveted league medal title as he so deserved.
One unusual claim to fame which Charlie Napier had whilst at Derby was that, on 14th November 1936 against Charlton Athletic at The Valley, he was one of five County players who made history by lining up in Derby’s first ever all-international forward line. The players were Sammy Crooks (England), Dai Astley (Wales), Jack Bowers (England), Charlie Napier (Scotland) & Dally Duncan (Scotland).
Charlie Napier had a fine record in England, but he was loaned out by Sheffield Wednesday to Falkirk, his home town team, early during wartime. He went on to play a wartime international against England at Newcastle during this period (2nd Dec 1939).
Perhaps the best tribute to Charlie Napier came from Eddie Hapgood the former Arsenal and England captain in his book “Football Ambassador”. Hapgood tells an anecdote about his old boss at Arsenal, Mr George Allison, a man he describes as being a “rotund gentleman with a commanding presence and deep voice.” According to Hapgood shortly after Allison was appointed at the club he came into the team discussion and took charge summing up the following day’s game thus: “You are playing Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow and the danger man is Charlie Napier. You, Crayston (Jack Crayston, our international right-half) have the job of marking Napier – wait a moment, let me finish and then give me your views (this as Jack tries to break in), don’t leave him, and don’t let him have the ball. And now Crayston, what have you to say?” ………”Only this, Mr Allison,” mildly returned the player, “Napier plays for Sheffield Wednesday, but we play Blackpool tomorrow!”
He was suspended sine die from football on 13 Feb 1941, ended on 5 July 1943. He returned back up north to Falkirk in September 1945, then had a stint at Stenhousemuir before being freed in 1948 when we believe he hung up his boots. He became a scout for Luton Town, and then became coach for his local home side Bonnybridge Juniors.
Charlie Napier passed away on 5 Sep 1973. A much loved and fondly remembered Celt.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1928-35 | 176 | 24 | n/a | n/a | 200 |
| Goals: | 80 | 12 | – | – | 92 |
Honours with Celtic
Scottish Cup
Pictures
Links
Falkirk Football Historian
Link: http://www.falkirk-football-history.co.uk/2018/02/charles-edward-napier.html
Last summer, when I was out and about in Grandsable Cemetery I found the stone of a man that was far more famed in Scotland when playing in the Green & White Hoops than in Falkirk’s Navy Blue [never mind his time in England]. Such is the manner of Scottish Football.
I am talking about Charles Edward Napier, son of the former Falkirk FC Secretary Charles Edward Napier. Yes, he had Falkirk FC in his blood before he left Alva Albion Rovers for Celtic. Not saying a word against our brothers in Glasgow but Chic Napier was a Falkirk boy, and when European conflict sent him home he came to Falkirk.
All in all Charles [as the local Falkirk Herald respectfully called him] played in more than a hundred matches and scored [from midfield] nearly 50 goals for Falkirk: these are figures that shame some of our best centre-forwards of recent years [written 2018]. There are those out there that might say his ‘home club’ was East Stirlingshire, but as the ‘shire ‘wound up for the war we were the local team.
We can say very little about Charles’ time at Falkirk as, as anyone who has tried to research football during the War will know football reporting was limited from both sides, both from physical limitations on the amount of paper and from the Home Office limiting the facts that could be said.
But facts speak more than my words and these are the facts of Charles Napiers’ time at Falkirk.
Charles Edward Napier
b 8th October 1910, Falkirk, Stirlingshire
d 5th September 1973, Laurieston, Stirlingshire
League Debut – Saturday October 28th 1939 v Cowdenbeath (H) Scottish League [N/E]
Positions – Inside-Left, Centre-Forward, Right-Half
Club Honours – Scottish League RU 1939/40, Scottish League [North/East] W 1939/40,
Southern League Matches/Goals [64/17]
North/East League Matches/Goals [23/21]
Southern League Cup Matches/Goals [6/1]
Dewar Shield Matches/Goals [5/-]
Emergency Cup Matches/Goals [4/2]
Other Matches/Goals [5/2]
North Eastern League Matches/Goals [2/-]
North Eastern League Cup Matches/Goals [1/-]
Hat-Tricks – 3 [North/East League [3]]
Known Career – Grangemouth Sacred Heart [School], Cowie Thistle [Juvenile], Alva Albion Rangers [Junior], Maryhill Hibernian [Loan from Celtic], Celtic [1928/29-1934/35], Derby County [1935/36-1937/38], Sheffield Wednesday [1938/39-1945/46], Falkirk [1939/40-1940/41, 1943/1944, 1945/46], Stenhousemuir [1946/47-1947/48]
Played for Scotland v England, Wartime International at St James’ Park, Newcastle, 2nd December 1939
Son of Charles Napier [Falkirk FC Secretary 1898/99-1899/00]