Pat McAuley

Pat McAuley

“Snake-hipped, a football artist with delightful footwork and great intelligence and a true craftsman”, was one of the compliments paid to one of the finest natural footballers to wear a Glasgow Celtic shirt.

Celtic attempted to build their post-War side around the talented Pat but the player suddenly demanded more money or a transfer which caused much anguish at Parkhead.

Luton Town manager Dally Duncan made a cheeky attempt to bring the player back to his struggling Division Two side and succeeded for £4,500 in December 1950.

Unfortunately, Pat was not a success in the hurly-burly of English lower League football and moved on to Kettering and then back to Scotland with Albion Rovers.

Pat was a crane operator at Ravenscraig at the time of his death in 1970, aged only 48.