John Divers – ‘Celtic, Celtic, That’s The Team For Me’

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The Celtic Star

·23 May 2025

John Divers – ‘Celtic, Celtic, That’s The Team For Me’

He may have been something of a ‘nearly man’ but John Divers was a fine player who was loved and respected by the Celtic supporters…

John Divers (Celtic’s third) is carried by John Hughes and Bobby Murdoch at training. Photo The Celtic Wiki

John Divers played 232 matches in the famous green and white hoops scoring 102 goals, a fantastic return which any player would be proud to boast.

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John Divers had a proud Celtic heritage

John was destined to don the hoops as his father also John represented the club from 1932 to 1945 making over 70 appearances, over 200 if you count unofficial war time games, and helped the club win the Scottish league championship and was part of the side who won the iconic Empire Exhibition Cup in 1938.

John Divers (Celtic’s third). Photo The Celtic Wiki

The better known legend that was Patsy Gallacher also happened to be his great uncle so green and white blood was most definitely flowing through John’s veins.

John Divers scored on his Celtic debut against St Mirren

John a talented footballer in his own right signed for the club in July 1956 from Glentyan Thistle and made his first team debut at the age of 17 in November of the following year scoring in a 2-2 home draw with St Mirren just a month after the club’s famous 7-1 ‘Oh Hampden in the Sun’ League Cup Final win over Rangers.

John Divers (Celtic’s third). Photo The Celtic Wiki

Bad news from a vascular surgeon didn’t stop John Divers

John was up against it from such a young age and his career was thrown into doubt before it had even started due to suffering from a crippling disease that affected the veins in his legs so much so that he was told by a vascular surgeon at the age of 20 that his legs resembled that of a 70 year old throwing his career very much into serious doubt.

John however was made of strong stuff and determined to follow his father and great uncle in making a name for himself at Celtic football club.

John Hughes and John Divers (Celtic’s third). Photo The Celtic Wiki

It was a tough time to play for Celtic

Unfortunately for John, like a lot of players from that era, successes were few and far between and in his ten years at the club he failed to win a major honour with only two Glasgow Cups to show for his Celtic career. But his goal return and overall commitment to the side made him very much a popular figure amongst the Celtic supporters.

He did play a prominent part in the first of what would be nine league titles in a row scoring against Dundee United at the start of the 1965/66 campaign and it turned out to be the first goal of that special era that David Potter called The Celtic Rising.

John Divers didn’t feature much under Jock Stein

‘I’ve got a vivid memory from 1965, when it was announced he was coming back from Hibs, of Billy McNeill saying, ”Oh that’s fantastic! Wait and see how things change now!”.’ John Divers, 1995 on the return of Jock Stein to the club as manager.

Quote from The Celtic Wiki.

John Divers didn’t feature much under Jock Stein due to the great man’s focus on fitness so it was no surprise that John with his well documented physical issues was rarely used by the legendary Celtic manager. Accordingly his Celtic career dwindled before John decided to join Partick Thistle in 1966.

John decided to retire at the age of 28 and went on to become a fully qualified teacher and was as popular in his new profession as he was as a footballer.

John sadly passed away at the age of 74 in 2014

The grave of John Divers . Photo The Celtic Wiki

John sadly passed away at the age of 74 in 2014 but will always be remembered for his contributions to the club. Even by his own admissions he was humble about his Celtic career due to his lack of success, but he was more than a ‘nearly man’ and scoring a century of goals for the club firmly secures his status as a notable player in the clubs history.

The fact that he’s mentioned in the famous old Celtic tune ‘Celtic Celtic that’s the team for me’ is full testament to that and I has worked out to be a fine and ever-lastly tribute for a very worthy Celtic performer who was so proud to wear the green. It was after all his destiny.

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