Celtic signed ex-Albion Rovers player from Welsh minnows

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The Celtic Star

·4 de diciembre de 2024

Celtic signed ex-Albion Rovers player from Welsh minnows

Celtic on this Day in 1951 signed former miner and Albion Rovers player from Welsh side Llanelli Town, underwhelming it was not…

Jock Stein signs for Celtic on 4 December 1951. Photo The Celtic Wiki

4 December 1951

On this day in 1951 Jock Stein signed for Celtic. History has been dominated about Stein’s glittering managerial career in Glasgow’s East End, but it was in late 1951 where his story with Celtic began.

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From the pit-fields of Lanarkshire to the minefields of Wales, Stein signed for Celtic from Welsh outfit Llanelli Town where he had spent a year. Prior to his short spell at Llanelli, Stein had given eight years of service to Albion Rovers, playing 236 matches for the Coatbridge club who were his longest serving senior team as a player.

Jock Stein signed for Celtic on 4 December 1951. Photo The Celtic Wiki

It was Jimmy McGrory’s assistant trainer Jimmy Gribben who spotted Stein as an ideal target for the Celtic reserves. The fee the Hoops paid to Llanelli had been around £1200, and the Burnbank-born defender was Celtic’s fourth choice centre/back until he broke through as a permanent starter.

Coronation Cup glory

Captaining Celtic in the Coronation Cup in 1953, and then to a league and Scottish Cup double in the 1953/1954 season — this had been Stein’s most successful period as a player in green and white colours. Suffering an ankle injury setback in 1955 would cost his career as it was an injury he would never fully recover from.

Stein hung up the boots in 1957 and would turn to coaching. It would prove to be the best life-decision he would ever make!

Conor Spence