The Celtic Star
·23 Agustus 2025
The Story of Celtic’s Original ‘Yogi Bear’ – John Hughes

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·23 Agustus 2025
John Hughes, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki
Hughes was born in Coatbridge in 1943, in the midst of World War Two. He was not the only footballer in the family; his brothers Pat and Billy played professionally, with Billy also getting capped for Scotland. He was educated at St Augustine’s school in the town.
At this time, he was a keen runner, known for his sprinting prowess. However, a teacher persuaded him to get involved with the football team. Hughes went on to appear for Kirkshaw Amateurs and Shotts Bon Accord, which brought him to the attention of Celtic’s scouts. It was not long before he invited to join the Hoops.
In 1959, when aged 16, Hughes signed on at Celtic Park. Although a young player, he was physically imposing as well as skilled on the ball, and these attributes soon saw him promoted to Celtic’s first team.
Hughes made his Celtic bow on 13 August 1960. He took the field as the Celts played against Third Lanark in the League Cup. It was a day to remember for Hughes as he scored one goal in Celtic’s two-nil victory. A week later, he was part of a Bhoys team that went to Ibrox for another League Cup tie. An exciting tie saw five goals scored in the opening hour. Hughes got Celtic’s third on the day, which proved to be the winning goal.
Rangers 2-3 Celtic – August 1960. John Hughes scores the winner.
This impressive start showed that Hughes was going to be at the heart of Celtic’s first team, but it was not a successful few years for the club. Under the control of Celtic boss Jimmy McGrory, the Bhoys failed to win any major national trophy from 1957 to 1965.
Hughes was one of Celtic’s bright spots at this time. Despite some injury problems, he scored numerous important goals and was widely admired. Indeed, he could have had his own Italian experience when Juventus were said to have made a bid for him in 1963.
1962 saw Celtic’s first experience of European football. The Bhoys’ maiden European game saw them lose to Valencia in the Fairs Cup in 1962, although Hughes was not part of this. However, he did play the following season, and make history.
In 1963, Celtic entered the Cup-Winners’ Cup. In the opening tie of the round, the Bhoys hammered Swiss team Basel 5-1. This included Hughes scoring Celtic’s first ever European hat-trick. This was one of ten hat-tricks that he scored across his entire Celtic career.
The Bhoys’ fortunes changed with the arrival of Jock Stein in early-1965. Stein’s appointment brought success to Celtic, but Hughes and him did not always have a positive relationship.
John Hughes, Celtic FC, January 1965, photo The Celtic Wiki
1965 was also a year when John Hughes would play a central role in the Bhoys’ success, with many notable personal achievements. In January of that year, he scored five goals for Celtic in one game as the Bhoys hammered Aberdeen 8-0.
Celtic 8-0 Aberdeen, 30 January 1965. John Hughes scored five goals. Photo The Celtic Wiki
He was part of the Celtic team that claimed the 1965 Scottish Cup, the Bhoys’ first trophy for eight years. In October of that year, he had an even bigger impact. Celtic beat Rangers in the League Cup Final, with Hughes dispatching two penalties to claim victory.
After that game, Rangers fans invaded the pitch as the Celtic team celebrated. It even saw players and coaches in green-and-white attacked before order was restored. This led to laps of honour being banned by the Scottish FA for a number of years.
As well as helping the Celts win games on the park, Hughes was increasingly known by another name. Based on the famous cartoon character ‘Yogi Bear’, he was nicknamed ‘Yogi’ and supporters often chanted ‘Feed the bear’ in tribute to him.
The summer of 1966 is remembered for Celtic’s pre-season tour in the USA, which many people believe help bond the players. However, it was also one of the events that led to tension between Hughes and Jock Stein. Hughes’ wife had a miscarriage when he was away, but Stein declined to tell him this.
Season 1966-67 went on to be the most celebrated in Celtic’s history. The Bhoys swept aside all before them, winning four domestic cups – League, Scottish Cup, League Cup and Glasgow Cup – as well as the European Cup.
Hughes was an important part of Celtic’s run to face Inter Milan – he played in five games en route to Lisbon – but he was not one of the Celts who walked onto the Portuguese field. Yogi was carrying an injury and could not be risked for such an important match.
Not being part of Celtic’s team for that game was something that always saddened him, even when he talked about the match years later, saying:
The Battle of Montevideo. 4th November 1967, Racing Club 1-0 Celtic, Intercontinental ClubCup. Photo The Celtic Wiki
Whilst he didn’t play in Lisbon, he was part of the Celtic team that faced Racing Club in the 1967 Intercontinental Cup. This match has become infamous for the on-field violence and antics of the South Americans. However, the Celts faced their own punishment and had four players ordered off in the playoff match, including Hughes, who kicked the opposing goalkeeper.
Despite personal disappointments, Hughes continued to be an essential player for the Celts, providing the goals and assists which helped the club to dominate Scottish football. This included another League Cup Final goal in October 1967 as the Bhoys beat Dundee 5-3.
John Fallon, John Hughes, Charlie Gallagher and Willie Wallace at the Greenock CSC in May 2017. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Yogi gained international recognition too. On eight occasions, he turned for the Scotland national team, starting in 1965 and doing so until 1969. In one match versus England at Hampden, he knocked home the ball for his only international goal.
As Celtic racked up the League Championships – and Hughes’ medal collection grew even bigger – his frustration at missing out in Lisbon continued to rankle, and he knew the only way to change this. He had to help the Celts reach another European final.
Celtic’s 1967-68 efforts were disappointing as the defending champions exited the European Cup at the first round. The following season saw the Bhoys get to the quarter-finals, but the next year would be another hugely significant one for the club.
In 1969-70, Celtic overcame Basel, Benfica and Fiorentina to reach the European Cup semi-finals. The Benfica game was especially memorable; after a 3-3 aggregate draw, Celtic won thanks to a coin toss.
In the semis, Celtic were paired with England’s champions, Leeds United. The English media expected the Yorkshire team to easily claim that season’s trophy, but the Bhoys soon left them disappointed. A 1-0 win in Leeds was followed up with a 2-1 victory at Hampden Park, and John Hughes had scored Celtic’s first in Glasgow. Celtic were in their second European Cup Final and in May 1970, they made their way to Milan in Italy. Playing at the San Siro, they faced Dutch side Feyenoord, and this time John Hughes was part of the Bhoys’ XI. Sadly, it would not end the same way as three years previously.
Despite taking the lead, Celtic were outplayed for much of the match. By full-time, it was 1-1, which meant extra time was needed. At the start of this, Hughes missed a very good chance to put the Hoops in front, and Feyenoord eventually scored a late winner.
1970 European Cup Final against Feyenoord in the San Siro, Milan on 6 May 1970. Photo The Celtic Wiki
After the game, the recriminations became clear. Stein was angry at the Celtic team whilst many of them blamed him for the Bhoys’ poor performance and underestimating a very good Feyenoord side.
Hughes later said that the team wrongly believed beating Leeds United meant the trophy would automatically be theirs. He also criticised Jock Stein for dropping George Connolly. This feeling of resentment was returned by Stein, and Hughes has said Stein blamed Hughes for missing the extra-time chance.
Losing the 1970 European Cup Final started the countdown to Hughes’ departure from Celtic Park. A little over a year later, he would no longer pull on the green-and-white hoops.
Celtic fans in Milan in 1970 for the European Cup Final on 6 May, against Dutch side Feyenoord.
By the late-1960s and early-1970s, a new breed of Celtic player was beginning to break into the first team. Known as the ‘Quality Street Gang’, this included many renowned Celts such as Lou Macari and Kenny Dalglish. As attackers, they were in competition with Hughes.
By early-1971, it seemed that Hughes’ time at Celtic was over. He was playing less often and, in March of that year, handed in a transfer request. But Yogi was still an important squad player. He helped the Bhoys win the 1971 title – their sixth in succession – but missed out on playing in the Scottish Cup Final when Rangers were defeated in a replay.
May 1971 can be seen as the end of the road for the squad that had taken Celtic to Lisbon. In Celtic’s final game of the season – playing at home against Clyde – it was advertised pre-match as being the final time that the Lisbon Lions XI would play together, although in the end they only walked out together, due to an injury to Ronnie Simpson.
John Hughes and Billy McNeill with the League Cup on 23 October 1965[/caption
By the end of 1971, six of Lions XI had left the club – Simpson, Gemmell, Clark, Wallace, Chalmers and Auld. John Hughes soon found himself on the exit list, a decision which greatly angered him. Indeed, in later years, he even said that Stein “ruined my life.”
August 1971 saw Hughes play in his last Celtic cup final, when the Bhoys lost 2-1 to Aberdeen in the Drybrough Cup, a 1970s and 1980s tournament which acted as a season opener. Then later that month, he netted against Ayr United in the League Cup, the last time he scored for the Celts.
In September 1971, Danish side 1903 Copenhagen travelled to Glasgow’s east end. Two late goals helped the Bhoys win 3-0, and overturn a first leg loss. This would be the last time that John Hughes would turn out for the Celts, which he would not have known at the time.
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John Hughes, John Fallon and Willie Wallace at the Greenock CSC in May 2017. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Within days, he made an English move. Yogi returned home from training to find Jock Stein at his house. The Celtic boss informed Hughes that he was being transferred to Crystal Palace, where he would be joined by Willie Wallace. Despite not wanting to go, Hughes was given no choice and so his next stop was London.
Overall, his English experience was less than successful, and Hughes was hampered by injuries. He spent two years at Selhurst park although played on 23 times, scoring four goals. However, one of these was a contender for ‘goal of the season’ in England. He then made a move to Sunderland in 1973 but got injured in his first – and only – game.
His time in England created animosity between Hughes and Stein. Yogi later found out that other English teams – including Everton – had been interested, but he was not given these options. Hughes even claimed he didn’t win the ‘goal of the season’ because Stein as TV judge did not pick him. This ultimately led him to miss Jock Stein’s funeral in 1985.
Copyright: imago/United Archives InternationalThe Celtic team of 1964 Back row: Young , Thomas Gemmel , John Fallon , John Clark , Billy McNeill , Kennedy Front row: Jimmy Johnstone . Bobby Murdoch , Stevie Chalmers , Gallagher , Hughes
After his playing career ended, Hughes had the chance to understand football from the perspective of a manager, albeit a nomadic one. He was firstly a coach with Ballieston and then managed at Shotts Bon Accord, where he had previously played. He also took charge at Stranraer for a period, and bossed the Juniors Scotland national team.
After one final spell managing Ballieston, his time in football was at an end. He then had various different employment experiences, including working as a drugs counsellor. Hughes is perhaps best remembered for his pub trade work. Yogi ran a pub, and could often be seen behind the bar of well-known Celtic hostelries in Glasgow.
Hughes had various health problems in his later years, including cancer. In August 2022, following a short illness, he died aged 79.
John Hughes Funeral The European Cup trophy on display inside the church ahead of the funeral service for former Celtic player John Hughes at Saint Mary s church in Calton, Glasgow. Picture date: Friday August 12, 2022. Photo: Steve Welsh
A quick glance at Yogi’s honours list at Celtic Park is enough to understand his momentous role in Celtic history. As well as helping the Bhoys to reach two European Cup Finals – one of which they won – he won six League titles, one Scottish Cup and four League Cups, as well as numerous Glasgow Cups too.
Hughes’ role in these successes is very clear, given his goalscoring exploits in green-and-white. His 188 goals make him Celtic’s seventh all-time top scorer. In addition, he managed to find the net in 12 successive seasons for the Bhoys.
John Hughes Funeral John YNWA message on a stand at Celtic Park ahead of the funeral procession of former Celtic player John Hughes in Glasgow. Picture date: Friday August 12, 2022. Photo: Steve Welsh
There are many ways to describe John Hughes’ life, but perhaps it is best to leave it to his own words. In one interview he gave shortly before he died, Hughes simply said: “You know what? I would just want it to be known that I was a Celtic man.”
Matthew Marr
Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Foreword by Danny McGrain. Published on Celtic Star Books on 5 September 2025. Click on image to pre-order.
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