Celtic Player of the Day – “Strong, truculent and fearless” Jamie Weir | OneFootball

Sometimes called Jimmy or Jim, Jamie Weir was a great Celtic left back who played only three seasons for the club, but one of these seasons was 1907/08, possibly up there in competition with 1966/67 as the best in the history of the club.

He was an Ayrshireman, born in Muirkirk and started his senior football career playing for Ayr FC in 1904.

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In 1907 the illustrious career of left back Willie Orr was coming to an end, and Weir was recommended to Maley by James Hay who had heard stories of him. Weir fitted into that great team seamlessly both as a ferociously tackling full back and on away trips at hotels where he was a fine reciter of Tam O’ Shanter, as befitted an Ayrshire-man.

His full back partner was Donnie McLeod and then Alec McNair, and the 1907/08 season saw Celtic’s first ever clean sweep with Weir virtually an ever present after December 1907.

He won League medals in the next two seasons as well, but in 1910 he fell out of favour and went to Middlesbrough to play alongside his erstwhile partner Donny McLeod.

He quickly became as much of a favourite with Boro fans as he did with the Celtic fans, until he retired in 1920. In later years he ran a hotel in Redcar.

David Potter

The team pose with three cups they won in season 1907-08. The Charity Cup, The Scottish Cup and the Glasgow Cup. Back row from left: T.White, J Kelly, T.Colgan, J. McKillop, J Grant, M Dunbar, Middle Row: Manager Willie Maley, Jim Young, P Somers, Jimmy McMenemy, Davy Adams, Mitchell, Weir, R Davis. Front row: D Hamilton, D McLeod, W Loney, J Hay, Jimmy Quinn, Alec McNair

More from David Potter on Jamie Weir writing in The Celt Mag…

It took a good man to replace Willie Orr, but Jamie Weir was just that man, replacing the ageing Willie Orr in the left back position in summer 1907 and holding the position down for three glorious years in which he won three Scottish League medals, one Scottish Cup medal, one Glasgow Cup medal and one Glasgow Charity Cup medal – not a bad haul for three years!

The chaIt took a good man to replace Willie Orr, but Jamie Weir was just that man, replacing the ageing Willie Orr in the left back position in summer 1907 and holding the position down for three glorious years in which he won three Scottish League medals, one Scottish Cup medal, one Glasgow Cup medal and one Glasgow Charity Cup medal – not a bad haul for three years!The change was seamless,although the style of play was different.

Weir was younger (born in 1887 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire) and has been described as “ strong, truculent and fearless” and freely compared to Storrier, Battles and Doyle. not to mention Willie Orr himself. This doughty character whose tackle was ferocious, apparently had the habit of shouting at his opponent “Get Rid Of The Ball” as a sort of warning as he charged in!

He had a good relationship with his full back partners Donnie McLeod and later Alec McNair, and on the left flank he could interchange with another Ayrshireman, James Hay, who was of course now the captain.Being an Ayrshireman, Weir, like quite a lot of early Celts (Sandy McMahon, Peter Somers, Sunny Jim) had a great love of Robert Burns and did, we are told, a mean Tam O’Shanter at the Celtic soirees at the intensive training sessions at various Hydro hotels.

His finest hours were the Scottish Cup final in 1908 and the glorious 12 days of April 1909 when Celtic were required to play eight games to win the League. They duly did so, and Weir played in every game without giving the slightest hint of being tired! His departure in 1910 was quite abrupt, and apparently involved a falling out with Maley and the establishment over wages. He left to play for Middlesbrough and stayed with them until after World War One.

He settled in the North East and as late as the 1950s, he was running the Crown Hotel in Redcar. He died in around 1959 or 1960 but the exact date of his death has been difficult to tie down.Jamie Weir is yet another of the many undervalued Celts of the great days. His replacement at left back was eventually the great Joe Dodds. nge was seamless,although the style of play was different. Weir was younger (born in 1887 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire) and has been described as “ strong, truculent and fearless” and freely compared to Storrier, Battles and Doyle. not to mention Willie Orr himself.

This doughty character whose tackle was ferocious, apparently had the habit of shouting at his opponent “Get Rid Of The Ball” as a sort of warning as he charged in! He had a good relationship with his full back partners Donnie McLeod and later Alec McNair, and on the left flank he could interchange with another Ayrshireman, James Hay, who was of course now the captain.

Being an Ayrshireman, Weir, like quite a lot of early Celts (Sandy McMahon, Peter Somers, Sunny Jim) had a great love of Robert Burns and did, we are told, a mean Tam O’Shanter at the Celtic soirees at the intensive training sessions at various Hydro hotels.

His finest hours were the Scottish Cup final in 1908 and the glorious 12 days of April 1909 when Celtic were required to play 8 games to win the League. They duly did so, and Weir played in every game without giving the slightest hint of being tired!

His departure in 1910 was quite abrupt, and apparently involved a falling out with Maley and the establishment over wages. He left to play for Middlesbrough and stayed with them until after World War One. He settled in the North East and as late as the 1950s, he was running the Crown Hotel in Redcar. He died in around 1959 or 1960 but the exact date of his death has been difficult to tie down.

Jamie Weir is yet another of the many undervalued Celts of the great days. His replacement at left back was eventually the great Joe Dodds.

David Potter

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