They played for Celtic – Bobby Carroll

Outside right Bobby Carroll signed provisionally for Celtic in September 1957…

Bobby Carroll, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

However, he was left with Irvine Meadow for season 1958–59, during which he scored 75 goals resulting in him being voted Junior Player of the Year in 1959. On 15 May 1959, Bobby received his trophy at the George Cinema in Bank Street from the Provost George Donaldson and would go on to win the Scottish Junior Cup on 16 May 1959.

His spectacular form subsequently called him into the Celtic first team as one of the so-called ‘Kelly’s Kids’, after the then Celtic Chairman Bob Kelly, and he made his debut in a 2-1 League Cup defeat at home against Partick Thistle on 12 August 1959.

Bobby found it tough to get a regular game with the Hoops, but made a breakthrough in the 1961/62 campaign, his most productive season, and although he would be deprived of major silverware, he did play in the Glasgow Charity Cup final of 1961 which saw Celtic being named joint winners after a 1-1 draw with Clyde.

Valencia v Celtic. Bobby Carroll scored Celtic’s first ever European goal. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The following campaign saw Bobby Carroll write himself into the Celtic history books after he became the first ever player to score for the club in European competition.

Bobby managed the feat at the Mestalla Stadium, Valencia on 26th of September 1962 when he netted in a 4-2 loss for the hoops in their first ever venture into European competition.

It was an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (now the Europa League) clash and Bobby actually scored twice on the night, although his first goal went down as an own goal after the ball hit his opponent on route to the back of the net.

Bobby Carroll, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The goal would have been Bobby’s going by today’s rules, but back then it didn’t apply, so his late strike which was nothing more than a mere consolation in a 4-2 defeat, proved to be significant on a personal level for Bobby as it guaranteed him a place in the Celtic history books.

Bobby, in his latter days would comment via the official Celtic FC website on the proud achievement that guaranteed his place in Celtic folklore. Modestly describing his own special place in the Celtic story.

“It makes me feel good that I’ve got a wee bit of history,” Bobby Carroll said. “It does mean a lot. They are claiming the first one was an own goal but it wasn´t, as it beat the goalkeeper.

“He was out of his six-yard box and I was just in front of him. Mike Jackson cut it back to me and I put it in past him. The defender came running in and tried to stop it but he couldn’t.

“The Spanish press said it was an own goal but I would only say it was an own goal if it was going past the post and he had deflected it in. But he couldn’t stop it.

“If it had been the goalkeeper on the line and he had put his hand on it and it had went in, it would have been a goal for me so that´s the way how I look at it. The other goal I scored was quite similar. Mike Jackson cut it back from the byline and I hit it past the goalkeeper.”

Despite scoring the clubs first European goal, Carroll wasn’t selected for the return leg in Glasgow four weeks later, with the game ending in a 2-2 draw as the hoops exited the competition 4-6 on aggregate.

Bobby Carroll, Celtic’s first goalscorer in European football, Bobby at Celtic Park in 2012. Photo Celtic FC

Bobby didn’t get much chance to shine at the club in the following year or so, and was mostly utilised in the reserves under the guidance of Jock Stein.

His Celtic career came to an end in 1963 when he decided to join St Mirren, ending his six year association with the club.

Despite his failure to become a regular in the hoops, Bobby left the club with the decent record of 27 goals in 78 appearances, and of course would always have the distinction of being the man who scored the club’s first ever goal in European competition.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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