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Connelly, George
| C | Player Pics | Quality Street Gang | A-Z of Players |
Personal
Fullname: George ConnellyBorn: 1 Mar 1949
Birthplace: Fife, Scotland
Signed: 1967
Left: 1976
Position: Midfield/Defender
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 2 caps
International Goals: 0
Debut: as a substitute v Dunfermline Athletic on 30 April 1968.
Last: v Motherwell 13 September 1975
| “George is basically a very shy person who conquered it every time to go out on the pitch." Davie Hay (former playing colleague at Celtic) |
Biog
The above quote from friend and former Celtic team-mate Davie Hay, perhaps more than any other, sums up the man that was George Connelly. If you ask those who were around back in the halcyon days of the early 1970's who was the greatest Celtic player of that era, to the surprise of many now, a large number will put Connelly right at the top of the pile. For youths brought up on stories of the club's legends such as Jimmy Johnstone, Danny McGrain and Billy McNeill, George Connelly appears to be a bit of an enigma. Truth is, that is exactly what George Connelly was and still is, an enigma. When you read other biographies you'll read about Frank McAvennie's high living, Paolo Di Canio's 'leetle' problems or Danny McGrain's single minded professionalism, but with George there is genuine emotional tragedy at the heart of his story. For privacy reasons we'll probably never know the whole truth - nor is it necessarily our business - so out of respect, we will go by what he has said, what his friends have added, and speculation will be left to one side when we take a look at his fascinating story.The Rise...
George Connelly signed for Celtic from Tulliallan Juniors in March 1966, and it was not long until he made his debut, later in the same year on January 12, 1966, aged just 16. Jock Stein sent him onto the Parkhead pitch at half-time in the European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final first leg against Dynamo Kiev, and Connelly is said to have thrilled the crowd with an astonishing display of keepie-uppy, dancing around the ground while keeping the ball off the turf - his average at this art was said to be 2,000 non-stop. Already people were being dazzled by his skills. With that level of ability, there were high expectations building and it was just two years later, in 1968, that he became a permanent fixture in the first team. In the early days it was clear that he was a precocious talent, and many already had him ear-marked for the unenviable role to succeed Billy McNeil when the time came for the handover as team captain. No easy position to be placed in at such a young age but many believed he was more than capable of stepping up to the task. Talented beyond his years, he was carefully nurtured by the coaching staff who developed his ability with the ball and his intelligence off it.
During his time a select band of players were emerging through the Celtic ranks, dubbed the "Quality Street" gang. Some of the names are spoken about with reverence even now such as the sublime talents of Dalglish, McGrain, Macari and Hay, yet amazingly, it was Connelly who was most highly rated by many.
In 1969, he played a memorable part in the Scottish Cup final against Rangers, helping Celtic to a convincing 4-0 victory, with Connelly right at the heart of it. He dazzled the support with a fine goal and some cocksure antics on the pitch, practically walking the ball into the net for his goal. Famously, Connelly did keepie-uppies in the penalty box to wind up the Huns. A brash move, for sure, but it worked and irked the opposition much to the enjoyment of the crowd. He really had stamped his name on Celtic during a golden era for the club, deservedly mentioned in the same breath as Lisbon Lions such as Chalmers, Wallace and Clark. He was credited by many observers to be the best in his position in the country and beyond and Jock Stein claimed he was on a par with Franz Beckenbaur. High praise indeed and it wasn't far from the truth.
The pinnacle for Connelly was the European Cup semi-final in 1970 against Leeds United when the young Scot announced his arrival on the world stage. He'd raced through the youth structures and developed his game to be able to stand toe-to-toe against any opposition player on the domestic front, but this game was different. The encounter between the Scottish and 'invincible' English champions was a battle for national pride and Celtic were determined to make a mockery of their underdog tag against the strongly fancied Yorkshire club. Along with Jimmy Johnstone, Connelly put Leeds to the sword scoring the winning goal at Elland Road as Celtic went on to defeat United over two legs in the "Battle of Britain". Connelly played a key role in these games and was attaining legendary status for many. What more could Celtic achieve with someone of his quality in the squad? The final may ultimately have been lost to Dutch champions Feyenoord, but with the youngsters in the squad - added to the experience of McNeill and Co - the future looked bright and it wasn't Orange.
On being presented with a Player of the Year award in 1973, the compére at the dinner - on seeing Jock Stein beside George Connelly - described the scene as: "A proud father wi his son, that's what we're seeing here". Such an anecdote perfectly encapsulates the high esteem that Connelly was held in back then. George was the most lauded player at the club, a remarkable achievement during an era when the Celtic team was brimming over with quality. He was manager Jock Stein's jewel in the crown and literally had the footballing world at his feet.
..and Fall
So with all that success and praise, where did it all begin to go wrong? In truth, the warning signs were there from the start. This is where speculation must be put to one side though. Connelly's story has been plagued with rumour and innuendo since leaving Celtic and out of respect on this site we will not add to it. The facts speak for themselves.Born and raised in Fife, Connelly was brought up in a relatively serene setting in comparison to his Glasgow-bred counterparts. The move to Celtic was thus a bit of a shock to the system for the youngster, although he wasn't exactly alien to city life as has been painted. Both he and his brothers had grown up as Celtic fans and had travelled to watch the team on various occasions. However, the move affected George who just wasn't prepared for Glasgow and he didn't settle in. A football team environment is not always an easy place for everyone, and for George - being a shy individual at heart - it was simply one step too far. His brashness on the pitch betrayed an insular personality off it. A combination of personal issues and an unsuccessful first marriage fed an apparently troubled mind, leading to Connelly taking solace in alcohol. As time went on, his introverted nature ended up back-firing on him and he sank deeper into alcoholism, further escalating his problems.
One tale records that on an away trip, a practical joke played on George by his team-mates back-fired, which alienated him further from certain others in the squad. Davie Hay - his best friend at the club - has kept the details private, but whatever the details, it simply added to the numerous, growing problems for George at Celtic. Soon after, Connelly walked out on the club for the first time but was persuaded to return after a heart-to-heart with Jock Stein. This would happen again on numerous occasions, most famously, after just receiving a Player of the year award in 1973, he walked out on Scotland just as they were boarding a plane for international duty.
Billy McNeill recalls one of George's strangest disappearing acts. At that time the squad would regularly run up and down a course nicknamed "Cardiac Hill" which had a self-explanatory impact on the players' respitory rates. On one occasion, the players were doing the run and Connelly managed to reach the top, but then to everyone's bewilderment he ran straight back down to the car park, got into his car and drove off! They didn't see him again for a few days!
In the end, it was all too much for Connelly and he just couldn't handle the pressure. The sudden departure of Davie Hay to Chelsea in 1974 was the catalyst to his walking out on Celtic forever. Sean Fallon had taken temporary charge of Celtic while Jock Stein recovered from a serious car accident and when Connelly again walked out in 1975, Fallon didn't have the strength of character to talk him around.
As one by one the “Quality Street” gang of players left the club for various reasons, the hopes and ambitions of the fans subsided. Losing Connelly was no surprise with the way things had gone over the last few seasons, but it still hurt. Archie MacPherson claimed, in his biography on Jock Stein, that Jock's inability to handle the events surrounding Connelly as his biggest failure. In truth though there was little more Stein or anyone else could have done. George's mind had been made up. He had fallen out of love with football and football had fallen out of love with him..
Post-Celtic
David Bennie, in his wonderful autobiographical/Celtic book 'Not Playing for Celtic, another Paradice Lost' eulogised lovingly about Connelly. For the rest of us it’s a case of what might have been if George have been able to tackle his demons as well as he could tackle any man on the pitch. All too often the darker side is dwelled on when it comes to footballers, but the truth is that there is much more good to be said about Connelly’s time with Celtic than bad. The darkness plays a major part of his story, of course it does, but the talent and genius of George is something to be celebrated,.After his exit from Celtic Park Connelly tried to live in obscurity away from the limelight but his achievements could never be hidden from view. Even the most hardbitten journalist found it impossible to get a word from George no matter how hard they tried. It took around 30 years before Connelly felt able to to go back to Celtic Park again. His return was an emotional moment for him and his family and the emotion was a collective one amongst the Celtic family. Seeing him back where he belonged, his spiritual home, was magical. Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawell called on George to never be a stranger again, and it was a sentiment shared by Celtic fans young and old.
George, with the help of a ghost writer, penned an autobiography 30 years after leaving Celtic, giving a fair and frankly honest account of his career and life. He admits he is sorry for many things - especially for the waste of a potentially great career - but he was a man with troubles and that should always be borne in mind. His love and respect for Jock Stein remains intact, and like everyone else he is still in awe of the great man.
We wish him and his family all the best, we'll never forget him and will always respect him.
Playing Career
| | LEAGUE | LEAGUE CUP | SCOTTISH CUP | EUROPE | TOTALS | |||||
| SEASON | App (Sub) | Goals | App (Sub) | Goals | App (Sub) | Goals | App (Sub) | Goals | App (Sub) | Goals |
| 67-68 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| 68-69 | 6(1) | 1 | 7(1) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 16(2) | 3 |
| 69-70 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3(2) | 1 | 15(2) | 2 |
| 70-71 | 22(3) | 3 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 43(3) | 6 |
| 71-72 | 32 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55 | 0 |
| 72-73 | 32 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 2 |
| 73-74 | 14 | 1 | 10(1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 33(1) | 2 |
| 74-75 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| 75-76 | 1(2) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(3) | 0 |
Honours with Celtic (needs checked)
Scottish LeagueScottish Cup
Pictures
Books
Links
Articles
- Scotland's reluctant Beckenbauer
- Unintentional man of mystery (2006)
- Extracts from his biography (2007)
George Connelly returning to centre stage at Celtic Park
(Times) 
George Connelly used to hold Celtic Park in the palm of his hand four decades ago. He was the kid whose juggling act ensured his name was on everyone’s lips, even though the main event was the most celebrated side in the club’s history. Tomorrow night, the recluse who could not handle fame will return to the stage he abandoned.
Connelly, now 58, will have an emotional reunion with the club he walked out on 32 years ago. The former Celtic player will be the guest of honour at the Champions League match with AC Milan and will be introduced to the 60,000 fans at half-time. The symmetry could not be better; Jock Stein used to send Connelly out to entertain Celtic crowds during the interval en route to the European Cup triumph in 1967, routinely keeping the ball in the air for 2,000 touches.
Connelly is no ordinary ex-player making the prize draw at half-time. He left Celtic in controversial circumstances in 1975 and has never been back. Now he has chosen to accept the club’s overtures. The man who hung up his boots at 26 and became a taxi driver will be the VIP on an occasion packed full of important people. Milan’s glamorous cast of Champions League winners and world champions are on display but Connelly’s own CV stands scrutiny with the best, playing in the 1970 European Cup final at the age of 21.
David Hay, a former teammate and best friend in the Celtic dressing-room, is glad to see Connelly finally return to the fold after years spent fighting his own personal problems. “George is basically a very shy person who conquered it every time to go out on the pitch,” Hay said. “He was brave enough to go out and do the keepie-uppie routine for the fans when Jock asked him and he played in front of 136,000 people at Hampden Park when we beat Leeds in the 1970 European Cup semi-final. I don’t like making comparisons, but George had it in him to be Franz Beckenbauer.”
The Battle of Britain with Don Revie’s Leeds United saw Connelly at his best. He scored Celtic’s winner in the first leg at Elland Road and his performance in the return game at Hampden helped to win a midfield battle against Johnny Giles and Billy Bremner. Connelly came off the bench in the final when Celtic lost 2-1 to Feyenoord. He initially broke into the Celtic side in 1968 as a midfield player and he set the trail for his young colleagues in the reserves, a group containing Kenny Dalglish, Lou Macari, Danny McGrain and Hay, who were dubbed “The Quality Street Kids”.
While Dalglish would go on to fame and fortune at Liverpool, Connelly disappeared from the football scene completely to work as a taxi driver in Clackmannanshire. Yet, for a while, he, and not Dalglish, was the hottest property in British football. The Fife-born player was just 20 when he scored in the 4-0 Scottish Cup final rout of Rangers in 1969 and was named Scotland’s Footballer of the Year in 1973. He would have played in the 1974 World Cup finals but injury intervened and soon he had tired of the game.
“I think that as soon as I left Celtic to join Chelsea in 1974, George felt more vulnerable,” Hay, who took on Stein in a dispute over more money a year earlier and went on strike for a fortnight, said. “George came out in sympathy with me. I actually negotiated his contract. He was an exceptional talent who was lost to the game, not through injury, but of his own accord.”
Connelly walked out out on Celtic five times before he quit in 1975, leaving Stein bemused. He performed one of his disappearing acts before what should have been his Scotland debut, walking out from the airport just as Willie Ormond’s squad were boarding a flight to Switzerland in May 1973. Ormond forgave the Celtic player and selected him for the crucial World Cup qualifying tie with Czechoslovakia three months later that took Scotland to the finals.
Connelly’s other cap came in a friendly with West Germany at Hampden, when he came face-to-face with the real Beckenbauer and helped Scotland to a 1-1 draw. A cruel twist of fate kept Connelly out of the 1974 World Cup finals, sustaining an injury with Celtic in a European Cup quarter-final tie with FC Basle in March of that year, ending his season.
He had a brief spell at Falkirk before turning out for Sauchie Juniors. Connelly said two years ago in a rare interview that his private life had been dominated by a long battle with alcohol that he hopes is now won. He said: “Jock was sympathetic, even towards the end. He never even scolded me. He was always good to me. I was 16 when I did the keepie-uppie at half-time in the European game. Jock said he would give me a fiver if I would do it. That was a lot to me.
“Was I nervous? I wasn’t, really. I was too stupid to be nervous. Nowadays, I’m one of those people who gets easily embarrassed. If they said to me to go and do that now, I wouldn’t go near it. But then, you just did it.”
George Connelly used to hold Celtic Park in the palm of his hand four decades ago. He was the kid whose juggling act ensured his name was on everyone’s lips, even though the main event was the most celebrated side in the club’s history. Tomorrow night, the recluse who could not handle fame will return to the stage he abandoned. Connelly, now 58, will have an emotional reunion with the club he walked out on 32 years ago. The former Celtic player will be the guest of honour at the Champions League match with AC Milan and will be introduced to the 60,000 fans at half-time. The symmetry could not be better; Jock Stein used to send Connelly out to entertain Celtic crowds during the interval en route to the European Cup triumph in 1967, routinely keeping the ball in the air for 2,000 touches.
Connelly is no ordinary ex-player making the prize draw at half-time. He left Celtic in controversial circumstances in 1975 and has never been back. Now he has chosen to accept the club’s overtures. The man who hung up his boots at 26 and became a taxi driver will be the VIP on an occasion packed full of important people. Milan’s glamorous cast of Champions League winners and world champions are on display but Connelly’s own CV stands scrutiny with the best, playing in the 1970 European Cup final at the age of 21.
David Hay, a former teammate and best friend in the Celtic dressing-room, is glad to see Connelly finally return to the fold after years spent fighting his own personal problems. “George is basically a very shy person who conquered it every time to go out on the pitch,” Hay said. “He was brave enough to go out and do the keepie-uppie routine for the fans when Jock asked him and he played in front of 136,000 people at Hampden Park when we beat Leeds in the 1970 European Cup semi-final. I don’t like making comparisons, but George had it in him to be Franz Beckenbauer.”
The Battle of Britain with Don Revie’s Leeds United saw Connelly at his best. He scored Celtic’s winner in the first leg at Elland Road and his performance in the return game at Hampden helped to win a midfield battle against Johnny Giles and Billy Bremner. Connelly came off the bench in the final when Celtic lost 2-1 to Feyenoord. He initially broke into the Celtic side in 1968 as a midfield player and he set the trail for his young colleagues in the reserves, a group containing Kenny Dalglish, Lou Macari, Danny McGrain and Hay, who were dubbed “The Quality Street Kids”.
While Dalglish would go on to fame and fortune at Liverpool, Connelly disappeared from the football scene completely to work as a taxi driver in Clackmannanshire. Yet, for a while, he, and not Dalglish, was the hottest property in British football. The Fife-born player was just 20 when he scored in the 4-0 Scottish Cup final rout of Rangers in 1969 and was named Scotland’s Footballer of the Year in 1973. He would have played in the 1974 World Cup finals but injury intervened and soon he had tired of the game.
“I think that as soon as I left Celtic to join Chelsea in 1974, George felt more vulnerable,” Hay, who took on Stein in a dispute over more money a year earlier and went on strike for a fortnight, said. “George came out in sympathy with me. I actually negotiated his contract. He was an exceptional talent who was lost to the game, not through injury, but of his own accord.”
Connelly walked out out on Celtic five times before he quit in 1975, leaving Stein bemused. He performed one of his disappearing acts before what should have been his Scotland debut, walking out from the airport just as Willie Ormond’s squad were boarding a flight to Switzerland in May 1973. Ormond forgave the Celtic player and selected him for the crucial World Cup qualifying tie with Czechoslovakia three months later that took Scotland to the finals.
Connelly’s other cap came in a friendly with West Germany at Hampden, when he came face-to-face with the real Beckenbauer and helped Scotland to a 1-1 draw. A cruel twist of fate kept Connelly out of the 1974 World Cup finals, sustaining an injury with Celtic in a European Cup quarter-final tie with FC Basle in March of that year, ending his season.
He had a brief spell at Falkirk before turning out for Sauchie Juniors. Connelly said two years ago in a rare interview that his private life had been dominated by a long battle with alcohol that he hopes is now won. He said: “Jock was sympathetic, even towards the end. He never even scolded me. He was always good to me. I was 16 when I did the keepie-uppie at half-time in the European game. Jock said he would give me a fiver if I would do it. That was a lot to me.
“Was I nervous? I wasn’t, really. I was too stupid to be nervous. Nowadays, I’m one of those people who gets easily embarrassed. If they said to me to go and do that now, I wouldn’t go near it. But then, you just did it.”
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