John Divers (footballer, born 1940)

John Divers (8 March 1940 – 23 September 2014) was a Scottish footballer who played for Celtic and Partick Thistle.[3]

John Divers
Personal information
Full name John Divers
Date of birth (1940-03-08)8 March 1940
Place of birth Clydebank, Scotland
Date of death 23 September 2014(2014-09-23) (aged 74)
Position(s) inside forward
Youth career
Glentyan Thistle[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1956–1966 Celtic 171 (80)
1956–1957 → Renfrew[1]
1966–1969 Partick Thistle 30 (5)
Total 201 (85)
National team
1962–1963 Scottish League XI[2] 3 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Club

Born in Clydebank, Divers was the son of former Scottish international John Divers and grand-nephew of ex-Celtic player Patsy Gallacher.[1] He played 248 games for Celtic between November 1957 and September 1965.[4] Playing mostly as an inside left, he scored 110 goals for the club, which helped gain him a reputation as a skilful, clever and hard working player.[5][1]

He contributed to Celtic's nine consecutive league championships in a row by scoring the first goal of that period, away against Dundee United in 1965.[6] After joining Partick Thistle in the early part of the 1966–67 season, he later retired from the Senior game in 1969 to attend Strathclyde University.[5]

International

Divers was part of a number of Scotland squads (including a 1962 match against Uruguay) but never got onto the field.[1] He played on three occasions for the Scottish League XI, scoring 4 goals.[2]

Later life

Divers spent some of his later life in teaching, spending most of his career in Our Lady and St Patrick's High School in Dumbarton (where he had also been a pupil).[1] He died in September 2014.[6] His family connections mean he was related to fellow footballing descendants of Patsy Gallacher: sons Willie and Tommy, and grandsons Brian and Kevin.[7]

References
  1. "Obituary: John Divers, footballer and teacher". The Scotsman. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  2. "John Divers". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  3. John Divers profile neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  4. "Celtic player John Divers profile". Fitbastats. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  5. Heaney, Bill (14 October 2014). "Paying tribute to late Celtic star Johnny Divers". The Irish Voice. p. 5. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. Scottish football: Former Celtic striker John Divers has died aged 74, Sky Sports
  7. "Tommy Gallacher obituary". The Scotsman. 6 October 2001. Retrieved 2 October 2017.


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