Andrew McAtee

Andy McAtee
Personal information
Full name Andrew McAtee
Date of birth (1888-07-02)2 July 1888[1]
Place of birth Cumbernauld, Scotland
Date of death 15 July 1956(1956-07-15) (aged 68)
Place of death Condorrat, Scotland
Playing position Outside right
Youth career
–1910 Mossend Hibernian
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1910–1924 Celtic 407 (68)
1924–1976 New Bedford Whalers
National team
1912–1920 Scottish League XI 7 (1)
1913 Scotland 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Andrew McAtee (1888–1956) was a Scottish footballer who played for Celtic, New Bedford Whalers and Scotland.[2] He played a total of 461 matches for Celtic, winning 10 major trophies.

Celtic career

McAtee was born in Cumbernauld (then a tiny village) although appears to have been raised in the neighbouring village of Croy, home to another Celtic great of the era, Jimmy Quinn; he joined Celtic in 1910. A fast right winger with strong legs 'said to resemble those of a billiard table' and a fondness for cutting inside to unleash a powerful shot, McAtee formed an effective partnership with Patsy Gallacher.[3]

1914 Celtic team photo with the Scottish Cup; McAtee bottom row, first left

He had already won one Scottish Football League Championship and three Scottish Cups when his career was interrupted by World War I, although the league continued to operate. From a mining background, McAtee was employed in that reserved occupation for much of the period of conflict, with players of the time who did not join the armed forces playing football at weekends on top of a full-time work shift. After winning three wartime titles he was conscripted in 1917 and served in Italy.

On returning to Scotland McAtee resumed his successful football career with Celtic, participating in two further league title-winning seasons for a total of six. He also featured in a further Scottish Cup victory in 1923, twelve years after his first in 1911, and won four Glasgow Cups, scoring the winning goal against Clyde in the 1920-21 final.[4]

International career

He made one appearance for Scotland in 1913 versus Wales[1] but was selected more frequently for the Scottish League XI, playing in seven games between 1912 and 1920 and scoring once, on his debut.[5] International games were all but suspended during the war, so he had no chance to play during what would have been his peak years.

Later years

McAtee departed from Celtic in 1924, moving to Massachusetts where he featured for the New Bedford Whalers (managed by former teammate Charlie Shaw). Many other Scottish players of the era also made the move across the Atlantic to play in the 1920s American Soccer League. In his later years he returned to Lanarkshire. He died in 1956 and is buried in the same Kilsyth cemetery as Jimmy Quinn - a memorial service in his honour was held at the cemetery in 2015, attended by club representatives Jim Craig and Tom Boyd.[6]

Honours

Celtic

Scottish First Division: (6)
1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19, 1921–22
Scottish Cup: (4)
1911-12, 1911-12, 1913–14, 1922–23
Glasgow Cup: (4)
1916, 1917, 1920, 1921

References

  1. 1 2 "Scotland Players - Andrew McAtee". London Hearts. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  2. ↑ (Smith 2013, p. 168)
  3. ↑ Potter, David (2011). Celtic FC Miscellany. The History Press. ISBN 9780752490595.
  4. ↑ "Celtic player Andrew McAtee". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "SFL Players - Andrew McAtee". London Hearts. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  6. ↑ The Celtic Wiki - Memorial ceremony for Andy McAtee
Sources
  • Smith, Paul (2013). Scotland Who's Who. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781909178847.
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