Thomas Stephen Chalmers (26 December 1935 – 29 April 2019) was a Scottish footballer who played as a centre-forward and spent the majority of his career with Celtic. He is the club's fifth-highest goalscorer with 236 goals and is considered one of their greatest players. He is particularly known for scoring the winning goal in the 1967 European Cup Final against Inter Milan. Chalmers later played for Morton and Partick Thistle. He also represented Scotland five times in international matches.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Stephen Chalmers | ||
| Date of birth | 26 December 1935 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 29 April 2019 (aged 83) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre forward / Outside right | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1953–1955 | Kirkintilloch Rob Roy | ||
| 1955–1956 | Newmarket Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1956–1959 | Ashfield | ||
| 1959 | Dumbarton (trialist) | 1 | (0) |
| 1959–1971 | Celtic | 263 | (155) |
| 1971–1972 | Morton | 32 | (8) |
| 1972–1975 | Partick Thistle | 44 | (6) |
| Total | 340 | (169) | |
| International career | |||
| 1962–1967 | Scottish League XI | 4 | (0) |
| 1964–1966 | Scotland | 5 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life
editChalmers was born on 26 December 1935 in the Garngad district of Glasgow,[1][2] where he attended St Roch's Secondary School.[3] The family later moved to nearby Balornock.[4] His father, David, played for Clydebank.[2]
Career
editLeaving school aged 14, he signed for Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in 1953.[5] Subsequently, he joined the RAF and during his time doing national service at RAF Stradishall in 1955 played for Newmarket Town.[5] He then moved back to Scotland, signing with SJFA team Ashfield, and represented Scotland at that level in 1959.[4][6] Shortly afterwards he signed for Celtic, making his league debut in March 1959 against Airdrie.[2]
He spent 12 full seasons with Celtic, helping the club to six league titles, three Scottish Cups, and four League Cups, as well as being part of the Lisbon Lions side that won the 1967 European Cup. He scored the winning goal in the 85th minute of the final, and in doing so also sealed the first European Treble and the only Quadruple to date.[7][8][9]
His involvement became limited after he broke a leg in the 1969 Scottish League Cup Final,[1] and he missed the rest of that season including the 1970 European Cup Final. His total of 236 goals is the fifth-highest in the history of the club,[10] and he is remembered as one of the greatest players in Celtic's history.[1][11]
After leaving Celtic Park in September 1971 at the age of 35, Chalmers continued to appear in Scotland's top tier, with spells at Morton[12] and Partick Thistle before he retired in 1975. He made a very brief comeback with junior club St Roch's during the 1975–76 season.[2]
He was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2016.[13]
International
editChalmers won five full caps for Scotland between 1964 and 1966, scoring three goals.[14] He was also selected four times for the Scottish Football League XI.[15]
Personal life
editChalmers's father David played for Clydebank in the 1920s,[16][1] and his son, Paul, also played professionally with several clubs after starting his career with Celtic in the 1980s.[17] Chalmers and his wife, Sadie, had six children.[2][11]
In 1955, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis meningitis and was given only weeks to live before being successfully treated.[18]
It was reported in May 2017 that 81-year-old Chalmers was suffering from dementia and was unable to attend the Lisbon Lions' 50th anniversary events.[11] Chalmers died on 29 April 2019, aged 83.[19][20]
Career statistics
editClub
edit| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| Dumbarton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+ | 0+ | |||||
| Celtic | 263 | 155 | 47 | 29 | 60 | 31 | 38 | 13 | 408 | 228 | |
| Greenock Morton | 32 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 11 | |
| Partick Thistle | 44 | 6 | 44+ | 6+ | |||||||
| Career total | 340 | 169 | 47+ | 29+ | 64+ | 34+ | 38+ | 13+ | 489+ | 245+ | |
International appearances
edit| Scotland national team[14] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1964 | 2 | 2 |
| 1965 | — | |
| 1966 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 5 | 3 |
International goals
edit- Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.[14]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 3 October 1964 | Ninian Park, Cardiff |  Wales |
1–1 | 2–3 | 1964–65 British Home Championship |
| 2. | 21 October 1964 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  Finland |
2–0 | 3–1 | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 25 June 1966 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  Brazil |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly match |
Honours
editCeltic[22]
- European Cup: 1966–67
- Intercontinental Cup runners-up: 1967
- Scottish League Championship (4): 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69[note 1]
- Scottish Cup (3): 1964–65, 1966–67, 1968–69[note 2]
- Scottish League Cup (4): 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70[note 3]
- Glasgow Cup (4): 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67
Scotland[23]
Notes
edit- ^ Did not play enough games in 1969–70 or 1970–71
- ^ Did not play in 1971 final
- ^ Did not play in 1965 final
References
edit- ^ a b c d Cuddihy, Paul (26 December 2016). "Happy 81st Birthday to Stevie Chalmers". celticfc.net. Celtic FC. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Stevie Chalmers, Celtic striker who scored the 1967 European cup winner". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Loney, Gillian; Williams, Craig (8 May 2019). "Glasgow pays respect as Lisbon Lions legend Stevie Chalmers laid to rest". GlasgowLive.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ a b The Winning Touch: My Autobiography, Stevie Chalmers, Graham McColl; Hachette UK, 2012; ISBN 9780755363230
- ^ a b "Lisbon Lions legend Stevie Chalmers and the goal that won Celtic the European Cup". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ "Scotland Junior International Results and Lineups". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Celtic win European Cup 1967". BBC. 19 March 2005. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ "Who has won a treble, including domestic league and cup titles, plus the European Cup or UEFA Champions League?". UEFA. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Jensen, Neil Fredrik (1 June 2022). "Celtic 1967 – the only quadruple winners". Game of the People. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ "Celtic all-time player records". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Celtic hero Stevie Chalmers battling dementia – granddaughter reveals heartbreaking news on eve of Lisbon Lions 50th anniversary". Daily Record. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ a b
- "Morton player 'Thomas' Chalmers". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- "Morton player 'Steve' Chalmers". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Stevie Chalmers profile". Scottish Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ a b c Stevie Chalmers at the Scottish Football Association
- ^ "Scottish League player Stephen Chalmers". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "The players (1914–1932)". Clydebank FC Programmes. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Paul Chalmers profile". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Goal hero Stevie Chalmers' life long debt to a Rangers fan". BBC. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Family's great sadness as Celtic legend Stevie Chalmers passes away". Celtic FC. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "Stevie Chalmers: Celtic great who scored 1967 winner dies at 83". BBC Sport. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Stevie Chalmers at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- ^ a b "Celtic player Stevie Chalmers". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Stevie Chalmers". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
External links
edit- Player profile at The Celtic Wiki
- Player profile at The Partick Thistle History Archive