Top 10 Celtic FC Goalscorers Of All Time
Many great players have plied their trade for Celtic in their rich history. They have had some greatest strikers the world has ever seen. Some of those strikers secured a name for themselves in Celtic’s folklore. Let us have a look at the top 10 Celtic FC goalscorers of all time.
Here are the top 10 Celtic FC Goalscorers of all time –
10. Kenny Dalglish [167 Goals in 322 Apps]
One of the greatest strikers of all time ,Dalglish is Scotland’s most capped player of all time with 102 appearances, and also Scotland’s joint-leading goal scorer, with 30 goals. He has been inducted into both the Scottish and English Football Halls of Fame.
Dalglish’s career with Celtic started in May 1967 when the youngster signed provisional forms with the Hoops. Dalglish would be farmed out to Cumbernauld United before returning to Celtic Park as a full-time professional in April 1968.
He was creative, scored goals, had stamina, heart and vision and was a great team player. In short, he was closest to the perfect player as you could find. During his time with Celtic he won four Scottish First Divisions, four Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup. On 10 August 1977, after making 320 appearances and scoring 167 goals for Celtic, Dalglish was signed by Liverpool manager Bob Paisley for a British transfer fee record of £440,000 . Dalglish’s departure was unpopular with the Celtic fans, and when he returned in August 1978 to play in Stein’s testimonial, he was booed by a large contingent of Celtic supporters.
Kenny was voted into the Greatest Ever Celtic Team and was also voted Liverpool’s Greatest Ever Player – a truly unique fantastic footballer.
9. Jimmy McMenemy [169 Goals in 516 Apps]
Nicknamed “Napoleon” due to an apparent resemblance to Napoleon Bonaparte, James McMenemy began his career playing for junior team Rutherglen Glencairn, leaving in 1902 to become part of the Celtic team. He went on to become a part of the top 10 Celtic FC Goalscorers of all time.
Quick feet, a good header of the ball and an excellent passer McMenemy was a major player in the Celtic sides which won 11 championships in his time at the club. He possessed an astute tactical awareness which when coupled with his talent with the ball allowed him to control and dictate games.
He was a very calm and collected figure, able to keep his head in the heat of the most ferocious battle. He was part of the team that defeated Rangers 3-2 in the memorable 1904 Scottish Cup Final after being down 2-0.
After spending 18 seasons with the club, McMenemy left Celtic and joined Partick Thistle in 1920.
8. Sandy McMahon [171 Goals in 217 Apps]
Sandy McMahon joined Celtic in 1891 from Hibs. His first moment of glory came in the 1892 Scottish Cup Final replay, when he scored two goals in the 5-1 victory over Queen’s Park. He also scored in the 1899 cup final when Celtic beat Rangers 2-0, and in the 1900 final when they beat Queen’s Park 4-3. In 1892, following his cup final display, McMahon returned to professional football in England with Nottingham Forest but, after concerted efforts from the Celtic committee, returned to Glasgow without having played for the East Midlands side.
He then played for the Glasgow team until 1903, making 217 appearances and scoring 171 goals. Equally adept at centre forward or inside left, he won three Scottish Cup medals, in 1892, 1899 and 1900, and four Scottish League medals, in 1893, 1894, 1896 and 1898.
In 1903 he joined Partick Thistle. He retired a year later in 1904, marking the end of a great and wonderful career.
7. John Hughes [189 Goals in 416 Apps]
One of the top 10 Celtic FC Goalscorers of all time, Hughes was signed from Shotts Bon Accord in 1959 and quickly established himself as a regular in the Celtic forward line. He was comfortable on both wings and at centre forward and could easily change positions during the course of a game with his versatility.
He was part of the Celtic squad who won the 1967 European Cup and became known as the Lisbon Lions. Although Hughes was dropped for the side who won the final, he was awarded a winner’s medal in recognition of the part he played in the team. He had played in the requisite number of matches to qualify for a medal.
He scored a remarkable 189 goals in 416 appearances for Celtic, and earned eight full international caps for the Scotland national team. He was so named ‘Yogi’ because of his size and strength, and without ever having much speed, he had the ability to shake off defenders through sheer physical power, while keeping his head down and the ball always under close control. To see John Hughes in full flow was to see one of the most spectacular sights in Celtic’s history.
He won 6 League Championship medals, was in 1 Scottish Cup winning team (1965), 4 League Cup winning teams. Hughes remains Celtic’s sixth highest goal scorer of all-time and is firmly established as a club legend.