DavyDavie Adams — Goalkeeper I902-I9I2

Big Davy Adams was the last line of Celtic’s first truly great side (1904—10), and represented Scotland at junior level with Dunipace before arriving at Parkhead midway through the 1902/03 term.

He was a colossus of a custodiao (only the legendary ‘Fatty’ Foulkes of that era seemed bigger), yet was surprisingly adept at saving low shots for such a huge man. After some initial shaky performances, Adams soon settled and became respected as one of the better goalkeepers in the Scottish League.

He won numerous club honours, including six successive Championship medals, but never received recognition at full international level. One explanation offered was that the players immediately in front of him were so secure that he was seldom called into action; and, indeed,Adams often complained of getting cold through inactivity behind such a well-drilled defence.

At the beginning of the 1906/07 campaign, Davy suffered a badly cut hand playing in a benefit game at Ibrox for Rangers star Finlay Speedie. The mishap was caused through a nail which had been inserted in a goalpost for a five-a-side tournament during a sports meeting and had not been removed. Adams, in making a save, lacerated his hand. Rangers kindly loaned the Celts their reserve Tom Sinclair in the meantime.

Adams loved repartee and on one memorable occasion when MacLeod was bitching on to him after conceding a soft goal, Adams began to get irritated as the full-back kept going on about the mistake.

MacLeod: ‘How the hell did you lose that ball?’
Adams: ‘Shut up! I know where the ball is. I havnae lost it. It’s in the net!’

His swansong was the 1911 Scottish Cup, which Celtic lifted without conceding a goal throughout the competition. He continued to play on till December of that year, but eye trouble forced his retirement a few months later. Big Davy was the last Celtic ‘keeper to appear in the hoops and the first to wear a distinguishable yellow jersey. Little is known of his subsequent life until he died in Edinburgh on 29 November 1948, aged sixty-five.