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Note: There is more than one player to have played for Celtic with the same name, so please check the other namesakes if you need.

Personal

Fullname: John Divers
aka: John Divers Sr
Born: 6 August 1911
Birthplace: Clydebank, Scotland
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 1 cap v Ireland

Biog

The nephew of the great Patsy Gallacher Clydebank-born John Divers joined Celtic in December 1932 from Renfrew Juniors.

After becoming a reserve team regular he made his first team debut in a league clash at Parkhead when Celtic defeated Clyde 2-1 on April 2nd 1934. Despite this it took the player a considerable time to establish himself as a first team regular.

Indeed his, at times, seemingly disinterested performances in the reserves had led to him being placed on the transfer list before the inside-left eventually raised his game to become a near permanent and influential fixture in the side which won the League Championship in 1937-38.

Physically strong and with a great ability to cut inside and make good use of a thunderous shot, Divers, on his game, was a hugely impressive player. So much so that he was capped by Scotland in October 1938.

Divers' real asset on the football field was a superb awareness of what was going on around him and a scheming mind which could plot ways through the toughest of defences. He was also the creative mastermind behind the its victory in the Empire Exhibition Trophy of 1938, when Celtic beat Everton 1-0 in the final.

Unfortunately the horrors of war were to intervene just as Divers was approaching the peak of his powers. Divers continued to play for the Bhoys during the regional competions of the war years but would turn up at Celtic Park in overalls having come straight from a hard shift in his war job at the shipyard. The war years were a poor time for Celtic.

He was eventually released by Celtic in 1945 and joined Morton. As a Bhoy he had made 115 appearances and scored 44 goals.

His son John junior was also a professional player, with Celtic and Partick Thistle.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

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