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Full Name: Simon Thomas Donnelly
aka: Simon Donnelly
Born: 1st December 1974
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 5ft, 8in (1.73m)
Position: Midfielder/Forward
International: Scotland
International Caps: 10
International Goals: 0

Biog

A native of Rutherglen, and son of an ex-Rangers player, Simon "Sid" Donnelly was one of the more lauded players from the misfiring conveyor belt of Celtic youth team talent to emerge in the dark days of the mid 1990s.

Amidst a series of promising performances as a callow 19-year old striker of no little guile and effort, Donnelly was unfortunately saddled with a comparison to Kenny Dalglish (by the then manager Lou Macari who said that he reminded him of someone he used to play with) after a startling good debut game, a comparison he was, unsurprisingly, unable to live up to, and was an unfair tag to place on him so early in his career.

His emergence as a youngster of genuine promise was sealed towards the end of the 1993-94 season. He produced a hard working shift as the lone striker in the infamous 'lock out' game at Ibrox (where he tormented the Rangers skipper Richard Gough) then stole the show at the much-lauded 'Theatre of Dreams' (Old Trafford), scoring twice against Manchester United in a testimonial match for Mark Hughes.

Struggling for form and confidence thereafter, then-manager Tommy Burns in one his more inspired decisions, decided to reinvent the young forward as a right sided midfielder, with recent signing Jackie McNamara supporting as overlapping fullback. The pair flourished with a genuine creative chemistry, and many observers were later to lament the disruption of the partnership by the signing of Paolo di Canio in 1996.

Donnelly's most significant contribution was as central striker alongside Henrik Larsson under the guidance of Wim Jansen, securing a double figure goals tally and scoring a number of important goals, not the least of which was the extra time penalty winner against St Johnstone in the League Cup, which arrested a disasterous start to the season, and a fiercely struck penalty against Liverpool in the epic UEFA Cup tie.

Despite a creditable season that was rewarded by Scotland coach Craig Brown with a place in the squad for the 1998 World Cup, Donnelly had been supplanted in the forward line by the erratic Harald Brattbaak and was therefore an increasingly peripheral figure at Celtic.

Despite that, there was genuine disappointment among the support, married to a degree of cynicism when in 1999, along with Phil O'Donnell he opted to depart on a Bosman transfer for Sheffield Wednesday, then in the Premier League, echoing the acrimonious departure of Di Canio two seasons previously.

The move was an ill-fated one; both young Celts were bedevilled by injury and intermittent form, while Wednesday plunged into financial crisis, and freefalling relegation.

Donnelly eventually returned to Scotland at McDairmid Park where his gusty extra time spot kick winner had arguably helped keep the crucial Jansen season alive. Following an unspectacular spell with Dunfermline, he is now back in his native Glasgow with Division 1 Partick Thistle.

Harshly judged, for a career and a talent that once promised so much, Donnelly's career can be seen to be representative of an increasing number of young players who have profited handsomely from the game in financial terms, but to the detriment of their medal collection. On the other hand, it was a difficult period to be involved throughout with Celtic and there was little more he could have added. Six years is a long time with a club that was then in freefall through much of the time, and so he deserves more respect and credit than given by some to date.

We wish him well.

Playing Career