HIS CUP RUNNETH OVER

Jimmy Delaney was certainly a fans’ favourite at Celtic Park but he proved to be a bit of a cup expert elsewhere as well

- Joe Sullivan

IT was 74 years ago this week that Celtic legend Jimmy Delaney left the club for Manchester United.

It was a move that came after he had scored 74 goals in 160 games, while added to that were 145 Wartime games that delivered another 87 goals – it was also a move that distressed and angered the faithful who couldn’t believe that the club let him go.

The Grandfather of current Celtic assistant manager, John Kennedy, plied his trade with no fewer than seven clubs between 1933 and 1957 but there is no doubt that Celtic were the club of his heart, he reached the heights throughout his entire career in Scotland, England and Ireland.

For, although to us, he will forever be Jimmy Delaney of Celtic, his remarkable career elsewhere only added to his legend and his ‘cup capers’ in particular are among the most extraordinary in football.

In football parlance, the phrase ‘Up for the cup’ has become one of the most well-worn slogans attributed down through the years to players and teams alike.

However, it’s doubtful if it could be applied more legitimately to any player other than Jimmy Delaney.

The outside-right-cum-centre-forward completed a unique hat-trick of cup-winning medals by appearing in victorious sides in the cup competitions of the SFA, the FA and Irish FA.

He came within minutes of doing a clean sweep when he reached the FAI Cup final with Cork Athletic towards the end of his career.