Halloween – The Spooky Story of a Ghost who came back to Haunt Celtic

On Halloween night, prepare yourself for a spine-chilling ghost story with a Celtic twist. This haunting tale, brought to you by Matthew Marr, also known as Hail Hail History, recounts the true story of a footballer who met his demise after a match, only to later come face to face with the Bhoys at Celtic Park. What makes this story even more macabre is the player who allegedly dealt the fatal blow, was none other than a former Celt themselves – Mick McKeown. Throughout his life, McKeown experienced both the highs and lows. Coming from a poor Ayrshire family, he quickly rose to stardom as a player for Celtic, even helping the Bhoys secure their first-ever trophy, the 1889 North Eastern Cup. However, after his football career ended, McKeown’s life took a dark turn. He became a homeless alcoholic and tragically died near Celtic Park in a lime kiln.

It wasn’t until later in life that disaster struck. Prior to that, McKeown had moved to England to play for Blackburn Rovers after leaving Parkhead. And it is during one of these matches where our eerie story begins. McKeown was known for his tough and aggressive style of play as a full-back (or center half in modern terms). During a match against Stoke City on November 9, 1891, McKeown’s team emerged victorious with a 1-0 win. However, both teams complained about the leniency of the referee’s decisions. McKeown himself was penalized for fouls on multiple occasions, although no major issues were apparent.

Three days later, the Bolton Evening News published a headline that sent shockwaves throughout the footballing community – “Death of a football player. Injured in the Stoke-Rovers match.” The article revealed that Joe Schofield, the Stoke forward, had tragically passed away from internal injuries sustained during the match against Blackburn Rovers. The incident unfolded as Schofield and McKeown rushed towards the ball to head it. They collided violently, with McKeown ultimately getting his head to the ball and clearing it. Schofield fell to the ground, and after a brief period of rest, he got back up and resumed playing. It seemed as though he had recovered, but sadly, he died later due to a heavy blow to his ribs and kidneys. Blackburn expressed astonishment, describing the tackle as an ordinary incident, while the Lancashire Evening Post noted that McKeown was no more violent than usual.

During this era of football, serious injuries and even deaths were not uncommon. Celtic, in particular, is well aware of the risks associated with the game. One notable example is Dan Doyle, who took McKeown’s place in the Celtic defense. Doyle was involved in an incident in 1889 that resulted in the death of an opponent. Another tragic incident occurred decades later when Celtic goalkeeper John Thomson died from injuries sustained during a game with Rangers at Ibrox in 1931.

Despite the already high risks, Schofield’s reported death in 1891 would have unsettled the footballing community even more. However, there was one small problem with the story – Schofield wasn’t actually dead. Shortly after the news broke, the Lancashire Evening Post published a headline stating that the report was unfounded. They explained that Schofield was alive, although confined to bed, and it was a great relief to discover that he had not passed away. The Boston Guardian also reported the erroneous nature of the news, attributing the false report to Stoke City officials. Although Schofield did experience some lingering effects from the tackle, his recovery was expected to be swift. He hadn’t even suffered any broken bones. In fact, he returned to playing just over two weeks later, demonstrating his resilience. Stoke welcomed Sunderland on November 28, with Schofield back in his usual attacking position.

Schofield continued to play a significant role for Stoke, even finishing as their top scorer in the 1891-92 season. A year after his “resurrection,” Celtic faced Stoke in a charity friendly match, resulting in a disastrous 5-0 defeat for the Bhoys. And in April 1893, Schofield played a match at Celtic Park, where an English League Select team faced a Scottish League side. Although he didn’t score, Schofield’s performance was impressive for a man who had been erroneously declared dead 18 months prior.

And so, the tale of the seemingly dead footballer who rose again to meet Celtic comes to an end. This family-friendly ghost story serves as a reminder of Celtic’s rich history and the occasional mistakes made by journalists. Don’t forget to follow Matthew Marr, aka Hail Hail History, on Twitter @hailhailhistory for more Celtic insights. And if you’re interested in delving further into Celtic’s past, be sure to check out Matthew’s debut book “The Bould Bhoys Glory to their name,” which uncovers the untold story of Celtic’s first-ever league title win. The book is available in hardback on Celtic Star Books’ website and as an Amazon Kindle edition. Happy Halloween!

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Olivia Wilson

Olivia Wilson is a trendsetter in the world of digital culture. With an eagle eye for emerging trends and viral phenomena, she keeps readers up-to-date with the latest online sensations, memes, and pop culture trends. Olivia’s passion for staying ahead of the curve is infectious.