Sean Fallon

Sean Fallon played for Celtic from 1950 to 1958, playing as a full-back and centre forward. He made 254 appearances, scoring 14 goals. He also earned eight international caps with the Republic of Ireland. Sean Fallon started his football career with St Mary's Juniors and also played Gaelic football for Craobh Ruadh. In April 1948, Fallon scored two goals for the Sligo county team against Kerry in a National Football League quarter final played at the Showgrounds. He also played for McArthurs, Sligo Distillery and Longford Town. While at Longford he was capped at centre half for the junior Republic of Ireland national football team. He joined his hometown club in August 1948 In August 1949 Fallon signed professional forms for Glenavon F.C. In March 1950 Fallon joined Glasgow Celtic after impressing with his performance for the Irish League XI against the League of Ireland XI Sean Fallon's love affair with Celtic started when the son of the Celtic legend Jimmy McMenemy saved Fallon's sister, Lilly, from drowning at Lough Gill. Fallon invited Joe McMenemy back to his house and the Scot returned the compliment by sending Sean presents of a Celtic shirt and Willy Maley's book "The Story of the Celtic". He realised his ambition when he made his league debut for Celtic, away to Clyde, in the last game of the 1949–50 season. Within a year he had helped the team win the Scottish Cup, beating Motherwell 1–0 in the 1951 Scottish Cup Final. Fallon said later: "As I walked off Hampden…

Fallon was forced to retire in 1958 through injury but his influence and importance at the club continued. He became assistant to Jock Stein when Stein took up the post of manager in 1965. It was initially proposed by the Celtic chairman Bob Kelly that Fallon should be manager, and Stein his assistant. However Stein vetoed this suggestion and threatened to take an offered job in England, leading to Kelly offering him the full manager's job. He was an integral part of Celtic's success under Jock Stein, when he was the manager's right-hand man. His powers of persuasion were often called upon to secure the signatures of promising youngsters who would go on to become important Celtic players, such as David Hay, Danny McGrain, Kenny Dalglish and Packie Bonner. When Jock Stein suffered a near-fatal car crash in 1975, Fallon took over as caretaker manager. He later briefly managed Dumbarton. Fallon in later years became a director at Dumbarton and then Clyde. Fallon unfurled the league championship flag at Celtic Park on 4 August 2012. He died on 18 January 2013 at the age of 90.