Now that is an interesting list.
Thanks Shammy, that is an interesting list right enough. I also found a wee story about the first player from the Indian Sub- Continent to play in Europe.
Here is the story,
OUT OF INDIA
Mohammed Abdul Salim's brief spell with Celtic in the 1930s might be termed a " footnote" in Celtic's history- incredibly, he played with his bare feet strapped in bandages.
Born in Calcutta, after helping the Mohammedan Sporting Club to five consecutive Indian titles his cousin encouraged him to try his luck in Europe. And so it was that in 1937, at the age of 23, he arrived in London on ocean liner The City of Cairo. Finding London unappealing, he looked to Glasgow, second city of the Empire, and was given a trial by Celtic manager Willie Maley. He impressed enough to win a contract and became the first player from the sub- continent to sign for a European club.
Salim did not actually play for Celtic but sported his unusual footwear for friendly wins against Hamilton (5-1) and Galston thrashed 7-1. Inevitably, the exotic forward grabbed more than his share of coverage in the local press. After the Galston match, under a headline which read "Indian juggler - New Style" the Scottish Daily Express reported " Ten twinkling toes of Salim, Celtic FCs player from India hypnotised the Parkhead faithful. He balances the ball on his big toe, lets it run down the scale to his little toe, twirls it and hops on one foot round the defender."
Soon, though, Salim was hopping back to India. Homesickness got the better of him and although Celtic attempted to encourage him to stay by offering him 5% of the takings from a charity match in his honour, he declined the offer. Instead he asked that the money, said to be a somewhat unbelievable £1800, be given to an orphan charity to which the club made yearly donations.
When he fell ill in later life- he died in 1980- it is said that his son Rashid wrote to the club under the guise of financial assistance, but really to see if the club remembered his father. Salim died before a reply came with the offer of "all sorts of reassuring help" and a cheque for £100.
Taken from
The Celtic Miscellany by Andrew Smith.
Tis a shame that no- one has heard of Mohammed Salim....he really did break down barriers...in 1937