John Thomas Fitzsimons (3 March 1915 – 3 September 1995) was a Scottish footballer who played as an outside left, and a medical doctor who acted as Celtic F.C.'s club physician for 34 years, also working for the Scotland national football team in the role.Dr J Fitzsimons, The Herald, 23 September 1995
He began his senior football career at Celtic in 1934, also training for his medical qualifications at the Anderson College of MedicineFitzsimons John "Doc" Image 1 Clyde 1948, Vintage Footballers (then associated with the University of Glasgow but today an integral part of the University of Strathclyde). Due in part to his educational commitments he was only a fringe player at the Hoops (five Scottish Division One appearances in four seasons),(Celtic player) Fitzsimmons, John, FitbaStats and transferred to lower division Alloa Athletic in 1938. During World War II when the usual competitions were suspended for seven years, he switched to Clyde then Falkirk,Some Stuff from WWII, Falkirk Football Historian, 28 August 2013 where he made over 150 appearances in total, played on the losing side in the 1943 Southern League Cup finalRangers Build Up Corners Lead Falkirk Almost Snatch Victory, The Glasgow Herald, 10 May 1943'Daylight Robbery' when Falkirk took on Rangers in 1943 Southern League Cup, Falkirk Herald, 24 June 2020Rangers Win Southern League Cup Final Falkirk Beaton On Corners, The Scotsman, 10 May 1943, via London Hearts Supporters Club and was still with the Bairns when official competitions resumed in 1946,John Fitzsimmons (Doc), Better Meddle though by the end of that year he had signed for Hamilton Academical,Fitzsimons, John (1946) , Hamilton Academical Memory Bank soon making a return to Clyde before retiring from playing in 1948.Clyde: 1946/47 - 2013/14, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
In his medical career, Fitzsimons worked at Belvidere Hospital (Parkhead) then as a GP in his native Glasgow.(untitled notes) Falkirk Herald, 16 February 1946, via The Celtic Wiki In 1953 he was appointed as Celtic's club doctor, a position he held until 1987 spanning the highly successful period under manager Jock Stein. He had a similar occasional role with the Scottish international squad from 1970 to 1982, accompanying them to three FIFA World Cup finals tournaments. He was made a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Paul VI in 1976 for his commitment to the local Lourdes Hospitalité pilgrimage foundation.And they gave us James McGrory and Danny Dawson, Matt Corr, The Celtic Star, 18 March 2020Lourdes Pilgrimage Medal, A History of the World (BBC / The British Museum)
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