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McGrory gained a total of seven caps for the Scottish national team, scoring six goals. In the mid and late 1920s he was generally overlooked, as were Dave Halliday and Hughie Ferguson, in favour of Hughie Gallacher who played 18 times in that period, scoring 24 goals in 17 victories and one draw. McGrory's full international debut was at Firhill in 1928 against Ireland when Gallacher was on a two-month suspension; Scotland lost 1–0 to an opponent Gallacher usually scored freely against. McGrory became something of a scapegoat, waiting over three years for his full international recall.
Jimmy McGrory is remembered not only as a brave and prolific goalscorer with Celtic but also as one who ‘set the highest standards of fair play and sportsmanship that could be expected of any player’ (Murray, Glasgow's Giants, 114). He was much loved, quiet, gentlemanly, generous, and devoutly religious. The 1930–31 Scottish Cup was to prove more fruitful all round, where he ended up with a winners medal and 8 goals from 6 games. In the Cup Final on 11 April 1931, he scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw against Motherwell in front of crowd of 104,863 at Hampden Park, Glasgow. The replay took place on 15 April 1931, which Celtic won 4–2 thanks to two goals each from McGrory and Bertie Thomson. [30] [33] This reconstructed grandstand was opened by Jimmy McGrory on 1st September 1971 and on this date Celtic played Nacional of Uruguay, the Champions of South America. The Rally concluded with some music and the sincerest thanks was directed towards Jimmy McGrory for the joy he brought to many Celtic fans, his incredible loyalty to the club and his remarkable character as a man. Finally, he had been given a fitting show of appreciation. Although, there is no doubting that he understood how loved he was by the supporters as opposed to the old boardrooms of Celtic Park and Hampden.
But the truth is statistics and photographs can never really explain why this most courageous and sporting of footballers holds such a uniquely special place in the hearts of the Celtic support. McGrory’s heart, however, was always at Paradise, and so he remained at the club, forever a faithful servant. More than that, he was a phenomenal footballer, and it’s extremely unlikely that Celtic will ever see his like again. Postecoglou and Rodgers are excellent football managers, but that’s pretty much where the comparison ends. International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition [111] [112] [113] No.
When it comes to arguments over who is the greatest Celt of them all, the name at the top of many people’s list is the incomparable James Edward McGrory. Sat 19 Mar 1927 English Football League 2 SFL 2". London Hearts Supporters Club . Retrieved 20 October 2015. Celtic beat Motherwell 4-1 at Celtic Park on 9 April, and this was followed by a double header against Dundee over the Holiday Weekend. The Saturday game at Dens Park was a tight 3-2 victory with two goals from John Divers and one from Joe Carruth, and some good defensive work by Willie Lyon after Dundee scored with a penalty late in the second half to make it 3-2, but the game at Parkhead on the Monday was more one-sided. Celtic won this one 3-0. It was a game spoiled to an extent by “over-robust” Dundee defending (clearly there were some vendettas carried over from Saturday) but Willie Lyon scored with two penalties and John Divers scored the other goal.But the tide turned as it was always likely to with McGrory around, and by season 1935/36, Jimmy’s 13th in professional football, another superb Celtic team had emerged. McGrory at last had the support that his talents deserved, and the forward line of Delaney, Buchan, McGrory, Crum and Murphy was a truly phenomenal one. Buchan and Crum were superbly tireless inside-forwards, and the wing play of Delaney and Murphy was excellent. McGrory himself would later claim that all he had to do was to be there and the goals would come.
McGrory would later explain his decision in the simplest of terms. He said: “McGrory of Arsenal just never sounded as good as McGrory of Celtic.” Under Norris, Arsenal were ruthlessly ambitious and Chapman was the man the controversial chairman believed could take the Highbury side to the pinnacle of the English game. He would be proved right. McManus, John. "McGrory, James Edward [Jimmy] 1904 - 1982". In Matthew, H.C.G: Harrison, B (2004). Oxford Dictionary Of National Biography, Vol.35. Oxford University Press (Oxford). p.452. Retrieved 30 September 2021. While Maley was not the orchestrator of this whole debacle his willingness to assist so readily in the sale of McGrory does him no credit. He once attempted to play down the whole affair saying: “Arsenal wanted him very much. We left him to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. ‘No’ it was.”
Jimmy McGrory
His committed play meant he regularly suffered a broken nose and in one match he even broke his jaw after taking a boot to the face. Such injuries were all part of the game to the man they called ‘ The Human Torpedo‘ (a term reflecting his heading ability). For twelve seasons, McGrory was to be Celtic’s top scorer. Twice (1926-27 & 1935-36) he was the top league scorer in Europe with 49 and 50 goals respectively. While Celtic relinquished the Scottish League title in 1926–27 title, finishing in 3rd place, McGrory had his best goalscoring season. He started the season well, twice scoring four goals and twice scoring five, and by New Year had only one less goal League goal (34) than the previous season's final tally of 35. [18] He was just as prolific in the 1926–27 Scottish Cup, where he scored nine goals in only six outings, [19] although in a cruel twist of fate he missed out on playing in the final, which Celtic won against East Fife 3–1, due to breaking two ribs in an April league defeat to Falkirk. [20]
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