John Hughes (footballer born 1943)

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This article is about the elder John Hughes. For the younger, unrelated John Hughes, see John Hughes (footballer born 1964).

For other people with this name, see John Hughes.

John 'Yogi' Hughes (born April 3, 1943 in Coatbridge) is a Scottish former football player with Celtic, Crystal Palace and Sunderland.

Signed from Shotts Bon Accord in 1960, Hughes scored 189 goals in 416 appearances for Celtic during his eleven season with the Parkhead side. He was part of the Celtic side who went to the final of the European Cup on 25 May 1967 and became known as the Lisbon Lions. Although Hughes was dropped for the side who won the trophy, he was awarded a winners medal in recognition of the part he played in the team, and having played in the requisite number of matches to qualify for a medal, along with Joe McBride and Charlie Gallacher. In 1970 Celtic reached the European Cup Final for the second time after defeating Leeds United in both legs of the semi-final. In the first leg Celtic beat Leeds 1-0 at Elland road with a goal from George Connelly and Yogi scored Celtic's first goal in a 2-1 victory in the return leg of the tie played at Hampden Park in front of almost 140,000 people, the biggest crowd ever for a European Cup game. Celtic lost 2-1 to Feyenoord of Holland after extra time with Hughes playing the whole game at the San Siro stadium in Milan on 6th May 1970.

Hughes earned eight full international caps for the Scotland national team between 1965 and 1970. He made his debut in a 0-0 draw with Spain at Hampden Park.

Hughes moved to Crystal Palace in 1971, in a £30,000 joint deal with Willie Wallace. While with the Croydon club he scored the 1971-72 runner-up 'Goal of the Season', in a 5-1 win over Sheffield United. He joined Sunderland for £35,000 in January 1973 but injury brought a premature end to his career later that year. He only got 15 minutes of play for Sunderland.

After coaching with Baillieston he was appointed Stranraer's manager/coach in 1975 but he left the role after one year. He later became the Scottish Junior Football Association's first international team manager, appointed in 1978.

[edit] Trivia

Hughes' younger brother William was also a professional footballer and played for Sunderland at the same time as John. William Hughes, footballer earned his only Scotland cap five years after John's last international appearance.

Hughes' nickname, 'Yogi', is said to have derived from the popular cartoon character Yogi Bear, as Hughes was burly in appearance and also from the fact that one of the bear's catchphrases was "I'm smarter than the average bear!".