Joe’s 40-yarder left Frank Haffey looking a bit stupid
Partick Thistle fans are still hoping their favourites can mount a promotion charge and return to the top flight next season.
It’s 60 years since the Jags were showing fantastic form that had many people tipping them to become champions of Scotland.
On November 24, 1962, Thistle recorded their eighth consecutive First Division victory – a 2-0 success against Celtic at Parkhead.
The opening goal came from a man who started his career as a centre-forward, but was later switched to right-back.
Joe Hogan admits his long-range strike won’t go down as one of the greatest.
He recalled: “Celtic’s goalie, Frank Haffey, loved making flashy saves.
“I took a shot from about 40 yards out. He could have probably walked across his goalmouth and picked it up.
“But he dived for the ball, expecting it to only bounce up a little. Instead, it bounced up three or four feet.
“He looked really stupid. I don’t think the ball even reached the back of the net.
“It would have been great to take the title to Firhill, but the severe winter went against us.
“Games were crammed in at the end of the season after so many postponements and, although we had a really good side, we could only finish third.”
Joe signed for the Maryhill club in 1954 as a striker, scoring his first goal in the League Cup semi-final replay win against Dundee in 1956.
He was at centre-forward as Thistle lost the Final to Celtic after a replay, and had moved back to full-back when they were defeated in another Final by Hearts in 1958.
“Thistle originally saw me playing at centreforward for Glasgow Schools against London Schools,” Joe continued.
“When I was 16, I was told that Chelsea and Liverpool were watching me, but I really didn’t fancy going down to England on my own.
“I was at Bathgate Academy, and couldn’t sign as a professional at Thistle until I was 17.
“So, until then, I played for Newtongrange Star. One of my team-mates was Alex Young, who became a top player at Hearts and Everton.
“Partick Thistle were very keen that I went to university to study physics and maths.
“There were only about nine full-time players at that time. As many trained in the evening as did during the day.
“I moved back when someone who was playing right-half got injured.
“I played there for the last 20 minutes and did well. I then moved even further back.
“One of my first games in defence was up against Welsh winger, Cliff Jones, when we faced Spurs at White Hart Lane.
“That was a wonderful experience. “Tommy Ledgerwood was the goalie when I first started. He would say that kicking it to the half-way line was quite an achievement.
“He reckoned he could throw the ball as far as he could kick it because the ball got so heavy.
“Sometimes you’d head the ball, and end up with the mark of Zorro on your forehead.” Joe was a highly-rated player in Scotland. He went on: “I was away with the Scottish League team a few times.
“On a couple of occasions, I was a nonplaying reserve. It was difficult because Rangers and Celtic boys used to dominate the selection.
“I played for the Scotland Under-23s against England at Middlesbrough.
“My room-mate was Denis Law.
“He said: ‘Joe, this will be the easiest game you’ve played. Easier than any of your games with Thistle.’.
“His explanation was that there would always be someone looking for the ball. I wouldn’t need to be sending any high balls forward.
“My father was at the game, and that was the first time he had been to England.”
Now 84 and living in Sheffield, Joe retired in 1967 after 299 appearances for his only professional club.
He said: “Teaching was a demanding job. I became a principal teacher of Physics, Maths and Chemistry and, at 30, I decided that was it.
“I ended up as the Director of Education in Lanarkshire.”