ALEX ROLLO OF CELTIC F.C., RARE AWAY JERSEY
1950s

Umbro Tangeru label, shamrock crest, 2 verso, long-sleeve, with previous Christie's sales tag

Note: This rare shirt, also known as the 'Political' or 'Shamrock' shirt, was originally sold by Christie's (believed) lot 105 on 30th March 2000, as per the description below,

'A white and green Celtic shirt, No.2, with button-up cotton collar and badge formed as a shamrock

The above shirt was worn by Alex Rollo who, as left-back, played a total of 59 times for Celtic between 1948 and 1954'

This would also appear to link to another lot 156 sold by Christie's on 15th October 1997, billed as,

'A white and green Celtic jersey, No.2, with button-up cotton collar and badge formed as a shamrock

The above jersey was given to the vendor by Alex Rollo who, as a left-back, played a total of 59 times for Celtic between 1948 and 1954.'

It is therefore believed that this shirt would have been worn by Rollo at some point between 1952 (it was first unveiled in a friendly vs. Belfast Celtic on 17 May 1952) and him leaving the club in 1954.

Interestingly, according to research carried out by A Celtic State of Mind (see the attached article https://acsom.net/the-history-of-the-shamrock-jersey-the-most-sought-after-celtic-shirt-of-the-year/), after unvelieing the shirt in 1952 (when it was actually worn by Belfast Celtic and not the Glasgow team),

'The jersey then appeared on the cover of the Celtic programme for the league match against Clyde on 12 September 1953, but it was not an action shot of a player wearing the shamrock shirt, so it is possible that Celtic did not wear it themselves until they faced Kilmarnock on 8 January 1955 in the league. According to the Evening Times (Glasgow) report, which ran with the headline, “TULLY TRICK IN A NEW STRIP, CELTIC JUST MAKE IT,” this was the first time a Celtic team wore the shamrock jersey.'

It can therefore be hypothesised that, if the above shirt was Rollo's, he either kept it following the Belfast game (he played, and it is feasible he swapped after), or indeed, he kept it from training (the programme vs. Clyde being evidence that these shirts were worn, albeit, apparently not during competitive ties).