DUNFERMLINE Athletic and Kelty Hearts have led tributes to one of their former players, who has passed away at the age of 56.

Willie Callaghan junior, whose father of the same name won the Scottish Cup with the Pars in 1968, died last Thursday, just three weeks after his birthday.

A player who came through the youth ranks at East End, he became the third member of the Callaghan family – after his father, who made 426 appearances for the club, and Willie senior's younger brother, Tommy, who would go on to star for Celtic – to represent Dunfermline.

Willie broke briefly into the Pars side during the 1984/85 season, having made his way to the club via Hill of Beath swifts, Kelty Hearts and Dunfermline Railway Club under-21s, making the starting line-up for games with Stirling Albion and Stranraer.

After being released at the end of that season, he returned to Kelty before joining Halbeath Juniors, for whom is scoring form encouraged Jim Leishman to bring him back to Dunfermline in December 1987, during the team's first-ever Premier Division campaign.

Although he spent much of that time in the reserves, he was one of several changes to the first team for a match with Dundee in March 1988, with Athletic moving towards relegation, and helped the team to a 6-1 victory.

His first Pars goal arrived in a 3-0 win over Greenock Morton a week later, and scored another in a 3-2 loss at Motherwell, but couldn't help the team survive the drop.

Willie was, however, handed a new contract after making eight top division starts, but the form of Ross Jack and George O'Boyle up front in season 1988/89, which the saw the Pars make an instant return to the Premier Division, saw him restricted to just half-a-dozen substitute appearances.

The remainder of his time at East End was spent on loan to Walsall, Clyde and Cowdenbeath, before he signed for Kelty after leaving the Pars, helping the New Central Park side to win their first Fife Junior League championship.

Dunfermline Press:

Kelty Hearts held a minute's silence in memory of Willie Callaghan on Saturday. Photo: David Wardle.

Spells with Albion Rovers, Inverness Thistle and Montrose followed before he rejoined the Blue Brazil on a permanent basis in the 1992/93 season, where he would go on to have the most successful time of his playing career.

He scored 28 league goals for Cowden - including two in a surprise 2-0 victory at East End in 1993, which cost the Pars promotion from the First Division, and ended a run of 33 league games without victory for the Blue Brazil - and was named as their player of the year in 1994.

After his time at Central Park, he moved on to Meadowbank Thistle, who subsequently relocated to, and rebranded as, Livingston, and Partick Thistle, before playing junior football for several clubs, including Camelon, Glenafton and Lochore Welfare.

Dunfermline said that they were "saddened" to hear of his passing, commenting: "Willie Junior’s career at East End Park was perhaps more limited than it might have been but he did help provide Pars fans with a few very special memories during our first Premier season.

"Our thoughts are with Willie’s family at this sad time."

Kelty Hearts, who held a minute's silence in his memory ahead of their match with Alloa Athletic on Saturday, echoed those sentiments, and said: "Willie played for Kelty Hearts during season 1990/91 and was part of the team that won the clubs first Fife Junior League championship.

"He collected the top goal scorer that year with 24. He joined his boyhood club after being released from Dunfermline Athletic but, after his successful season at Kelty, he stepped back up to the seniors with Albion Rovers for season 1991/92 and went on to play for Inverness (Thistle), Montrose, Cowdenbeath, Meadowbank, Livingston and Partick Thistle.

"Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends at this very sad time."

Cowdenbeath secretary and historian, David Allan, added: "A fast, hard-working striker, Willie was top scorer in his first two full seasons with the Blue Brazil. He was Cowden’s Player of the Year in 1994.

"Willie scored 28 league goals for Cowden. Many were highly memorable including both goals at East End Park in a miraculous 2-0 Cowden victory. These goals cost Dunfermline promotion and ended Cowden’s awful run of 33 league games without a win.

"Our condolences go out to Willie Snr, Liam and all the Callaghan family. Thanks for all the great memories Cal – you will be much missed by us all."