Dave Mackay
Encyclopedia
David Craig Mackay is a Scottish
former football player and manager. Mackay is best remembered for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian
, the Double winning Tottenham Hotspur
side of 1961, and winning the league with Derby County
as a manager. He also represented Scotland
22 times, and was selected for their 1958 FIFA World Cup
squad. Mackay tied with Tony Book
of Manchester City
for the Football Writers' Association
's Footballer of the Year award in 1969 and was later listed by The Football League
in their "100 Legends".
, and began his playing career with the club he supported as a boy, Heart of Midlothian
. He won all three Scottish domestic honours with the club. He captained the side in 1957–58 when the club broke the senior British league goalscoring record with 132 goals for, with only 29 conceded.
He was signed by Tottenham Hotspur
for £32,000 in March 1959. During the 1960s his fierce determination and skill contributed to the team which won the Double
in 1961
, further FA Cup
victories in 1962
and 1967
, and the Cup Winners Cup
in 1963
. Brian Clough
claimed in 2003 that Mackay was Tottenham Hotspur's greatest ever player.
In 1968 he was transferred to Derby County
for £5,000, after Brian Clough
and Peter Taylor persuaded him to sign. In his first season at the Baseball Ground
, in which the club gained promotion
to the First Division
, he was chosen FWA Footballer of the Year, jointly with Manchester City
's Tony Book
. When he was a player at Derby County, Clough made Mackay play in a sweeping role and used his influence on the team to encourage them to turn defence into attack through a passing game.
In 1971 he was appointed player-manager of Swindon Town
but left after just one season to take charge of Nottingham Forest
. He remained at the City Ground
until October 1973, when he returned to Derby as manager following Clough's resignation. In his first season Derby finished third in the table. In his second season in charge of Derby, he guided the team to the 1975 league title
. The following season
, he managed the club to a respectable fourth-place finish in the league, the semifinals of the FA Cup, and an unfortunate extra time second-round exit to Real Madrid
in the 1976 European Cup. At one stage the side had been in the running for the Double. Mackay was sacked in November 1976 after a poor start to the season
. A newspaper headline reading "Mackay sacked" was used as a visual prop in the British television situation comedy
Porridge
, which featured a prison officer
named Mackay.
He then had an uneventful spell as Walsall
manager from March 1977 to August 1978. This was followed by nine years coaching in Kuwait
. He returned to the UK and was appointed manager of Doncaster Rovers
in 1987, a year after being linked with the Scotland
manager's job (which ultimately went to Andy Roxburgh
).
Mackay's reign at Belle Vue
lasted two seasons before he moved to Birmingham City
, who had just been relegated to the third tier of the league for the first time in their history. His task was simple – to get Birmingham promoted to the Second Division. But he was unsuccessful in trying to achieve this and resigned in 1991. After that, he returned to the Middle East for two years managing Zamalek, a Cairo
club team, and then a further three years in Qatar
before retiring from football altogether in 1997.
. Mackay had previously published Soccer My Spur in the early 1960s.
Mackay was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame
in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game as both a player and manager, and in 2006 became an inaugural inductee of the Heart of Midlothian
Hall of Fame in recognition of his success as a player in the 1950s.
George Best
(1946–2005), of Manchester United
, one of Tottenham's fiercest rivals in the 1960s
, described Mackay as "the hardest man I have ever played against – and certainly the bravest".http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2215721.ece
Tottenham Hotspur
Derby County
Al-Arabi Sporting Club
El Zamalek
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former football player and manager. Mackay is best remembered for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
, the Double winning Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
side of 1961, and winning the league with Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
as a manager. He also represented Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
22 times, and was selected for their 1958 FIFA World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
squad. Mackay tied with Tony Book
Tony Book
Anthony Keith Book is a retired English footballer and manager who was born in Bath, 4 September 1934. Book spent a large part of his career in Non-League football with his home town club Bath City, before entering league football with Plymouth Argyle. At the age of 31, he joined First Division...
of Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
for the Football Writers' Association
Football Writers' Association
The Football Writers' Association is an association of England football journalists and correspondents writing for newspapers and agencies, founded in 1947....
's Footballer of the Year award in 1969 and was later listed by The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in their "100 Legends".
Career
Mackay was born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and began his playing career with the club he supported as a boy, Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. He won all three Scottish domestic honours with the club. He captained the side in 1957–58 when the club broke the senior British league goalscoring record with 132 goals for, with only 29 conceded.
He was signed by Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
for £32,000 in March 1959. During the 1960s his fierce determination and skill contributed to the team which won the Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
in 1961
1960-61 in English football
The 1960–61 season was the 81st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season was a historic one for domestic football in England, as Tottenham Hotspur F.C. became the first club in the twentieth century to "do the Double" by winning both the League and the FA Cup competitions...
, further FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
victories in 1962
1961-62 in English football
The 1961–62 season was the 82nd season of competitive Football in England.-Overview:The season was notable for the remarkable achievement of Ipswich Town winning the League Championship. Under the managership of Alf Ramsey, the club progressed from the old Third Division South to the First Division...
and 1967
1966-67 in English football
The 1966–67 season was the 87th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Queens Park Rangers won the Football League Cup on the first occasion it was played at Wembley, coming from 2-0 down at half-time to beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2....
, and the Cup Winners Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
in 1963
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1962-63
The 1962–63 season of the European Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Tottenham Hotspur in a crushing final victory over holders Atlético Madrid. It was the first time a European cup went to an English club...
. Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
claimed in 2003 that Mackay was Tottenham Hotspur's greatest ever player.
In 1968 he was transferred to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
for £5,000, after Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
and Peter Taylor persuaded him to sign. In his first season at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
, in which the club gained promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, he was chosen FWA Footballer of the Year, jointly with Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
's Tony Book
Tony Book
Anthony Keith Book is a retired English footballer and manager who was born in Bath, 4 September 1934. Book spent a large part of his career in Non-League football with his home town club Bath City, before entering league football with Plymouth Argyle. At the age of 31, he joined First Division...
. When he was a player at Derby County, Clough made Mackay play in a sweeping role and used his influence on the team to encourage them to turn defence into attack through a passing game.
In 1971 he was appointed player-manager of Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
but left after just one season to take charge of Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. He remained at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
until October 1973, when he returned to Derby as manager following Clough's resignation. In his first season Derby finished third in the table. In his second season in charge of Derby, he guided the team to the 1975 league title
1974-75 in English football
The 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
. The following season
1975-76 in English football
The 1975–76 season was the 96th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won their first major trophy under Bob Paisley by narrowly winning the league title after heated competition from Queens Park Rangers. They also lifted the UEFA Cup for the second time in their...
, he managed the club to a respectable fourth-place finish in the league, the semifinals of the FA Cup, and an unfortunate extra time second-round exit to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
in the 1976 European Cup. At one stage the side had been in the running for the Double. Mackay was sacked in November 1976 after a poor start to the season
1976-77 in English football
The 1976–77 season was the 97th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League revamped the tie-breaking criteria for teams level of points, replacing the traditional goal average tie-breaker with one based on goal difference to try to encourage more scoring...
. A newspaper headline reading "Mackay sacked" was used as a visual prop in the British television situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Porridge
Porridge (TV series)
Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland...
, which featured a prison officer
Prison officer
A prison officer , also referred to as a corrections officer , correctional officer , or detention officer , is a person charged with the responsibility of the supervision, safety and security of prisoners in a prison, jail, or similar form of secure...
named Mackay.
He then had an uneventful spell as Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
manager from March 1977 to August 1978. This was followed by nine years coaching in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. He returned to the UK and was appointed manager of Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in 1987, a year after being linked with the Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
manager's job (which ultimately went to Andy Roxburgh
Andy Roxburgh
Andy Roxburgh is a former Scottish football player and coach. He has been UEFA Technical Director since 1994.- Playing career :...
).
Mackay's reign at Belle Vue
Belle Vue (football)
Belle Vue was the home of English professional football club Doncaster Rovers from 1922 to 2006. The ground was affectionately called by fans as 'Old Belle Vue' or OBV.-History:...
lasted two seasons before he moved to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, who had just been relegated to the third tier of the league for the first time in their history. His task was simple – to get Birmingham promoted to the Second Division. But he was unsuccessful in trying to achieve this and resigned in 1991. After that, he returned to the Middle East for two years managing Zamalek, a Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
club team, and then a further three years in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
before retiring from football altogether in 1997.
Legacy
In 2004 The Real Mackay was published, an autobiography written with Martin KnightMartin Knight
Martin Knight is a British author born in Epsom in Surrey in 1957 mainly associated with working class culture and football literature. In 1999 "Hoolifan" and "The Naughty Nineties" were released; both books dealing with the subject, culture and history of football hooliganism. Knight was co-author...
. Mackay had previously published Soccer My Spur in the early 1960s.
Mackay was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game as both a player and manager, and in 2006 became an inaugural inductee of the Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
Hall of Fame in recognition of his success as a player in the 1950s.
George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
(1946–2005), of Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, one of Tottenham's fiercest rivals in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, described Mackay as "the hardest man I have ever played against – and certainly the bravest".http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2215721.ece
Player
Heart of MidlothianHeart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
- Scottish First DivisionScottish Football League First DivisionThe Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
- Champion:1957–58
- Runner-up:1953–54, 1956–57, 1958–59
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
- Winner: 1956
- Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
- Winner: 1955, 1959
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
: 1960–611960-61 in English footballThe 1960–61 season was the 81st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season was a historic one for domestic football in England, as Tottenham Hotspur F.C. became the first club in the twentieth century to "do the Double" by winning both the League and the FA Cup competitions... - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: 1961FA Cup Final 1961The 1961 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1961 at Wembley with Tottenham Hotspur beating Leicester City 2–0. Tottenham had already won the League and were chasing the League and Cup Double...
, 1962FA Cup Final 1962The 1962 FA Cup Final took place on 5 May 1962 at Wembley Stadium and was won by Tottenham Hotspur over Burnley, by a 3–1 scoreline. Due to the lack of passion and excitement, replaced by patience and cautious play, the final was dubbed "The Chessboard Final". Tottenham took to the field as...
, 1967 - UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 19631963 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup FinalThe 1963 European Cup Winners' Cup Final was the final football match of the 1962–63 European Cup Winners' Cup and was the third European Cup Winners' Cup final. It was contested between Tottenham Hotspur of England and the defending champions, Atlético Madrid of Spain, and was held at Feijenoord...
Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
: 1968–691968-69 in English footballThe 1968–69 season was the 89th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Leeds United won the League for the first time in their history, finishing six points ahead of Liverpool...
Manager
Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
: 1974–751974-75 in English footballThe 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
Al-Arabi Sporting Club
- Kuwaiti Premier LeagueKuwaiti Premier LeagueThe Kuwaiti Premier League is the top division of the Kuwait Football Association league pyramid system. It was created in 1961. Al Arabi holds the best record in the competition, winning it 16 times...
: 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1987–88 - Kuwait Cup: 1980–81, 1982–83,
El Zamalek
- Egyptian Premier LeagueEgyptian Premier LeagueThe Egyptian Premier League is an Egyptian professional league for football clubs and represents the top flight of Egyptian football. The championship consists of nineteen competing teams in a home and away league system. It is currently known as the Etisalat Egyptian Premier League, after the...
: 1991–92, 1992–93