
Dave Mackay is perhaps, along with Alan Gilzean, the most famous Scot
ever to wear the Lilywhite shirt. Born in november 1934 in Edinburgh he
would go on to sign for his boyhood heroes Hearts. He made his debut
for the Tynecastle club in 1953 and went on to play 184 times, scoring
34 goals, for the Maroons.
Whilst in Gorgie he won a Championship in 1958 as well as the
League Cup in both 1955 and 1959 and the Scottish Cup in 1956. They
were not to be his last.
Dave left Scotland in 1959 to join Spurs, and its widely thought
that he helped turn a good side into a great one. Within two years he
had helped us win the double, a real feat at that time, indeed the
first time in the twentieth century. More trophies would follow while
at The Lane - two more FA Cup medals, in 1962 and 1967, and the 1963
ECWC, although Dave was injured for the final against Athletico Madrid
in Rotterdam.
Even after a double leg break he went onto win more trophies,
picking up a Second Division winners medal whilst at Derby in 1969, the
same year he was voted the Football Writer's Footballer of the year. As
manager of The Rams he took them to Championship glory in 1975 as well
as winning a host of honours whilst manging teams in the middle east.
Dave won 22 caps for Scotland - a figure that would surely be at
least trebled in modern day football - which he would tell later gave
him enormous pride.
He still attends games from time to time, and will surely always
be a real legend of The Lane. We could probably do with him in the
midfield now.