A COLOSSUS AT 5' 7"

Dave MacKay, a Scottish international and integral part of the Tottenham Hotspur Double winning team in 1960-61 has died after a long illness, at the age of 80 in Nottingham. He was suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Described by many as a colossus, but standing only 5'7”, he was a power packed midfielder and defender who did not score a lot of goals, but whose passing and tactical awareness allowed him to appear over 600 times in his career, beginning in 1953-9 with Heart of Midlothian (135), then to Spurs (318) from 1959-68, Derby (122) for three years until 1971, under the Clough regime and finally at Swindon Town (26) for a season.

He played for Scotland 22 times including a World Cup appearance.

Under Bill Nicholson at Spurs, he was an important cog in the very successful team than won the first 20^th Century Double and two more Cup Finals and he contributed to a European Cup Winners Cup victory, although he was injured for the final. As the eventual captain of the team, he led by example.

He went on the have success at Derby with the Clough-Taylor duo, who only paid £5000 for him in 1968. They clearly, saw a bargin and appreciated his no nonsense football and his discipline, putting him in as a sweeper, as Derby won promotion to Division One and he was joint named Footballer of the Year.

His managerial career was not so productive and he took charge in 1971 of Swindon, then went on to Nottingham Forest, Derby, Walsall, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham as well as coaching in the Middle East.

I saw him play at White Hart Lane in the Double year, which was memorable because of his uncompromising tackling. He also did national service, he once tried to play on after breaking his leg, he wouldn't have posed in underwear or wearing bling and above all he was fair, no diving, no excuses.

He did fancy a point in the local bell and Hare pub after training-a people's man.

Even Ronnie Barker as Fletcher in “Porridge” gave him a mention with a headline in a red top paper stating; “MacKay gets the Boot”!

He didn't need to break down walls, walls avoided him!

MacKay was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame and George Best described him as “the hardest man I ever played against and the bravest”.

Dave MacKay, a Scottish international and integral part of the Tottenham Hotspur Double winning team in 1960-61 has died after a long illness, at the age of 80 in Nottingham. He was suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Described by many as a colossus, but standing only 5'7”, he was a power packed midfielder and defender who did not score a lot of goals, but whose passing and tactical awareness allowed him to appear over 600 times in his career, beginning in 1953-9 with Heart of Midlothian (135), then to Spurs (318) from 1959-68, Derby (122) for three years until 1971, under the Clough regime and finally at Swindon Town (26) for a season.

He played for Scotland 22 times including a World Cup appearance.

Under Bill Nicholson at Spurs, he was an important cog in the very successful team than won the first 20^th Century Double and two more Cup Finals and he contributed to a European Cup Winners Cup victory, although he was injured for the final. As the eventual captain of the team, he led by example.

He went on the have success at Derby with the Clough-Taylor duo, who only paid £5000 for him in 1968. They clearly, saw a bargin and appreciated his no nonsense football and his discipline, putting him in as a sweeper, as Derby won promotion to Division One and he was joint named Footballer of the Year.

His managerial career was not so productive and he took charge in 1971 of Swindon, then went on to Nottingham Forest, Derby, Walsall, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham as well as coaching in the Middle East.

I saw him play at White Hart Lane in the Double year, which was memorable because of his uncompromising tackling. He also did national service, he once tried to play on after breaking his leg, he wouldn't have posed in underwear or wearing bling and above all he was fair, no diving, no excuses.

He did fancy a point in the local bell and Hare pub after training-a people's man.

Even Ronnie Barker as Fletcher in “Porridge” gave him a mention with a headline in a red top paper stating; “MacKay gets the Boot”!

He didn't need to break down walls, walls avoided him!

MacKay was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame and George Best described him as “the hardest man I ever played against and the bravest”. Below, Billy Bremner gets a warning.