Dave Mackay, one of the iconic hard men of British football and a member of the famous Tottenham double-winning team of 1961, has died aged 80 after a long battle with illness.
The rugged Scot, who also played for Derby County and was capped 22 times by his country, went on to have a long and varied career in management, which included spells in charge of Nottingham Forest and Derby County.
His death was confirmed on Monday night by Tottenham on the club’s website.
“We were saddened to hear of the death of our former captain Dave Mackay who passed away at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham,” a statement read.
“Dave was one of the most influential players of his era and was already an established Scotland international when he joined us from Hearts in March, 1959.
“He was a superb player who possessed all the technique, passing ability and talent to be the complete footballer.
“He was the heart-beat of our 1961 ‘Double’ side, was then a key member of the team that retained the FA Cup the following season and, although injury kept him out of our 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup final triumph, he had played a vital role in getting us there.
“He formed a marvellous midfield combination with Danny Blanchflower and, when the Northern Ireland international left us in 1964, Mackay took over as Spurs captain and led us to another FA Cup triumph in 1967. He twice broke the same leg in our cause but, each time, came back stronger than ever.
“Dave Mackay will certainly always be remembered here as one of our greatest ever players and a man who never failed to inspire those around him. In short, a Spurs legend. We extend our condolences to the Mackay family at this sad time.”
Dave Mackay smiles with Spurs manager Bill Nicholson in 1965 (GETTY IMAGES)
Born in Edinburgh, Mackay’s career started at Heart of Midlothian, who he had supported as a boy. He captained the side in 1957–58, when they won the Scottish league title breaking a British league goalscoring record, with 132 goals for and only 29 against.
He joined Tottenham in March 1959 for £32,000 and as a tenacious left-sided midfielder helped them win the FA Cup and Football League Double in 1960–61. There were further FA Cup successes in 1961–62 and 1966–67, and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1962–63.
Mackay’s reputation as an enforcer was well-deserved and one of the most iconic images in post-War football is of Mackay grabbing Leeds United firebrand Billy Bremner by the scruff of the neck during one particularly bad-tempered clash.
Mackay with his1969 Footballer of the Year award, while at Derby (GETTY IMAGES)
Mackay was sold to Brian Clough’s Derby County for £5,000 in 1968 and helped the club gain promotion to the First Division in his first season. He was named Footballer of the Year, jointly with Manchester City’s Tony Book.
His final club as a player was Swindon Town, where he made his move into management. Within a year he moved to Nottingham Forest and subsequently to Derby, to replace Clough. In his first season Derby finished third in the table. In his second season, in 1974–75, they won the league title.
It was his high-water mark as a manager, and although he had spells in charge at Walsall, Doncaster, Birmingham and a string of Middle East clubs, he wasnever able to recapture the glory years at the Baseball Ground.
Mackay was an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 but perhaps the finest tribute came from George Best, who once described him as “the hardest man I have ever played against – and certainly the bravest.”
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