How Dave Mackay foiled Bob Paisley and fouled Jimmy HusbandLegendary hardman made an impact on Merseyside - on and off the pitch
TRIBUTES have poured in for Dave Mackay, a Spurs’ double-winner, a 22-cap Scottish international and an inspiration behind Brian Clough’s promotion winning Derby County side of 1971.
But the legendary hardman, who passed away on Monday night aged 80, also made an impact here on Merseyside - on and off the pitch.
Older Evertonians still wince about a challenge he made on Jimmy Husband in 1968 - a tackle which later assumed mythological status - while both Everton and Liverpool fans were left heartbroken in 1975 when Mackay the manager dashed Everton and Liverpool’s dreams of landing the First Division title.
That was when Derby County were crowned champions - after one of the tightest title races for years.
Billy Bingham’s Everton had led the league for much of the campaign, and on Easter Monday topped the table by a point from neighbours Liverpool, with the added advantage of a game in hand.
Derby were down in fifth.
The following day Bobby Robson’s Ipswich took over at the top - on goal average.
It was that tight.
Billy Bingham with his trainer Stewart Imlach and his Everton squad
The following weekend Everton played on the Friday night because of the Grand National - and a 1-1 draw with Burnley meant they went back on top - for 24 hours, until Liverpool beat champions Leeds 2-0 and overtook their neighbours on goal average - 1.49 to 1.42.
Everton still had a game in hand, but lost at soon to be relegated Luton 2-1.
Then when they tossed away a 2-0 half-time lead to lose 3-2 at home to Sheffield United the game was up.
That left Liverpool, in Bob Paisley’s first season as boss, in with a great chance of celebrating their new manager’s debut season with a title, but the Reds lost 1-0 at Middlesbrough in their penultimate match and finished runners up.
Derby finished the campaign with two goalless draws, and that was enough for Mackay’s side to land the title by a point after Ipswich could only draw their final match at Manchester City.
Derby heard of their title success during their player of the year awards in a local nightclub. As Gerry Harrison wrote in The Times, “The mood was right, the setting conducive, the champagne well chilled.”
Liverpool would soon get used to the taste of champagne - Paisley won the first of his six league titles the following season.
Phil Neal signed for Liverpool in November 1974 and made his debut a few days in a goalless Merseyside derby at Goodison Park
Mackay was also new to management, having only hung his boots up two years before - but one half of Merseyside remembered his playing career vividly.
A brutal challenge on Jimmy Husband in a 1968 League Cup tie put the tricky Blues winger out of football for more than a month, and legend had it that the player was never the same again.
The affect of the challenge was a myth, as the player himself later related: “The foul by Dave Mackay in 1968 is a bit of a myth,” Husband told Evertonian author Rob Sawyer. “It was the most diabolical foul that you could wish to see, Dave was 13 stone of muscle; the tackle came in on my knee and damaged my ligaments.
“The fans just remember the foul being awful. But I came back and scored 20 goals in the season.”
Blues fan Ray Roche, who witnessed the challenge, recalled: “Husband was an excellent player and I well remember the MacKay tackle, absolute disgrace.”
But Mackay was remembered for more positive moments throughout his career.
The 22-cap Scotland international began his career with Hearts in 1953 and captained the Edinburgh side to the Scottish League title during the 1957-58 season.
Mackay moved south of the border to join Tottenham in 1959 and helped the north London club become the first English side to win the league and FA Cup double during the 1960-61 season.
The Edinburgh-born player helped Tottenham retain the FA Cup the following season and was captain when Spurs lifted the trophy in 1967.
Mackay left Tottenham to join Derby in 1968 and helped Brian Clough’s side win promotion to the First Division the following year before taking up a player-manager role at Swindon Town in 1971.
A year later Mackay left the Robins to manage Nottingham Forest for a brief spell before succeeding Clough as Derby manager in 1973, with the Rams winning the First Division title in 1975.
Mackay passed away at hospital in Nottingham on Monday evening.
By David Prentice / Echo
