It’s hard to explain to those who weren’t there how good any footballer was especially from an era when very little football was televised and therefore not much visual evidence remains. Unless you saw Best or Cruyff or Pele you cannot appreciate precisely why they were thought to be so much better than their contemporaries.
It’s even harder with Dave Mackay as he was a truly multi dimensional player.
He wasn’t just a strong man he had immense skill too.
When coming onto the pitch at the lane he would kick a ball high into the air then trap it on his instep before blasting it towards goal. Besides being a ferocious tackler, (when Mackay tackled someone they stayed tackled,) he scored goals took free kicks and at the time had one of the longest throws in the game. Oh and have I mentioned how good he was in the air? He was also a good reader of a game. So good that he eventually played centre half whilst only being 5ft 7ins tall.
In the Spurs team of the 60s he was an absolute powerhouse and the heartbeat of the side. His physical strength allied with his iron will made him a formidable opponent. He was feared and revered in equal measure and was the dynamo that drove Spurs on in that awesome decade. No cause was lost with Dave Mackay on your side no mountain too big no river too wide he was an unstoppable force and an inspiration to all. He came back from 2 broken legs and part of his self inflicted rehabilitation was running up and down the then standing terraces at WHL.
Jimmy Greaves said “He will be remembered as probably Tottenham’s greatest-ever player, and the best footballer to pull on a Hearts shirt. They were one and the same, Dave Mackay.” George Best described him as the “hardest man I have ever played against”.
If there has been a better Spurs player than Dave Mackay in my lifetime I must have missed him.
Farewell to a truly world class player and man the real Dave Mackay.
ODM – Hotspur’s Half Hour anchor
I never saw Dave Mackay play for us, I was a bit young when he was in his prime. But my Dad did and when he was working near the ground one Saturday and decided to drop in and watch the match. He became fan instantly and then started me on my way. I turn I have brought my children into the fold.
For a man of only 5″8 he left some pretty big boots to fill.”
Bill
Dave Mackay. R. I. P. True Spurs legend. His legend lives on. Condolences to his family.”
Still Nil Nil
Just woke up to the sad news about Dave. The word legend is sometimes overused but for me he was the very epitome of the word. I was a child of the late 50’s/early 60’s and the double team was the reason why I started supporting Spurs. For me Dave was the driving force behind that team, the sort of man that was hard as nails but had skill as well. Just heard Alan Mullery describe him as a greater leader than Bobby Moore and I wouldn’t disagree with that statement. Would imagine that he would be one of the very few men that you’d follow out of the trenches without a second thought.
Unfortunately I was never privileged to see him play as the first Spurs game my dad took me to see in March 65 was when we beat Wolves 7-4 and he wasn’t playing. Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to see Spurs again until after he left.
For me Jimmy Greaves is my all time favourite player but Dave is in my top 3 and his barrel chest thrusting forward, driving the team on, will always be my enduring image of a true hero.”
SpurAndy
It seems to me that nearly every player who is on the move from whatever league or club according to most press & bloggers are ace’s or legends. Most of these are neither just a football player, however Dave Mckay was certainly an ace & a legend.
I became a Spurs fan because I am Welsh & Cliff Jones was one of three welshmen at Spurs in 1960. Cliff will always be special to me, but I frequently tell my boy’s & grandson we could do with Dave McKay today. I saw Dave play quite a few times & loved him to bit’s for his all action play, tough as they come, also a real dynamo every game he played in.
I am sad this morning to see he has passed away, for those who are too young to have seen him play he really was one of the greats of football & we were lucky to have had him play for Spurs.”
Taff
RIP Dave Mackay, my dearest condolences go out to all who he loved.”
Hartley
Dave Mackay & Bobby Smith my old man’s favourite players.”
ufluckinplick
Recently heard an interview with David Pleat, they were talking about midfielders, Pleat said: Everyone is looking for the next Dave Mackay. I think they may have to look forever, Mackays don’t come along all that often.”
RIP Big Man.”
OfftheShelf
I worked with a Scot, Dougie Walker, who is now retired. Dougie is a Hearts Supporter and he told me how he lay on his bed and cried like a baby when he heard that Dave Mackay had been sold to Spurs. RIP DAVE.”
Limerick Al
It’s not often I get to say his, but I’m too young to have seen Mackay play. But I know enough from his reputation to know that if you were forming an all-time greatest ever Tottenham XI, Mackay would be absolutely certain to feature in it. And there’s only two or three players I think you could say that about.
Tottenham haven’t just lost one of their legends, football has.”
Unkle Taff
Dave will always be the best player ever for me. it was because he changed everything around him. He made us Super.
Danny was brilliant but that alone would never have been enough.Dave was the spirit,the backbone of Tottenham.”
RonWol
The words ‘great’ and ‘legend’ are thrown about too often these days,but when someone like George Best says that Dave Mackay was the bravest player he’d ever played against or when Sir Alex Ferguson says that he’d be the captain of his all-time best Scotland XI,then you have to sit up and listen.
How we could do with a alpha male player like him today. I doubt we will ever see a man like him don the lilly white shirt again.
A Great.
A Legend
A proper man.
Rest in peace Dave Mackay.
superspos
I remember the 125 year anniversary match back in 2007 when 50 Spurs legends took to the pitch before the game. DM got pretty much the biggest cheer of them all as he jogged onto the pitch as if he was still 25. True legend, never be forgotten @ WHL (or whatever it will be called in the future!).
Freund or Foe
A man, that many decades on, we are told by those who saw him that we have never replaced in our side. An embodiment of not just one of our greatest ever teams but of our whole club. I don’t think you can sum that up in a few words.
Both imposing and majestic; a legend.
Rest in Peace Dave Mackay.
Tibs
The man was simply a force of nature. I was privileged to have seen him play. Thanks for the memories Dave, as a Sours fan there was no better time to grow up. R.I.P.
Phil Rowlands
Forever Spurs.
He gave pride and pleasure to so many which is an incredible testimony.
Forever Spurs!
yidinjapan
Sad news, true great, go and win for him tomorrow night boys, realise how fortunate you are to be on the same pitch Dave Mackey played on so many times.
Royalspur
A legend. No other word is remotely fitting. He is sorely missed by everyone associated with Spurs, Hearts, Derby, Scotland, football in general and the World.
Beadle
A frequent reader but first time posting, inspired by and in honour of the irreplaceable and legendary Dave Mackay.
Without disclosing my age, I can recall my Bar Mitzvah occurring two months after Danny Blanchflower sent Adam Blacklaw the wrong way from the penalty spot at Wembley in 1962. And my earliest recollections from the Fifties, was watching Tottenham teams that included Ted Ditchburn, Tommy Harmer, and England amateur International George Robb.
As I enjoy the Palm Beach weather in proximity to my indoctrinated Son “Lillywhite”, I can confirm from distance that Dave Mackay was the best of the lot. What a privilege to have been on the Shelf watching him grab Bremner’s shirt against Leeds.
And then of course those “Glory Glory” European nights with Dukla Prague and Benfica. Fabulous memories, fabulous player.
EDMONTON ANGEL
I have a friend who drove Dave around for a while about 15-20 years ago. I happened to call my friend whilst he was with Dave and he put him on the phone for a brief chat which was really nice. I told him that he was my dads all time favourite Spurs player and led to their being two more generations of spurs fans in the family.
Of course he appreciated the kind words and then to my surprise asked me to ask my dad to call my friends mobile so he could speak to him about his playing days and the great spurs teams of that era.
Bless him, I later found out from my dad that they spoke for a good 20 minutes about his playing days and the fantastic players at that time.
My dad thought it was absolutely marvellous of Dave to make the request to have a chat with him because he knew it would mean so much to my dad.
Needless to say like all Spurs fans he is very upset today.
RIP DM.
Nil Nisu Nexus
Greaves and Mackay were what made me a Tottenham fan… Greaves got the goals, but it was the stormtrooper Mackay who mostly made it all possible.. RIP Lionheart.
JPG466
