Davie

[CosmicHotspur]

Having noticed that I've now got Dave Mackay by my avatar, it's recalled some great memories. He was known as the "Iron Man" and he was one of the most determined, grittiest players ever to wear a Spurs shirt. He was not only courageous and as hard as nails on the pitch, his passing was pinpoint accurate and his considerable footballing skills were probably much under-rated.

He took over the captaincy at WHL in the mid-60's and proved he was as good a general as he was a half back. He was only 5 ft 8 ins but built like a bull with one of the most powerful boots in football. His long throw-ins taken in the opposing team's half were as good as any corner.

Who can ever forget this picture of him with Billy Bremner, which later took pride of place in his club tie shop window in Winchmore Hill?


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7a/Billy_Bremner_Dave_Mackay.jpg/150px-Billy_Bremner_Dave_Mackay.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Billy_Bremner_Dave_Mackay.jpg)

Davie took me to the first nightclub I ever went to. It was summer, I was 17 and his wife had been despatched to Scotland to have their second son (his kids had to be born over the border so they would qualify to play for Scotland - not that either of them ever did). We were chatting at the White Hart pub on a summer afternoon and he asked me if I'd like to go with him to the Carlton Club in Arnos Grove that evening where he was meeting some friends. Would I like to go? Do bears shit in the woods?

I had a fantastic time, dancing not only with Dave but also with a Millwall player (nice guy, Des someone, can't remember his surname) and Bill Dodge who was an ex-Spur and getting chatted up left right and centre. When we moved to Whetstone in 1988 the Carlton Club was still there, just down the road, although since then it has changed hands and names several times.

I once visited Dave at home; he had a beautiful house in Bush Hill Park, Enfield.

I went to cheer him up a few times at St Ann's Hospital in Tottenham after he broke his leg in a clash with Noel Cantwell at Man U (I was there that day). He was out of action for nine months and I went to his comeback game with the reserves against Shrewsbury to give him a welcome back instead of going to the away game that week. If I remember correctly, there was a crowd of around 13,000 that day doing the same thing. We all heard the crack as he broke his leg for the second time. Awful sound! But he came back eventually, determined as ever!

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/9505/gl13115761eb062fk2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I have many fond memories of Davie, he was (and probably still is) a very cool guy.

[ShadyRay]

You do have some good stories Cosmic.

Thanks for sharing.

[TheChosenOne]

I think he had another tie shop down Seven Sisters Rd near the tube.

What was the name of the parade of shops just round the corner on the main road Cosmic ? Brooks or something

[CosmicHotspur]

I'll be trying to remember what that parade was called all day now! Bear in mind, I moved from Tottenham in my early 20's which is a long, long time ago...

I can remember where it was. If I remember it later, I'll post it.

[nicdic]

I love Cosmic's post like this, I was never old enough to see these players, but my Dad's told me about them, and it's great to hear the storied about them like this and hear that they were all nice guys.

[t79boy]

Nice story cosmic :up:

This reminds me tho were is our own mr davey - GUMP :shrug:

[Insomnia]

her stories sure as hell beat her jokes

[TheChosenOne]

Was it "Wades Corner" or something ?

[Tickers]

That Mackay-Bremner picture is possibly my favourite Spurs picture ever. Just look at "hard-man" Bremner absolutely cacking himself. Brilliant.

I'm sure I read somewhere that Mackay himself hates the picture, because - as Cosmic says - people thought of him as just a hard-man and under-rated his footballing ability, and that picture adds to that misconception.

I still think it's great, though.

[CosmicHotspur]

Was it "Wades Corner" or something ?

That was close. It was Ward's Corner!

[GDG]

Great memories CH, this should be in the columns.

[TheChosenOne]

That was close. It was Ward's Corner!


Yippee, solved

[CosmicHotspur]

I didn't think of putting this in the Columns - so ta for moving it.

[GDG]

Definitely where it belongs ma'am.

[t79boy]

columns ? Where the hell is that ?

[Hartfelt]

Good to hear some first-hand tales about one of our true greats. Thanks for the post.

Dare I aks why was he taking a young girl out to a club, while his wife was away??!!

[TheChosenOne]

I met DM in the Tottenham High Road when I was a kid, he might have been only 5'8 but to me then looking up he looked a giant of a man with a mighty barrel chest covered in a swish houndstooth jacket

[CosmicHotspur]

Good to hear some first-hand tales about one of our true greats. Thanks for the post.

Dare I aks why was he taking a young girl out to a club, while his wife was away??!!

Because we were both at a loose end - I was off work for a few days and he was all on his ownsome. He asked me if I'd ever been to the Carlton Club in conversation at the White Hart at lunchtime, I said no and he said he'd take me if I wanted to go. All very impromptu and I'd known Davie for a few years by then.

I also think he quite liked the idea of his pals thinking he was a bit of a man about town - he always liked to have a female on his arm and was known to have a bit of extra-curricular activity from time to time ... he was having his bit on the side regularly with the somewhat older and more sophisticated wife of a friend of his (with the friend's full knowledge, believe it or not although I doubt that Isabel, Davie's wife knew about it).

After all, that was the swinging sixties!

[mog123]

I played golf with Glenn Hoddle and Gary Lineker but that's where the Spurs link ends!

Best round of my life too!

Doesn't even near the feel good factor of that story though.

More stories please.

[Boaman]

Good story.

I once spoke to Sol Campbell outside Woodside College when I was at the school next door, with hindsight I would have just blanked him.

[littlemandefoe]

Sol Campbell is a legend...#23 on all my sports kits.

[RBlanch]

My old man always loves to recall stories of how he used to play in the back garden with Dave.

Dave would play in bare feet, whilst my Dad (about 10 or 12 at the time) would be wearing boots....Dave would let him kick lumps out of him and wouldn't even flinch!

[infamousyiddo]

off the topic, but is robbo injured?????????

ben foster has been named in goal for the spain game. What does this mean for robbo, been rested for the game or does mcclaren not see him as number one. is this the kick up the arse robbo needs?? should he be dropped from spurs XI.

views yiddos!

[waresy]

his book is a great read. Managed to pick up a signed copy (by chance) too

[chivers!]

...he was having his bit on the side regularly with the somewhat older and more sophisticated wife of a friend of his (with the friend's full knowledge, believe it or not although I doubt that Isabel, Davie's wife knew about it).

After all, that was the swinging sixties!

You can't leave that dangling...!

Top post. Makes me wonder if there'll ever be fans stories like this any more now that players are so distant, apart from the odd 'Guess who I got my picture taken with on my camera phone...'.

[chivers!]

[quote=CosmicHotspur;288820After all, that was the swinging sixties![/quote]

You make him sound like Austin Powers!

[JKSpurs]

I love the fact the players used to drink local to the ground and were so much more accessible... Can't image bumping into any of the boys from the current team in the corner pin and them being so friendly !!

[RBlanch]

I love the fact the players used to drink local to the ground and were so much more accessible... Can't image bumping into any of the boys from the current team in the corner pin and them being so friendly !!

To be fair I bet the only time you go to the corner pin is shortly before/after the players are otherwise occupied with a little game of footie - it would be a bit alarming if you bumped into Robbo downing a few pints 10 minutes before ko...although might explain some of his recent below par performances!

Also the players used to train a lot closer to the ground, so it would be logical to go for pint nearby.

[ravo]

Great story Cosmic.

We could def. do with a hardman like him right now...

[guate]

IMHO Dave McKay has been the best player EVER to wear a Spurs shirt and I and many millions more have followed Spurs through thick and thin over several decades because we became loyal fans after having the privilege of seeing Mckay play.

Times have changed and there just doesn't seem to be players of his ilk around with, perhaps, the closest at this moment being Bolton's Kevin Nolan.

QUE VIVA LOS SPURS

[orkneyspur]

Haven't posted for a while, but couldn't pass this one without telling a wee story from last year.
Had the pleasure of spending an evening in Mr. McKay's company, along with my dad who has watched the lads since the 50's. Davie actually stated that his number one team will always be Hearts, but I suppose he could be forgiven for that! He told some brilliant tales of the double winning team and the Euro nights which I remember well. A true legend.

[MidnightCaller]

never got to see the great Dave play, but heard a story from the training ground, may have been Venables or Greaves. that he would be able to manage to volly the ball on the spot on the wall many times in the same position, he would then head the ball, then continue to volly the ball, everyone used to stand in amazment. What a player? I think the nearest we will get to him in technical ability for a defender is Michael Dawson and the great Gary Mabbutt.

[MidnightCaller]

Just found a website explaining more regarding is skill

http://www.davemackayclubties.co.uk/history.htm


Again What a player

[cusick]

Nice story. Where oh where is our hard as nails No.6 today?

On a similar vein of meeting Spurs greats: I chatted to Gary Linekar in a London club, years ago, when he was still at Leicester. I distictly remeber telling him he would never be good enough to play for Spurs. Must have been something I was drinking!

[Lillywhite4eva]

If only we had a Dave Mackay now!

[CosmicHotspur]

Davie is 73 today. Hope he's having a great day.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/856/withmackayandcuplr6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Mackabarrel]

Great post CH - excellent stuff..