Jim McCalliog

[spyinthesky]

Going to be at St Marys today as part if a our to promote his book 'Wembley Wins, Wembley Woes'

He is doing the rounds of local pubs and clubs doing Q & A's.

Attended one and found him an engaging speaker with lots of interesting snippets about the Saints and the game generally.

[niceandfriendly]

...to Stokes, who's onside... ONE NIL

[Morse]

Where can I buy it? 

[SaintBobby]

I met him in the Saints bar yesterday. Bought the book but havent started it yet. 

I asked him, a bit cheekily, if he was sure Stokes was onside. He replied "yep, that's why it says "winner" on my 1976 medal"

 

 

[Badger]

I watched some of the highlights again recently, and it brought home to me that McCalliog also played a great through ball to Channon for  chance in the first half.

May come as a surprise to some but McCalliog didn't win over the Dell crowd that easily, and was probably second to Hugh Fisher as a scapegoat when the MF didn't fire as hoped. I think fans knew the sort of pass and talent he was capable of (as shown in the cup run) but it didn't happen often enough.

Think his part in the FA Cup run won him a reprieve for most though.

[spyinthesky]

I must admit Jim wasnt my favourite player.

Decent on the ball but a bit pedestrian, although he was one of the older players in the squad at the time.

I have read half of his book and found it of interest.

Got to say he is a genuinely nice guy.

Didnt realise how good looking he was as a youngster.

Reminded me of how I looked at that age🤣

[Badger]

8 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

I must admit Jim wasnt my favourite player.

Decent on the ball but a bit pedestrian, although he was one of the older players in the squad at the time.

I have read half of his book and found it of interest.

Got to say he is a genuinely nice guy.

Didnt realise how good looking he was as a youngster.

Reminded me of how I looked at that age🤣

Glad someone else recalls the 'popularity' ! I think he arrived with a good reputation from a big club having been part of Tommy Docherty's first phase rebuild but then fell down the pecking order with the arrival on the scene of some youngsters (Daly, Hill, Coppell etc) who were blitzing their wat through Division 2 (as it was then).  Think he had a good career at Wolves and had been part of the Scotland team that beat England at Wembley 3-2 in 1967. All in all, pretty good pedigree.

I think some of my older relatives felt he was 'living off of that' pedigree at The Dell, and felt he was on a par with Channon (no one was in those days), and Osgood, but had seldom shown it on the pitch. Bit harsh really because if anyone, despite their sublime talent, spent several months 'dining out' on reputation it was Osgood, although his regular deft flicks and touches were enough to keep the critics (without an internet to vent on and whip up a shit storm) at bay.

All were absolute heroes in the end though.

As for his looks, its remarkable when you look back at the 60's heroes how so many just looked as if they'd fallen out of a Carnaby photo shoot, none moreso than Bobby Moore of course (Jack Charlton on the other hand often looked as if he'd left the Miners Welfare CIU Club in Ashington at closing time). Hair normally groomed well for the day, sideburns in the late 60's. Not a nose or ear stud in site, and never an arm full of tattoos. 

[Badger]

My brain is now in McCalliog overdrive, so one other distant memory - was it against Wolves, and McCalliog the Wolves penalty taker, c 1970 or 71 whose penalty and retake were saved by Eric Martin?

 

Edited 12 September, 2021 by Badger

[alehouseboys]

Think the tide turned in his favour from the quarter final at Bradford when he banged in that free kick, around 2:40 in the vid

Saints fans went nuts while the gnarly home fans were giving it the (very popular at the time) "You're gonna get your fuckin' heads kicked in......"  

Not a game for the faint-hearted oop north that day.

[spyinthesky]

2 hours ago, alehouseboys said:

Think the tide turned in his favour from the quarter final at Bradford when he banged in that free kick, around 2:40 in the vid

Saints fans went nuts while the gnarly home fans were giving it the (very popular at the time) "You're gonna get your fuckin' heads kicked in......"  

Not a game for the faint-hearted oop north that day.

Horrible ground, horrible place, horrible fans, horrible pitch, horrible weather... GREAT RESULT!!

[Miltonaggro]

If anyone fancies having Jimmy Mc cook them a fry up you can book in at his guest house in Ayrshire for a staycation. You would then be able to force an SFC Q&A on him without incurring additional fees - http://langside-bedandbreakfast.com/