My Grandfather, Dave Mackay and Me

It all started in 1959. I was an eight-year-old boy at the time, living in Whitehaven, Cumberland.

Football had made the headlines the previous year when a plane carrying the Manchester United squad crashed at Munich-Riem airport, claiming the lives of 23 passengers, including many of the famous ‘Busby Babes’ squad.

After that tragic event, just about everybody at my school was a Manchester United supporter. My allegiance, however, was about to go in a different direction, courtesy of my grandfather and his interest in one very special player.

My grandparents lived in Airdrie and it was on a visit there that my lifelong journey as a Spurs fan has its roots. As a Hearts fan, my grandfather had become aware of an emerging talent who, like many of his peers at the time, had just transferred to an English team. That player was Dave Mackay.

“I want you to look in the English newspapers and write to me to let me know how he’s getting on in England,” my grandfather said.

In those days it wasn’t quite so easy to keep tabs on a player who had moved to England. The task he had given me was a good way for him to follow Mackay’s career, and to connect with his young grandson. I suspect he didn’t realise that it would also be the start of a lifelong passion.

Living where I did, I had little opportunity to watch Spurs live and the first time I got to see them play was at Hampden Park. It was the Queen's Park FC centenary match between Celtic and Spurs in August 1967. Spurs had just won the FA Cup and Celtic had won the European Cup. The match was being held to celebrate the centenary of the oldest association football club in Scotland.

A crowd of over 91,000 assembled to watch the game. I stood alongside my dad and uncle amongst all the Celtic fans, wearing my big blue and white rosette. Nobody complained when I cheered the three Spurs goals in a three-all draw. Jimmy Greaves scored two and Alan Gilzean, himself another Scottish export, scored the other. It was a brilliant day and, almost 60 years later, I still have the programme.

The Spurs captain that day? Dave Mackay.

I now live near Durham, and have subsequently watched Spurs at Newcastle and Sunderland. I confess that I can sometimes be seen wearing a Sunderland shirt along with my Spurs polo shirt. Now I’m the grandad and I’m happy to see my grandchildren following Spurs, except, that is, when they play Sunderland.

67 years a supporter and counting.

Ian Doyle