If Jimmy McIlroy was playing today...

[Croydon Claret]

... which of today's crop of Premier League players would he be most similar too, not withstanding the difference in fitness levels?

[ClaretTony]

... which of today's crop of Premier League players would he be most similar too, not withstanding the difference in fitness levels?

Mike Summerbee was at Jimmy Mac’s funeral and was asked that very question. He said David Silva.

[CleggHall]

Agreed - Mac was a bit heavier and stronger than David Silva but had similar skills and influence on games.

[Tricky Trevor]

Mike Summerbee was at Jimmy Mac’s funeral and was asked that very question. He said David Silva.

What a good shout that is. Ball mastery, drop a shoulder and beat a man, spot a pass and play it and grab a tidy goal or two.

[Royboyclaret]

No hesitation in saying Eden Hazard, the world's best player in my opinion.

Take a look at Hazard's goal against West Ham this season, the way he drops a shoulder and quickly moves the ball from one foot to the other taking defenders out of the game before deceiving the keeper with a quick shot. Mac did that on a regular basis.

[Croydon Claret]

I wanted to say Eden Hazard, based on legend alone, but never saw him so can't make that shout

[ClaretTony]

I think Buzzer had it spot on with David Silva who, like Jimmy Mac, has been a world class footballer. I doubt there’s anyone currently playing in England who is as close to Jimmy Mac in the way he plays.

[Royboyclaret]

So many similarities with Hazard in that both scoring goals and making assists gave him the same satisfaction.

My abiding memory of Mac was making his way to the by-line at the Cricket Field end receiving the ball from Adamson and dancing his way along the line taking several defenders out of the game before sliding a pin point pass to a Pointer or a Robson for a simple finish.

That happened on a regular basis and, as with Hazard, although defenders knew what was coming none was able to stop him. He was literally poetry in motion and always worth the admission fee alone.

[Croydon Claret]

So would he have been good enough to play for Liverpool or City last year, obviously taking into account that players are fitter these days?

[Royboyclaret]

So would he have been good enough to play for Liverpool or City last year, obviously taking into account that players are fitter these days?

Without any doubt, particularly Man City whose style of play would have suited Mac perfectly.

Far more influence on a game than David Silva.

[Croydon Claret]

Without any doubt, particularly Man City whose style of play would have suited Mac perfectly.

Far more influence on a game than David Silva.

Those that saw him play have done a great job in ensuring that his legend will never be forgotten

[Suratclaret]

So many similarities with Hazard in that both scoring goals and making assists gave him the same satisfaction.

My abiding memory of Mac was making his way to the by-line at the Cricket Field end receiving the ball from Adamson and dancing his way along the line taking several defenders out of the game before sliding a pin point pass to a Pointer or a Robson for a simple finish.

That happened on a regular basis and, as with Hazard, although defenders knew what was coming none was able to stop him. He was literally poetry in motion and always worth the admission fee alone.

Absolutely...I used to stand between the corner flag and the goal in the old Cricket field stand to watch Jimmy Mac take defender after defender out of the game. Magic...pure magic!

[lancastrian]

Absolutely...I used to stand between the corner flag and the goal in the old Cricket field stand to watch Jimmy Mac take defender after defender out of the game. Magic...pure magic!

Likewise I was standing in a similar postion when Jimmy Mac received the ball three Rovers players I think they were Dougan, Woods and McGrath converged on him and within seconds he had beaten them and was away up the goal line before passing to Connelly. Absolutely brilliant never seen anything like it since then.

[Buxtonclaret]

He was my Dad's footy icon.
Only ever saw him play against us, and remember very little of that.
I'll never get tired of reading posts though, from those that watched him as a Claret.

[Croydon Claret]

Can it be true that we had a player so good. I believe it is true.

For most of us we have only heard the stories from our fathers/grandfathers but the legend is so strong that I think we can all close our eyes and imagine him playing. I know I can and I've got my father to thank for that

[Vino blanco]

If Jimmy McIlroy WERE playing today (for Burnley FC), all I can say is we would be very, very lucky indeed to be watching a true footballing genius. I was fortunate to see him grace Turf Moor from about 1956 until he left us. Was he as good as Silva and Hazard? The question should be, are they as good as him: he really was that good.

[John Johnson 1605]

Years before my time so never had the privilege.

Two questions;

Did we receive any big money bids for him ?

Why Stoke of all clubs ?

[CleggHall]

Sampdoria wanted to sign Mac but he and Mrs Mac preferred living in Burnley!
He also had a chance to go to Argentina.

Why Stoke of all clubs? - he went there when Bob Lord irrationally decided "to get rid". At the time Stoke were a toppish club playing good football with a side of classy, experienced professionals including Stanley Matthews.

[Devils_Advocate]

Xherdan Shaqiri

[Martinc265]

It is such a shame that the young uns never saw him play. They call Robbie Blake the little magician, well Mac would be the master. Light years better than any other Claret

[Clarets4me]

If the great man was playing today, he'd have benefited from the better pitches, the lighter ball, more protection from referees, modern tackle rules, fewer games, better medical and physio facilities etc, etc, etc ...

But so would Best, Matthews, Finney, Law, Di Stefano, Puskas et al ... we still talk about these men today for a reason, they were great players .. Stanley Matthews, in his final autobiography, said of Jimmy McIlroy, " Some players could make the ball talk, McIlroy could make it recite Shakespeare ! "

I envy those who were priviliged enough to see him play ...

[Dy1geo]

To win the league you need a sprinkling of players who would get in almost any other side in the league. I am too young for McIlroy but it will be interesting to hear who were our other top class players at that time.

[exilecanada]

My abiding memory of Mac was making his way to the by-line at the Cricket Field end receiving the ball from Adamson and dancing his way along the line taking several defenders out of the game before sliding a pin point pass to a Pointer or a Robson for a simple finish.

That happened on a regular basis and, as with Hazard, although defenders knew what was coming none was able to stop him. He was literally poetry in motion and always worth the admission fee alone.

+1.

I don’t know what it was about the cricket field end, but I have vivid memories of Jimmy Mac dancing along the touchline, more or less saying to the opposing defenders……”here I am, doing what I do best……..come get me if you can”. What a magician he was!

[Suratclaret]

To win the league you need a sprinkling of players who would get in almost any other side in the league. I am too young for McIlroy but it will be interesting to hear who were our other top class players at that time.

It would be easy to say every player. Angus and Elder are the best pair of full backs in my time watching the Clarets. The captain Jimmy Adamson was calmness personified and Pointer and Robson were both natural goal scorers who benefitted from Jimmy Macs skill. Behind every one was a very good goalie in Adam Blacklaw who probably only got in the side because of a serious injury to Colin McDonald the England goalkeeper.
That doesn't mean to say that those players I've not mentioned weren't very good! It was a fantastic team bearing in mind there were no substitutes in those days.

[mdd2]

You have to remember that the teams in those days were not packed with all stars as the maximum wage was in place until about 1961so that MAC stood out as the true great and would today have played for a top team today along with the present teams full of star players like City or Barcelona
He really could take on two or three players in succession with his trickery and deceptively fast over 5 to 10 yards and his dribbles along the byline were legendary
The way he made our 2 goals against WBA with his arm strapped to his side after injuring his shoulder in the 59-60 season had to be seen to be believed and of course memories fade so he may have only made one goal but that second half performance was a mark of a truly great player

[Ashingtonclaret46]

You have to remember that the teams in those days were not packed with all stars as the maximum wage was in place until about 1961so that MAC stood out as the true great and would today have played for a top team today along with the present teams full of star players like City or Barcelona
He really could take on two or three players in succession with his trickery and deceptively fast over 5 to 10 yards and his dribbles along the byline were legendary
The way he made our 2 goals against WBA with his arm strapped to his side after injuring his shoulder in the 59-60 season had to be seen to be believed and of course memories fade so he may have only made one goal but that second half performance was a mark of a truly great player

mdd2 ---he did play for a top team when he played for us. In 10 of the seasons he played for us we finished in the top 7, in fact, during his 13 seasons at the Turf our average position was between 6th and 7th. He was a truly great player in a few smashing teams who, like today, always gave their all.

[CleggHall]

Agree mdd2, Maurice Setters wiped Mac out in the 1st half in the West Brom game but, arm in a sling, Mac moved out to the right wing in the 2nd half and destroyed the WBA left back.
Memories!!

[Hroogar]

I was fortunate to see Mac at all home games and many away games. Supporters were not segregated then so you could hear the comments about Jimmy Mac. Some gasped as Mac beat man after man on the bye line and passed for a forward to score. They appreciated a true footballing great.
At Fulham heard one chap say he hadn't been on for some time but he had come to see McIlroy, and he was not disappointed! At Everton heard their supporters saying they wished he was in their team and wished he was English! So many memories, too many to write here. A true footballer, gentleman, genius in his trade, still talking about him = a legend, a true legend.

[basil6345789]

People underestimated how quick Mac was over those first few yards. Great physique but people were mesmerized by his great skill. A brainy bloke too.

[mdd2]

mdd2 ---he did play for a top team when he played for us. In 10 of the seasons he played for us we finished in the top 7, in fact, during his 13 seasons at the Turf our average position was between 6th and 7th. He was a truly great player in a few smashing teams who, like today, always gave their all.

But in those days each team would have one pr two really star players Haynes at Fulham Matthews at Blackpool Finney at Preston they didn’t have a dozen or so stars and only Man U came close but a lot of there’s were recruited from youth much as we did
But yes we had a goof side but not like the great sides of today
Because of the many teams with a few star players you had the likes of Portsmouth Arsenal Tottenham Wolves WBA Chelsea Man U Everton and is winning the league over about 15 seasons after the war unlike the 6 in 27 seasons since the Premier league

[Croydon Claret]

I spoke to him many times when he used to come into the bank I worked at in the town centre in the 80s and 90s

I was always too nervous to strike up a proper conversation with him, although my dad was always excited to hear that I'd spoken to the great man. Always served him professionally and he never knew that I was awe struck. If only we could turn back time...

I wish I had told him that the legend of his genius lived on, even amongst those who had never seen him play

He wouldn't have accepted the praise though. Humble chap that he was he would have said he was part of a team and felt embarrassed to receive such adulation

Such a nice man