Jimmy Mac - Seven Years

[ClaretTony]

It's seven years since we learned of the passing of arguably our greatest ever player.

I might not have seen him at his best but I always feel privileged that I did see him play for the Clarets.

[ElectroClaret]

Wow, doesn't seem that long.
The very embodiment of the term "club legend".

I believe I saw him two or three times when my dad took me on as a small child, but tbh I can't remember him, unfortunately.

Fond memories of Jimmy Mac.

[ClaretTony]

I always wonder if we had a McIlroy now, just how long would we be able to keep him and how much would we get for him?

He was undoubtedly one of the world's greatest players at his peak.

[claretblue]

my 1st game watching the Clarets was home verses Stoke City (March 1964).
Jimmy captained The Potters on his return to Turf Moor following his controversial departure.
I met him at a club occasion and was thrilled to speak with him.
A remarkable player and gentleman.

[claretblue]

Prince of Inside Forwards!

[Elizabeth]

my 1st game watching the Clarets was home verses Stoke City (March 1964).
Jimmy captained The Potters on his return to Turf Moor following his controversial departure.
I met him at a club occasion and was thrilled to speak with him.
A remarkable player and gentleman.

I remember going on this game with my dad who only wanted to go on to see Jimmy

[ClaretTony]

A story Jimmy himself once told.

When he was a young player at Burnley, he was out with another Irish player we had (I think it might have been Liam O'Neill). This bloke stopped them and asked if they were Irish and if they were footballers. They told him yes. The bloke replied with something like: "We've got a young Irish lad at Burnley now called Jimmy McIlroy who everyone thinks is going to be a good player but I don't think he'll be good enough."

He'd no idea he was talking to Jimmy and they didn't put him right.

[Claret Till I Die]

FB_IMG_1755683703558.jpg (45.86 KiB) Viewed 455 times

Not the greatest of pics but here's a photo of Jimmy & my dad from July 1959

[ClaretTony]

They were good friends weren't they CTID? Yet Jimmy once said to me about Willie: "I can't understand a word that bloody Irishman says."

[Claret Till I Die]

They were good friends weren't they CTID? Yet Jimmy once said to me about Willie: "I can't understand a word that bloody Irishman says."

Jimmy was instrumental in my dad getting his first call up for NI

[quoonbeatz]

I randomly found the tribute programme from the Utd game in a cupboard just yesterday. Think that was the last time I bought a programme.

[Juan Tanamera]

My eldest brother took me to my first game as a seven year old in September 1960.
I have no idea if Jimmy Mac played but thinking back I like to think I did see him play and even though the seeds to be a future Claret were sown that day I really didn't have much of an idea what was going on.