ARTICLE: England’s number one at the World Cup

[ClaretTony]

Today I have launched a new feature on Up the Clarets - it's simply called Ex Clarets and there will be occasional articles appear about a particular former player.

I've launched it today with a piece about an ex-Claret I never saw play for us but someone who my dad would never let me forget. I've also chosen today to launch it because today is a very special day for this particular player and I'd like to wish him a very happy 90th birthday.

First article in the feature - see link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/englands-n ... -world-cup

[mdd2]

Your Dad was right Tony.Colin made goalkeeping look simple-I bet he has a good laugh watching Pickford.
He would throw his arms out wide when he know the ball was missing the goal and only once did i see him get that wrong when the ball hit the post and went in. Ouch

[ClaretTony]

One of a group of players my dad told me about but not many of them did I get the chance to meet and not many of them have reached the grand old age of 90. He's as fit as a fiddle too, and with a full head of hair.

I've seen some very good goalkeepers at Burnley - notably Blacklaw and Stevenson while more recently Heaton and Pope. I've spoken to enough people though to understand that Colin McDonald was the best of the lot. What a crying shame he got that injury when he did and what he then missed out on as the club moved into one of its two most successful eras.

One other little story from the Gawthorpe day. I arrived at the security gate and the man on duty was astounded to see me given there was no youth game but before I had the chance to say anything he told me he was excited because Colin McDonald was coming that day. It turned out that the security man had once been a young goalkeeper at Bury and had been scouted by Colin.

[IWOODLOVETT]

Tony, I have a copy of Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly dated October 1958 - priced at 1s 6d. It features Colin with a full sized picture on the front cover + an article inside.
I don’t know if the great man has his own copy, but if not I would be delighted if he would accept it as a birthday present. Please let me know and I will arrange postage.

[ClaretTony]

Tony, I have a copy of Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly dated October 1958 - priced at 1s 6d. It features Colin with a full sized picture on the front cover + an article inside.
I don’t know if the great man has his own copy, but if not I would be delighted if he would accept it as a birthday present. Please let me know and I will arrange postage.

That's brilliant. I'll have a word with my friend Chris who is the contact we have with Colin.

[Silkyskills1]

My first visit to Turf Moor was Nov.1958 so I did see him in action but to be honest all my attention would have been on the other 10 players who were able to move and run with ball. Colin was held in high esteem by older relatives in my family,too and even though just a month or so shy of my 7th birthday when he suffered the injury I knew the name of the other player involved and have done so ever since( hasten to add that I am in no way attaching blame for the incident). Looking forward to future articles.

[ClaretTony]

My first visit to Turf Moor was Nov.1958 so I did see him in action but to be honest all my attention would have been on the other 10 players who were able to move and run with ball. Colin was held in high esteem by older relatives in my family,too and even though just a month or so shy of my 7th birthday when he suffered the injury I knew the name of the other player involved and have done so ever since( hasten to add that I am in no way attaching blame for the incident). Looking forward to future articles.

I always consider myself fortunate to have seen the likes of Jimmy Mac but clearly I missed out by never seeing a fully fit Colin McDonald play.

I think the articles will be every now and then rather than regular but I've started the next one, a player from a different era.

[Vino blanco]

I also remember seeing Colin McDonald play for us in the late fifties. My dad used to say that I was watching the best goalkeeper in the world, which obviously made an inredible impression on me as a youngster. Like silkyskills above I don't recall any individual games in particular because I too was watching Jiimy Mac, Bobby Seith, Doug Newlands, Les Shannon etc.
I was eleven when the World Cup was held in Sweden in 58 and I clearly remember reading the papers and watching our small black and white tv for any coverage or film about Mac and Mac representing their countries. I don't think any matches were televised live at that time, though I honestly can't recall, the radio was still my main source of sporting information. This was the time when I was starting to go on the Turf regularly, first with my dad and his friends and then with my own pals. Little did I know that I would soon be watching my team become Champions of England!!

[Buxtonclaret]

I once asked my dad who he thought the better keeper, Black law or Stevenson.
He said they were both really top keepers, but neither as good as Colin.

[ClaretTony]

I once asked my dad who he thought the better keeper, Black law or Stevenson.
He said they were both really top keepers, but neither as good as Colin.

And Blacklaw was way ahead of Stevenson

[IWOODLOVETT]

They needed to be really hard men in those days with the likes of Bobby Smith and Nat Lofthouse around !!

[mdd2]

Blacklaw was the best of the three at not taking any prisoners, most forwards who set up against him just bounced off Adam who never gave a blade of grass against most forwards although I think Bryan Douglas was minus a tooth after an encounter.

[Herts Clarets]

And Blacklaw was way ahead of Stevenson

I only really saw Stevenson towards the end of his career 81 - 83 era and he wasn't the best though he was clearly a good keeper earlier in his career.

I saw a clip on Twitter of Colin being introduced to our keepers and the thing that struck me the most (apart from what appears to be Uncle Albert in the background ) is the size difference between Colin and our currrent crop. He does make a comment on the lines of 'what are they feeding you on'. Out of interest how tall was Colin when he played? He looks under 6 feet gauging against Heaton, Pope, Hart and co, though clearly his age has to be taken into account.

[Herts Clarets]

Blacklaw was the best of the three at not taking any prisoners, most forwards who set up against him just bounced off Adam who never gave a blade of grass against most forwards although I think Bryan Douglas was minus a tooth after an encounter.

My Dad used to drink in the Shooters when Tommy Cummings was landlord. He said the first time he played with Adam in goal behind him a cross came in. Tommy went to head it clear and was flattened from behind. As he got to his feet, a Scottish voice said 'any ball that comes in the 6 yard box is mine plus anyone that gets in my way'.

[ClaretTony]

I only really saw Stevenson towards the end of his career 81 - 83 era and he wasn't the best though he was clearly a good keeper earlier in his career.

I saw a clip on Twitter of Colin being introduced to our keepers and the thing that struck me the most (apart from what appears to be Uncle Albert in the background ) is the size difference between Colin and our currrent crop. He does make a comment on the lines of 'what are they feeding you on'. Out of interest how tall was Colin when he played? He looks under 6 feet gauging against Heaton, Pope, Hart and co, though clearly his age has to be taken into account.

And did you see who was stood next to Uncle Albert (who I can confirm is currently clean shaven) and looking quite healthy although he'd just broken ribs two days earlier in a fall.

Colin's wife Anne said she hadn't realised just how much he'd shrunk when she saw him stood with the other goalkeepers - apparently he was 6ft 2ins when he played but he's not much more than 5ft 9ins now if that.

Stevenson, very good goalkeeper but had lost it by the time we released him in 1983, strange for a goalkeeper but his playing career was over very quickly even though he went on to play for Rotherham and Hartlepool.

[Silkyskills1]

They needed to be really hard men in those days with the likes of Bobby Smith and Nat Lofthouse around !!

One of the strangest and funniest incidents I can recall about Adam Blacklaw came in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in January 63, played on a snow-bound pitch which we won 3-0 gaining some revenge for our Cup Final defeat the previous season. Spurs, despite playing exciting 'push and run' football had some players who could look after themselves but one of them wasn't Terry Dyson, a diminutive winger who decided to 'put his foot in' for a ball Adam had already collected. Adam wasn't happy and grabbed him by the neck with a look of fear on Dyson's face suggesting he realised what he'd just done. A melee of players surrounded the incident which eventually calmed with Dyson realising no doubt the folly of his actions.

[Herts Clarets]

And did you see who was stood next to Uncle Albert

I hadn't spotted him in my first viewing Tony. So when he receives his award, it won't be the first time that Nick Pope has been presented with a Beeky

[IWOODLOVETT]

That's brilliant. I'll have a word with my friend Chris who is the contact we have with Colin.

Maybe I’ll offer it to Colin again for his 91st !!

[ClaretTony]

Maybe I’ll offer it to Colin again for his 91st !!

I've spoken to Chris - he told me the McDonalds were celebrating and that he would speak to them. I've not spoken to him since but will ask when I do.

[ClaretTony]

Tony, I have a copy of Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly dated October 1958 - priced at 1s 6d. It features Colin with a full sized picture on the front cover + an article inside.
I don’t know if the great man has his own copy, but if not I would be delighted if he would accept it as a birthday present. Please let me know and I will arrange postage.

We’ve spoken to Colin & his wife Anne. They were delighted with and so appreciative of your offer but they do already have a copy. They have asked me to pass on their thanks to you.

[IWOODLOVETT]

OK thanks Tony.