MacKay or Keane?

savus

Well-Known Member
Just a random question, probably right out of the blue I suppose meant for FFers of my vintage.

Who was the best footballer/ captain / hard man —-
Dave MacKay or Roy Keane?
 
I doubt many on here know much about Dave McKay. Both excellent players for sure but I don’t know the answer to your question. Ability wise I doubt there was much between them,different eras so difficult to say.
 
I've never heard of Mackay so for only that reason I'm going to say Keane. I would like to see Keane locked in a room with an angry Dunc Ferguson though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: o7o
I've never heard of Mackay so for only that reason I'm going to say Keane. I would like to see Keane locked in a room with an angry Dunc Ferguson though.
Just to give you a parameter to judge MacKay .
I’d like to see Duncan Ferguson locked in a room with an angry Dave Macksy :)

He was that impressive. And he was an excellent midfielder.
 
Never seen Dave Mackay play, before my time.
However, read lots of interviews from players, team mates and fans from that era.
They all state similar, the tough guy reputation is a dis-service, yes he could be hard, but first and foremost he was a fantastic footballer with a lot of skill.
I think the famous photo of Mackay and Bremner has painted a certain image.
 
Two different eras as some have said, but mackay’s era was much tougher,and hard bassas were commonplace back then, a better question of a tough guy match up would be Keane vs big Dunc, I’d pay good money to see those two have a scrap
 
MacKay.

Dave-Mackay-009.jpg
 
Just a random question, probably right out of the blue I suppose meant for FFers of my vintage.

Who was the best footballer/ captain / hard man —-
Dave MacKay or Roy Keane?
Going by reputation, (as I never saw him play) I'd say Dave MacKay would chew him up and spit him out.

Hard as they come, apparently.
 
No contest Dave MacKay, he was as hard as nails and more to the point a gentleman. Keane is/was an ignoramus who could kick people.
 
Never seen Dave Mackay play, before my time.
However, read lots of interviews from players, team mates and fans from that era.
They all state similar, the tough guy reputation is a dis-service, yes he could be hard, but first and foremost he was a fantastic footballer with a lot of skill.
I think the famous photo of Mackay and Bremner has painted a certain image.
I saw an interview with him years ago were that Bremner photo was used as a lead in.

MacKay tore a strip off the interviewer.
After citing his achievements in the game the interviewer was left squirming in his chair barely able to string two words together.
 
Two of my favourite Leeds players Bremner and Giles in the background. Both had reputations as hard men in their own way.

But both recognizing MacKay was taking this to another level.
Made a balls of the upload mate. Tried to get the non cropped one to load with El Tel just to the left of Mackay’s shoulder.
 
Two of my favourite Leeds players Bremner and Giles in the background. Both had reputations as hard men in their own way.

But both recognizing MacKay was taking this to another level.
Before my time, but wee Billy being from the Raploch could handle himself. Mackay’s face just prompts ‘aye, awright big man’.
 
Love how some on here who never saw MacKay play can have an opinion as to who was the best or the hardest!
Fair comment up to a point mate. There are still highlight reels to judge from though and relatives recollections too. No?
 
I've never seen MacKay in the flesh but I have always been of the opinion the older the generation the harder the player.
 
I wouldn't class keane as hard more of a dirty player who looked for revenge on players who either took the piss or left 1 on him. Like most have said not in some of the hardmens shoes that have been mentioned
 
MacKay. The extremely limited (but very hard) Vinnie Jones dominated Keane when Wimbledon played Manchester UTD back in the mid 90s. Keane was an excellent player but MacKay was much harder.
 
Fair comment up to a point mate. There are still highlight reels to judge from though and relatives recollections too. No?
Just out of interest, are there many highlight reels of MacKay playing still about? Would be interested in seeing both him and the "Ghost of White Hart Lane" when at their best. Hard to believe but it's more than 50 years since these guys played.
 
I wouldn't class keane as hard more of a dirty player who looked for revenge on players who either took the piss or left 1 on him. Like most have said not in some of the hardmens shoes that have been mentioned
Exactly. Keane was more about revenge and retribution.
 
Just a random question, probably right out of the blue I suppose meant for FFers of my vintage.

Who was the best footballer/ captain / hard man —-
Dave MacKay or Roy Keane?
One is a plastic hard man and the other was hard as feck
 
Neither! It's Ian McMillan, the Wee Prime Minister, otherwise a true gent on (and off) the park. Mackay, left half, had been kicking McMillan, inside right, all over Ibrox in a European match in 1963. Fed up, McMillan hooked his leg round him, pushed him from the back and Mackay landed face down on the hallowed Ibrox turf! Brought the cheer of the night!
 
Just out of interest, are there many highlight reels of MacKay playing still about? Would be interested in seeing both him and the "Ghost of White Hart Lane" when at their best. Hard to believe but it's more than 50 years since these guys played.
I’ve seen clips of Mackay during his Spurs heyday when watching highlights not limited to or composed of him as a player per se.

Maybe some fans have done that since 2015 though?

In any case, my old man and my Grandad said he was immense and I trust their judgement.
 
There wasn't just a group of hard men in the 60s and 70s , they were all hard to play in those decades , tackling from the back allowed , sending offs were rare , you got put up in the air you got up and got on with it , trying to get your revenge later on , no nonsense centre half, pitches with no grass , no over fussy refs . but there was some good football played
 
Back
Top