Tommy McLean is 73 today

dh1963

dh1963

Administrator
Staff member
Official Ticketer
Born on June 2nd 1947.

In my humble opinion, just about the most unfairly criticised player I have ever watched play for us. He wasn't Willie Henderson and was bought to replace him on the right wing, and that was always going to be a hard act to follow.

McLean was the best crosser of a ball in my time watching us, and not just for Rangers but for any Scottish club. Combine him with Derek Johnstone in the air, and you had the deadliest double act. He had a brilliant football brain as well, in his later career he moved inside and couldn't just spot a pass, but he also could play it. His right sided partnership with Bobby Russell was a joy.

Not quick. Not a ball winner. Wee "Calimero" got dogs abuse for being a shirker when tackles were flying. But too many on the terracings back then chose to highlight what he didn't do rather than appreciate what he did.

A Barcelona Bear. Winner of 2 trebles. And I still think his display against Celtic in January 1975 in a mud heap was as good an individual performance against them as I've watched, he created 2 and scored 1 in a 3-0 win that was crucial in bringing the title home after 11 long years.

4 league titles, plus another with Kilmarnock
4 Scottish Cups
3 League Cups
The Cup Winners Cup
459 appearances over 12 years

Even briefly our caretaker manager before a successful managerial career elsewhere. For such a creative player, his managerial approach was unexpectedly negative and awful to watch!

But first and foremost, a terrific Rangers player, even if not up there with the very best. I still find it unbelievable he won all his Scotland caps when a Kilmarnock player.

I wish him a happy birthday.
 
Last edited:
Too young to have ever seen him, but a treble winner and a Cup Winners Cup winner. No idea if he was over criticised but a legendary Ranger none the less.
 
Superb post. Agree 100% with your comments.
I had so much pleasure watching him working down the right with Sandy Jardine while sitting in the Centenary Stand.
Could be wrong but one of his very early games was down at a muddy cappielow and got a very uncomfortable time from the crowd.
 
Gogso said:
Superb post. Agree 100% with your comments.
I had so much pleasure watching him working down the right with Sandy Jardine while sitting in the Centenary Stand.
Could be wrong but one of his very early games was down at a muddy cappielow and got a very uncomfortable time from the crowd.
Click to expand...


Tommy got dokey at times.:(
 
One for the older bears, but we have signed loads of guys from Killie over the years, is Tommy the best?
 
Saw Tommy McLean in nearly all his games for Rangers and don’t recall heavy criticism. Back in the days when McLean played no one was subjected to what gets dished out to some players now. Tommy McLean contributed well.
 
Agreed a very influential player in his time at Ibrox.
“Ya wee shitebag“ was very common when things
weren’t going well.
 
I rated him very highly & wasn't aware of much criticism at the time- might be my memory at fault though

He could pick out an attacker with a cross 9 times out of 10 though not always converted

He was very slight & many a defender tried to flatten him - but being as quick footed as he was they often ended up on the deck

He was also great at taking corners

I realise he's had a lot of competition in the best wingers dept. at Rangers - but he was more than decent imo
 
No he was definitely given a hard time mainly for keeping clear of tackles. It was not his game even an 80:20 you would not put money on him winning it. However I can't think of a better crossed of a ball we have had and as has been said could see a great pass. Great player for us .
However it is not a modern phenomenon that players get stick we as a support have always done it.
 
dh1963 said:
Born on June 2nd 1947.

In my humble opinion, just about the most unfairly criticised player I have ever watched play for us. He wasn't Willie Henderson and was bought to replace him on the right wing, and that was always going to be a hard act to follow.

McLean was the best crosser of a ball in my time watching us, and not just for Rangers but for any Scottish club. Combine him with Derek Johnstone in the air, and you had the deadliest double act. He had a brilliant football brain as well, in his later career he moved inside and couldn't just spot a pass, but he also could play it. His right sided partnership with Bobby Russell was a joy.

Not quick. Not a ball winner. Wee "Calimero" got dogs abuse for being a shirker when tackles were flying. But too many on the terracings back then chose to highlight what we didn't do rather than appreciate what he did.

A Barcelona Bear. Winner of 2 trebles. And I still think his display against Celtic in January 1975 in a mud heap was as good an individual performance against them as I've watched, he created 2 and scored 1 in a 3-0 win that was crucial in bringing the title home after 11 long years.

4 league titles, plus another with Kilmarnock
4 Scottish Cups
3 League Cups
The Cup Winners Cup
459 appearances over 12 years

Even briefly our caretaker manager before a successful managerial career elsewhere. For such a creative player, his managerial approach was unexpectedly negative and awful to watch!

But first and foremost, a terrific Rangers player, even if not up there with the very best. I still find it unbelievable he won all his Scotland caps when a Kilmarnock player.

I wish him a happy birthday.
Click to expand...
Yeah he wasn't the bravest, but we must remember he was a very small guy, but what a crosser of the ball, he landed it on big DJ's head countless times
 
lowerhuttloyal said:
I loved the wee man,but there were times when I stood in the old East Enclosure that Tommy was given pelters when the going got tough.
Click to expand...

That was probably big Archie from Paisley who went to the games with my dad. He gave McLean some amount of abuse!
I might be exaggerating a bit in my OP, but the young dh definitely thought at the time that those around me used to single out McLean when we were struggling.
 
dh1963 said:
That was probably big Archie from Paisley who went to the games with my dad. He gave McLean some amount of abuse!
I might be exaggerating a bit in my OP, but the young dh definitely thought at the time that those around me used to single out McLean when we were struggling.
Click to expand...
I’m the same. I was very young when he was playing and I struggled to understand why a Rangers player was getting slagged off.
 
Regarding his managerial career:

They were utterly turgid to watch..... Until he was lucky enough to sign Davie Cooper. 89/90 and 90/91 (when they deservedly won the cup after a spectacular semi and final), when Motherwell suddenly became a really strong and fast moving football side. Pumped the filth in that classic aforementioned semi, a brilliant 4-2 win at Fir Park for us, an almost title blowing 3-0 win v us, and real end to end 2-1 win for us in torrential rain after going one nil down.

Before that, they were the most negative side on planet football
 
I've heard Derek Johnstone say he was the best crosser of a ball he ever played with.

That's good enough for me.
 
He was playing in the first game my dad ever took me to. I liked him, him and Parlane were my favorites, but some guy behind us spent the whole game shouting "McLean, do something you f-ing worm". I remember being a confused wee lad, wondering why this guy was insulting a Rangers player.

That was with us winning about 5 or 6-0 too.

Funny what you remember
 
Last edited:
4th January 1975 vs the mentally challengeds was a fantastic day, Rangers and wee Tommy in particular were brilliant that day. He followed that up by scoring a hat trick at boghead the following week. The title really was on its way home after a long wait
 
A superb footballer on his day, very much underrated. Big DJ was the benefactor of his crosses.
One of my clear memories is that on sunny days the wee man used to put his hand up to his eyes so he could see the ball coming and he would get a hard time from the terracing.
 
Best crosser of a ball I've seen in a Rangers jersey in my half century plus. It's been well documented how DJ benefited from this skill but he also had a great understanding with Wee Doddie. Often planting the ball in his path when he made those deep runs into the box.

A lot of the criticism he took was from morons who expected him to launch into tackles like his big pal Tam Forsyth.

Happy Birthday Calimero. 73 years young and you still don't have to pay VAT on your clothes.
 
Really terrific footballer. Some of our fans gave him stick because he didn't steam into tackles like John Greig.
 
Mason Boyne said:
Tommy, Tommy McLean,
Everyone Knows his name.
He was no Willie Henderson, but he'd always find big DJ with a cross, great wee player.
Nothing to be ashamed about not being a Willie Henderson.
Click to expand...


I remember the Kilmarnock fans singing on the train down to Wembley

"a hundred thousand down the drain
you'ld have been better signing

TOMMY MCLEAN"

That was after we had signed Colin Stein.
 
Great player and played a big part of the success in the 70's.
Like lots of wingers, Cooper, Henderson, Johnston & Walters on their day they were unplayable but all could have days when they couldn't beat sleep!
I do remember Tommy get stick from the East Enclosure, very unfair on him.
 
I was one who criticised him back then but with the benefit of hindsight I now realise what a cracking wee player he was. He was a brilliant foil for DJ. Happy birthday Calimero!!
 
Mason Boyne said:
Tommy, Tommy McLean,
Everyone Knows his name.
He was no Willie Henderson, but he'd always find big DJ with a cross, great wee player.
Nothing to be ashamed about not being a Willie Henderson.
Click to expand...

Starts off well, but the third and fourth line don't scan at all.
 
He was a great crosser of the ball, he landed so many balls with pinpoint accuracy on the napper of DJ, Derek Parlane, even Martin Henderson.
I remember him having quite a distinctive gait, my old man called him “Wee Ten to Two Feet”.
 
dh1963 said:
Born on June 2nd 1947.

In my humble opinion, just about the most unfairly criticised player I have ever watched play for us. He wasn't Willie Henderson and was bought to replace him on the right wing, and that was always going to be a hard act to follow.

McLean was the best crosser of a ball in my time watching us, and not just for Rangers but for any Scottish club. Combine him with Derek Johnstone in the air, and you had the deadliest double act. He had a brilliant football brain as well, in his later career he moved inside and couldn't just spot a pass, but he also could play it. His right sided partnership with Bobby Russell was a joy.

Not quick. Not a ball winner. Wee "Calimero" got dogs abuse for being a shirker when tackles were flying. But too many on the terracings back then chose to highlight what he didn't do rather than appreciate what he did.

A Barcelona Bear. Winner of 2 trebles. And I still think his display against Celtic in January 1975 in a mud heap was as good an individual performance against them as I've watched, he created 2 and scored 1 in a 3-0 win that was crucial in bringing the title home after 11 long years.

4 league titles, plus another with Kilmarnock
4 Scottish Cups
3 League Cups
The Cup Winners Cup
459 appearances over 12 years

Even briefly our caretaker manager before a successful managerial career elsewhere. For such a creative player, his managerial approach was unexpectedly negative and awful to watch!

But first and foremost, a terrific Rangers player, even if not up there with the very best. I still find it unbelievable he won all his Scotland caps when a Kilmarnock player.

I wish him a happy birthday.
Click to expand...
A very talented footballer.
Two footed and as you say a wonderful crosser of a ball.
 
Like many players he found it difficult at Rangers when he first st signed. Celtic were still in the ascendency and many players were given a difficult time by fans as we tried to compete. In this regard McLean along with Alex MacDonald and Dave Smith were not universally loved by our support, then there was Willie Mathieson who was never really liked by anyone
 
Great we player in a team full of heroes I idolised as a kid. Great crosser of a ball,no one appreciated him more than DJ himself. All the best wee Tam.
 
Sancus said:
I’m the same. I was very young when he was playing and I struggled to understand why a Rangers player was getting slagged off.
Click to expand...

Mate iv been going a long time. Some guys just like the sound of their own voice. The EE was full of these trumpets and every second half if we were not winning wee Tam got a constant barrage of abuse. I remember a game where we introduced a young winger. Think his name was Billy McKay. As the game progressed it became obvious he was not that good and the growling started. It got to the point where JG had to come over to the right wing from left back to calm the poor lad down. Ibrox is a hard shift. It's twice as hard if you play on the touchline and wee Tam spent his entire career getting chalk on his boots. I phuckin loved him.
 
As many said above me , Wee Calimero wasn’t the toughest in The tackle but what a crosser of the ball he was - Just ask big DJ Aldo that pass to Bobby Russell in Eindhoven inch perfect

What a right hand side of the team when I was a boy

Jardine
Russell
MCLean

Oh for that now !
 
I was at that 3-0 game against the filth. OP is bang on with his comments. After years of being without a league title, I’m sure that I was not alone in going home after this match and thinking “this is it now, the title is ours”.
Happy birthday Tommy McLean.
 
Calamero I had to laugh at that, not a tackler but intelligent and boy could he cross a ball.
Happy birthday Tommy have a great day and thanks for many memories
 
I was lucky to see Tommy McLean’s Rangers career from start to finish. If some of the younger support think there are hammer throwers in today’s game, Tommy McLean faced much worse. He was not paid to be the hardest tackling Rangers player on the park, he was paid to stick a fantastic range of crosses onto big Derek’s head and he did that with amazing regularity. He was also a fantastic passer of a ball and chipped in with some vital goals.

He was no Willie Henderson but as a comparison and in my eyes, Willie Johnston was no Davie Wilson. But I appreciated them all as great players for The Rangers.

Happy Birthday Tommy
 
A wonderful tribute.

But as was mentioned in the OP, taking over from Willie Henderson was blasphemy for some of the support.

It's hard for some of the younger posters to maybe appreciate but that's how it was. So that says much for Tommy McLean's state of mind and attitude to battle on.

A wonderful crosser of the ball, his wee twinkle toed right foot was just made for Derek Johnstone's napper.

A wonderful tribute to a very, very clever and talented footballer.
 
Tommy McLean and Derek Johnstone are the 2 players that stick out a mile from watching videos of Rangers highlights from the 70s

If anyone doubts his ability just watch his pass to Bobby Russell for his goal in Eindhoven in 1978
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top