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Fullname: John McNamee
aka: John Mac
Born: 11 June 1941
Birthplace: Coatbridge, Lanarkshire.
Signed: 13 Aug 1960 (from Bellshill Athletic)
Left: 17 Apr 1964 (to Hibs)
Position: Centre Half
Debut: Celtic 2-0 Hibernian, League, 18 Feb 1961
Internationals: none

Biog

John McNamee signed for Celtic, turning down Man Utd and Notts Forest, and was one of the first (if not the first) signings by Jock Stein (albeit in his reserve team coaching stint)

McNamee began his senior career with Celtic, playing the 2-0 win over Hibs, taking the place of an ill Billy McNeill and playing ahead of Paddy Crerand who was in the bad books due to the Ne'erday game of 1963. John later played in the 1963 Scottish Cup final defeat by Rangers but it was a good start.

However, things went wrong when he was sent home early from a tour of Ireland following that he had broken a curfew the night before a match (albeit a friendly). In one reserve match he was booked for the surprising fact that he was arguing with his own team's goalkeeper, the irrepressible Frank Haffey.

He wasn't to make it at Celtic, but in fairness this was a dire time to be at Celtic with many good players underperforming, badly coached and very seriously on the verge of leaving.

He was then signed by Jock Stein to play for Hibernian in April 1964, where he would form a strong defensive partnership with Pat Stanton. But then Stein himself moved in the opposite direction early in the next year and didn't take him back.

In later years, John was quoted as saying:

"Jock Stein left for Celtic shortly after signing me and you can't help but wonder what Hibs might have achieved had he not gone to Parkhead. We all believe we'd have won the league that season but you could understand why he went to Celtic, they'd brought him back from Wales as a player and it was always his ambition to manage them."

It was a cruel twist of fate for John, and he'll never know what might have happened if he'd stayed at Celtic and Stein had come to Celtic having not taken him to Hibs, or maybe if Stein had simply not left Hibs having taken John McNamee over. Prior to Stein's arrival at Celtic as manager, Celtic had been pathetic for a long time, and under Jimmy McGrory, the coaching staff were impotent as the board meddled with the first side and morale was low.

Celtic had become no place for an aspiring young player, and John McNamee's story was sadly not a unique one at Celtic. So leaving for Hibs was not a bad decision, it was just poor luck that Stein moved the other way not long after. Possibly at this point in his career, he may have felt himself to be jinxed!

Luck returned for him, and John signed for Newcastle United in December 1966 to be part of the team that won the Inter-cities Fairs Cup in 1969. In the semi-final, Newcastle faced Rangers and MacNamee warmed up at Ibrox wearing his Celtic shirt. He explained: "I was just winding them up, but football had a sense of humour and no one accused me of inciting the crowd."

So despite losing out on playing for Celtic in a glorious period, he managed to gain glory with Newcastle Utd. He is still a very fondly remembered player in Newcastle's history.

After leaving Newcastle in 1971, he played for Blackburn Rovers (where he was said to have brought 'self-respect and steel to the team'), Hartlepool United, Lancaster City and Workington before retiring in 1976.

He became a postman in the Lake District, but his bruising battles on the park took their toll and severe arthritis forced him into retirement.

John now lives in Cumbria.

Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

none

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Articles

Where are they now? -

Football
Sun, The (London, England)
October 19, 1998
Author: Trevor Clements

THERE is a piece of Toon Army folklore that sums up the footballing philosophy of soccer's original bad boy - John MacNamee.

It was 1970 and Chelsea brought their team of fancy dans to a freezing cold, rain-lashed St James' Park.

Minutes into the game Alan Birchenall, the Blues' flowing-maned striker, began a mazy run just a few yards in from the right flank.

MacNamee called to his full-back to swap places and unceremoniousy kicked Birchenall on to the cinder track.

He leaned over his prone victim and bellowed: "And if you come back into this half again, son, you'll get the FULL treatment."

Birchenall took up a somewhat deep centre-forward role. Just in front of his back four.

Big John Mac, who remains one of Newcastle's favourite sons, is perplexed by the outcry at today's onfield problems.

He was revelling in the villain's role when Hartson, Ince, Di Canio and the like were still breaking their Tonka toys.

Softer

MacNamee said: "There have always been players at each others' throats.

"It went on, but it went unseen and unreported. Football has become softer, not tougher."

To illustrate the point MacNamee recalls a fierce battle with Stoke City's tough centre-forward John Ritchie.

Mac added: "John and I always had a pitched battle and this day he caught me with an elbow and cut my mouth open.

"I had eight stitches in the wound but came back on for another crack at him.

"It was so niggly, the referee kept blowing up to separate us until John called him to one side and said 'Will you leave us alone, we're trying to enjoy ourselves."' MacNamee signed for Celtic in 1958, as a 17-year-old who had been spotted playing in Glasgow by Jock Stein.

He became a first-team regular and was on the losing side in the 1963 Scottish Cup Final when Rangers beat Celtic 3-0.

Stein moved to Hibs the following year and took MacNamee with him for Pounds 17,500 - the only player the ex-Scotland boss ever signed twice. Soon after England won the World Cup, Joe Harvey paid Pounds 27,500 to take him to St James' and in 1969 MacNamee and the Magpies enjoyed their finest hour when Newcastle won the old Fairs Cup - today's UEFA Cup.

In the semi-final, Newcastle faced Rangers and MacNamee warmed up at Ibrox wearing his Celtic shirt. He explained: "I was just winding them up, but football had a sense of humour and no one accused me of inciting the crowd."

He said: "I loved turning out in the black and white stripe. The Newcastle fans were out of this world and they really took to me because they knew I gave 100 per cent."

MacNamee ended his playing career with Blackburn Rovers, enjoying similar adoration at Ewood Park before calling it a day in 1974.

After a brief managerial career, an ill-fated six months at Division Four Workington and a spell coaching at Carlisle United, John quit soccer.

He became a postman in the Lake District, but his bruising battles on the park took their toll and severe arthritis forced him into retirement.

Now 57, widower MacNamee is a doting grandad, looking after seven-month-old Catlin Rose when his son John - one of four children - is at work.

He joked: "I love pushing her pram - it stops me needing a zimmer frame.