Obituary - Jackie McInally, footballer who became Kilmarnock legend

Died: July 9, 2016

JACKIE McInally, who has died aged 79, was a footballer who became a legend of Kilmarnock FC. His son, Alan "Rambo" McInally, won eight Scotland caps and played in the 1990 World Cup Finals. However, there are long-serving Killie fans who will tell you Rambo was not as good a player as his father, who suffered in playing for a relatively unfashionable club when competition for the inside forward spots in the Scotland team was intense.

An "Honest Man" of Ayr, McInally attended the town's Newton Park School, leaving to take up a plumbing apprenticeship. He completed his national service with the Royal Scots Greys, and his football apprenticeship with Kello Rovers, Minishant Amateurs and Crosshill Thistle.

He was one of the stars of Thistle's memorable win over Eaglesham Amateurs in the Scottish Amateur Cup in 1959, joining Kilmarnock shortly after their Hampden triumph. That Thistle victory was his single appearance on a winning side in four Hampden finals over four years. He was back at the National Stadium with Kilmarnock for the 1960 Scottish Cup Final – just 12 months after appearing there in the Amateur version. Rangers won that one, as they again did the following season in the League Cup Final. There was to be further League Cup heartache in the 1962 League Cup Final, when a rare Tiny Wharton refereeing mistake chalked off a perfectly good Frank Beattie goal and allowed Hearts to lift the trophy.

McInally was a regular starter from joining up at Kilmarnock. He made his debut against Stirling Albion, in the League Cup, in August 1959, the first of 297 appearances for the club, which garnered 127 goals. One of these goals is the stuff of Rugby Park folklore. It came on 22 September, 1964, when Killie entertained Eintracht Frankfurt in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, seeking to overturn a 3-0 first leg deficit.

Things looked desperate for the Ayrshiremen when the Germans increased their lead to four goals, but, by the interval, Killie were 2-1 ahead on the night. They attacked remorselessly in the second half and a brace from Ronnie Hamilton and singles from Brian McIlroy and Jim McFadzean saw the Ayrshire side square the tie on aggregate. Enter McInally, who scored the fifth goal on the night – to complete a fantastic comeback and take Killie through, winners 5-4 on aggregate.

That was McInally's most important goal for the club; his finest was probably an absolute pile-driver, fired home, from nearly 50 yards, into the teeth of a hurricane – and with an old-fashioned leather T ball, in a 5-3 win over Motherwell in December, 1960. Andy Kerr scored Kilmarnock's other four goals that day, but,

it is the McInally strike which sticks in the memory.

With the Willie Waddell-managed Killie team of that day one of the top three in Scotland, vying with Rangers and Hearts for the major honours, while the pre-Stein Celtic stumbled along, international honours came to several of the players. McInally had to be content with just one call-up, an appearance for the Scottish League, against Scotland in the International Trial match, at Celtic Park, in January, 1961.

He continued to play for Killie, however and was in his familiar number eight jersey when they travelled to Tynecastle, on April 24, 1965, for a winner takes all final League game of the season against Hearts. A draw would be enough to hand Hearts the title, so Killie had to win 2-0. Davie Sneddon and Brian McIllroy got the two goals needed, but, all 11, including McInally, became Rugby Park legends with that victory, which brought the League title to Kilmarnock for the only time.

That put Killie into the following season's European Cup, with McInally being fouled inside the box to allow Tommy McLean to fire Killie in front from the penalty spot, before scoring the equaliser in a 2-2 Rugby Park draw with the mighty Real Madrid, then playing in the more one-sided second leg, which Real won at the Bernabeu.

He continued to play for Killie until December, 1967 – coming off the bench for his only substitute appearance on December 2, before moving to Motherwell in a £5000 transfer.

He spent six years at Fir Park, before moving to play out one final season at Hamilton prior to retiring in 1975, after more than 400 senior appearances.

Post-football, he and Avril, his wife of 55 years, ran a couple of shops; Jackie also worked for a time at the Hyster fork lift factory in Irvine, before having a lengthy spell as manager of a paint wholesaler's in Kilmarnock, up until her retirement.

McInally was always a well received guest at his former clubs, or elsewhere when watching his son's burgeoning career with Ayr United, Celtic, Aston Villa, Bayern Munich, Kilmarnock and Scotland. Away from football he was an excellent golfer, at one time playing off a handicap of three at Prestwick St Cuthbert's. He was also a deadly marksman with darts.

His retirement to the family home in Monkton was disturbed when he was diagnosed with dementia, but, his general health was good and the sudden illness which claimed him came as a surprise to family and friends.

As a young man, his appetite was legendary. His mother used to have to pack 24 rolls for his "piece" when he worked as a plumber, but, as if to prove "you cannot fatten a thoroughbred", McInally was as sparse of frame when he died as he ever was during his lengthy career.

He is survived by Avril and Alan.

MATT VALLANCE