MURDIE’S DREAM TEAM
Pollok gaffer MacKinnon picks his all time greats
MURDIE MacKINNON is someone not normally lost for words, but Glasgow Times Sport rendered him close to speechless when putting the 41-year-old on the spot and asking him to pick his alltime Junior dream team.
Yet he’s a perfect fit as Murdie’s track record shows he is steeped in the game at this level having turned out as a player with Rutherglen Glencairn, Ashfield and Benburb before moving into the dugout as a highlyregarded assistant to Stevie Rankin at Ashfield and latterly Irvine Meadow.
A role as Blantyre Vics manager followed where he achieved all that was asked of him and he might have been lost to the Juniors, but for the draw of being Tony McInally’s assistant at Newlandsfield enticing him back on the scene.
Pollok’s parting of the ways with Macca last season saw club officials offer Murdie the manager’s post and he has been doing his utmost to repay their trust ever since.
Here is his dream team, lining up in a 4-4-2 formation.
GOALKEEPER
“I’ve seen so many great shotstoppers who have dominated the penalty box and been brave as lions into the bargain, so I’m spoilt for choice. “Michael Wardrope at the Medda, Arthurlie No.1 Neil Parry and Stephen Grindley of Beith are all in the conversation.
“But one of the all-time Junior greats between the sticks is Andy Leishman at Auchinleck Talbot, whose physical presence is second to none so I have to give Andy the gloves.”
DEFENDERS
“I can remember thinking Stevie Aitchison was a class act when he first broke into Pollok’s team as a right-back and I came up against the terrier-like Stevie “Hooky” Walker when he was one of Petershill’s star turns. But for my money, there was nobody more difficult to play against than Kevin O’Neil at Pollok.
“To fill the void on my other defensive flank, I could have gone for Gordon Pope [Auchinleck] – definitely not a full-back type scared to cross the halfway line, as I know to my cost.
“But as a Benburb player I always felt most comfortable when Mark McWilliams was in our line-up, as he was both exciting going forward as well as extremely competitive and he gets the nod because I cannot recall any winger ever getting the better of him.
“I remember the current Rangers physiotherapist, Stevie Walker, as one of the cornerstones of a terrific Shettleston side and strikers never had an easy time of it when facing Dexy [Benburb’s Derek Wingate]. But my choices – and this may surprise people – are the Irvine Meadow duo of Mark Campbell and Marc Twaddle.
“Sparky was your typical oldfashioned stopper who just took it upon himself to win every high ball flung into our penalty box and his aerial ability also marked him out as a huge goal threat at set-plays down the other end of the pitch.
“Twaddle, left-sided and formerly with Falkirk, Partick Thistle and Rochdale before going Junior went about things quietly but so effectively and nobody hated getting beat more than Twads.”
MIDFIELDERS
“I thought long and hard about having John Jack [Shettleston] or Thommo [Ashfield] as a sitter tasked with winning the ball but instead I’ve opted for a very attack-minded quartet.
“Andy Essler [Maryhill and Pollok] was in my mind for a wide spot as was Neil Diamond [Benburb] and my former Pollok signing Stefan McCluskey. But when push came to shove I went for Frank Haggerty, whom I played alongside in boys’ football before he earned fame at Rangers, Renfrew, Pollok and Irvine Meadow.
“Down the left side I couldn’t leave out my ex-Benburb teammate Alan Jack, whose wand of a left foot marked him out as truly outstanding.
“Centrally I toyed with the idea of picking the wonderful Kilbirnie Ladeside pairing of Liam McGuinness and Davie Anderson, while Andy McLay [Pollok], Kevin Murray [Rutherglen Glencairn] and the gifted Jamsie McNeil from back in his Shettleston days also came to mind.
“So many Junior greats, but I have gone for Martin Nelson because nobody pulled the midfield strings better than Nelly in his heyday with Pollok, Maryhill and Glencairn. I’ve partnered him with Martin McGarvey [Arthurlie and Beith]. Garv could dictate play alongside the best of them but also in his locker was an uncanny ability to spring forward and score key goals.”
STRIKERS
“A striker of the highest quality was Peter Lamont [Shettleston] who didn’t have an athletic appearance, yet he was seldom beaten over 10 yards and once in front of goal, you could bet your mortgage on the ball ending up in the net.
“Davie Turnbull at Maryhill was of similar build and blessed with phenomenal skills for a big man, while I’m a big fan of Graham Wilson [Auchinleck].
“I’ve went for a combination of Paul Maxwell [Ashfield] and Bryan Dingwall [Pollok, Bellshill Athletic and Maryhill].
“Maxi established himself as an outstanding target-man type while Dingy was just a pest who never gave defenders a minute’s peace and was a top-drawer goalscorer wherever he played.”