THE ANGELS WHO GAVE SUPERMAC HIS WINGS
Macdonald owed his start in football to Tonbridge and boss Mckimm is planning to write another proud chapter in Kent
FA CUP: First round, 12.30pm
SEVEN years before Malcolm Macdonald equalled England’s single- game scoring record, he was called into the manager’s office at Tonbridge.
It was 1968, the
Kent minnows had a mi d w e e k c o u n t y cup- t i e, and were without a c e ntre - forward. Team boss
Harry Haslam looked his teenage full- back up and down and told him he had the gig.
“Th e g a me wa s against Gravesend and d
I scored a hat- trick,” recalled Supermac.
“Fulham signed me off the back of it and, from there, my career took off. I’ve a lot to thank Tonbridge for.”
At lunchtime today, Macdonald, 70, will root for his old club when they play League One Bradford City in the FA Cup, 48 years after their last first round appearance.
That tie against Charlton drew a near- 8,000 crowd, whereas this one is behind closed doors – a bitter pill for a community- owned club surviving on £ 30, 000- a- month l ott e r y f unding guaranteed only until December. In a remarkable show of solidarity, Bradford fans have raised more than £ 5,000 for the National League South outfit to soften the blow of losing their biggest payday in years.
Competit i o n c h i e f s h av e a l s o st epped i n to l essen the f i nancial impact, breaking with tradition to pay prize money – £ 5,657 – to beaten first round teams.
Nobody need tell Angels boss St eve Mckimm that times are tough. By day, he i s a south London cabbie and said: “It’s a s d e a d a s a doornail out there”.
But he will park that worr y as his t eam r un out i n front of BBC and BT Sport cameras against opponents who, just seven years ago, beat Arsenal and Aston Villa en route to the League Cup final.
“I know what an FA Cup upset looks like because, as a kid, me and a few pals stood on the railway platform next to the ground watching Sutton beat Coventry, who had only recently won the cup,” said Mckimm.
“Bradford were i n t he Premier League 20 years ago and are a great club, who will probably be fitter and stronger than us. But we’ll go toe to toe
with them.” Supermac doesn’t doubt that for one minute. Joining Tonbridge after his dad died and his mum moved t h e f a mi l y o u t o f L o n d o n , h e encountered a level of football that was “rough and tough – it really was”.
He has never forgotten how the club helped him launch a career, which took him on to Luton, Newcastle, Arsenal and England, for whom he famously scored all five in a game against Cyprus ( holding up a photograph of his fourth goal in that match at Wembley, left).
“There’s something special about non- league football,” added Macdonald, who would repay his debt of gratitude as Fulham manager years l ater by returning with a team for a fundraising friendly.
“You’re around people who love the game itself, not just one football club. I learned so much at Tonbridge – not least to be on time!
“I was l ate one Thursday due to having to close up the family shop. The secretary was already handing out the pay packets and when I got mine it felt unusually heavy.
“I thought, ‘ Wow, this is all right’ and opened it to find a wristwatch and the money £ 10 light. I looked up and Harry, the manager, was stood in front of me.
“‘ You won’t be late from here on son, will you?’ he said. And I wasn’t! Good times those. I wish Tonbridge every success.”