LOU AND JIMMY PRAISE MENTOR
him take charge of Scotland, Chelsea, Manchester United and Derby, among others.
It was at Old Trafford where he launched Northern Ireland star Nicholl’s decorated career by turning him into a right-back and handing him a debut as a teenager.
The former Rangers defender paid homage to Docherty for giving him a start in the professional game and his entire family a new beginning in Manchester.
Nicholl said: “I’d put him alongside Billy Bingham.
“The two of them are up there, not just in football terms. When I was signing pro in the early ’70s, there were the Troubles back home in Belfast.
“Tommy was the one who arranged for my mother and father, my two brothers and sisters to come live in Manchester.
“He arranged to put us in a club house. All he said was, ‘Just give the club a fiver a month rent until your family get a job’.
“He did that for us. It gave me peace of mind that my family were being looked after.
“Their whole lives have been in Manchester since. My two sisters, with their kids and grandkids, still live round the corner from where that house was.
“He was great for me and great for my family.”
Docherty led United back to the old First Division and to two FA Cup Final appearances.
Nicholl starred in the 2-1 Wembley upset over Liverpool in 1977 in which all three goals came in a four-minute spell in the second half.
Nicholl said: “Myself and Arthur Albiston were two young full-backs that day and that was one of the great things about Tommy.
“He was never scared of first-team players. If you were good enough, you’d be in no matter your age.
“Tommy changed me to right-back, it was all down to him. He put me up against the outside lefts in training over the course of a few weeks and then I got a few reserve games.
“I had a great four years with him. Every day we did practically the same thing in training!
“But the strange thing was it worked and it was the most enjoyable time of my career. The final was a great one for us because we were underdogs against Liverpool, who’d already won the league.
“In the build- up he made everyone so relaxed.
“He created that atmosphere, being at the dinner table with us was so great for the younger lads – the Irish and Scottish lads loved him.
“His one-liners were great long before he started on the after-dinner circuit! He was some man so this is very sad.”
Former Manchester United and Scotland star Macari recalls a great motivator who said all the right things to inspire.
He said: “We lost the FA Cup Final 1- 0 against Southampton in 1976 in dramatic fashion.
“As soon as we were back in the dressing room, he said, ‘Lads, we will be back here next year’.
“We all thought he was mad but that was his management style of picking you up after you’d lost a final.
“He’d done the same when we got relegated.
“He stuck his neck out and said various things we all thought were crazy – but it worked. We got the results to get promoted and beat Liverpool in that 1977 Final.”
Macari admits that Docherty’s wisecracking antics from two o’clock on game day were as much a potential match-winner as any tactics employed by the maverick boss.
He added: “He was a larger-than-life character, great company. He could make anyone laugh. That was his big strength in the dressing room. You’d get in an hour before kick-off and he’d entertain you all the way to three o’clock.
‘“As a result, the players were relaxed. No matter how many times you fell out with him, you made up again.”
Docherty was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2013, where he is joined by fellow Scotland bosses Craig Brown, Alex McLeish, Walter Smith, Jock Stein and Gordon Strachan.
Brown said: “When I was at Preston, you couldn’t avoid his legend.
“His pictures were all over the place and he’s so fondly remembered there. What a great career.”