Two moments that saw ‘Jaws’ become a legend of the game
THAT goal and THAT tackle. Tom Forsyth captured the hearts of Rangers and
Scotland fans for ever with two iconic moments in a stellar playing career.
Those highlights were among many being remembered fondly by fans, friends and family this weekend as they mourned Forsyth’s death on Friday at the age of 71.
Forsyth was nicknamed ‘Jaws’ as he earned a reputation as a fearsome defender. However, neither of the occasions which turned him into a cult hero for club and country involved the bruising side of the game in which he excelled as a hard but fair centre-half.
His winner in the 1973 Scottish Cup final against Celtic was a real ‘hold-yourbreath’ moment.
He had only arrived at Rangers from Motherwell the previous October and found himself with Hampden history at his feet with the game poised at 2-2 as Derek Johnstone’s header cannoned off both posts and found no takers six inches from the line.
Forsyth, though, just about passed his audition in unfamiliar territory to scrape the ball over the line with his studs and take the centenary cup honours to Ibrox.
Goalkeeper that day and on many occasions through the years of domestic Treble success together was Peter McCloy.
‘It felt like he took a stab or two to get the ball in but it did not matter,’ recalled McCloy.
‘Tommy’s goal will never be forgotten in one of the great Scottish Cup finals.
‘We had been team-mates at Motherwell where he actually played quite a lot in midfield. So our friendship goes back to By Fraser Mackie the Sixties before we were at Ibrox. He was one of the best players who ever played in front of me.
‘You want to trust the guys directly in front of you and you always like no-nonsense defending. That’s what we had with Tommy.
‘I dare say nowadays he would pick up quite a few more yellow cards. The same tackling isn’t allowed.
‘We went on family holidays, together and those were happy times. He was a gentlemen and he will be sorely missed.’
As a 10-year-old boy with his brother and dad, John Brown was among the 120,000 fans at Hampden for that Old Firm cup classic.
Brown was also at the national stadium in 1976 when Forsyth’s beautifully-timed tackle prevented Mick Channon from levelling up an Auld Enemy clash.
Channon loves telling, in mock fury, how he is reminded of Forsyth’s stunning intervention — which clinched a 2-1 Scotland win and the British Home Championship — every time he sets foot north of the border.
For Brown, it was just another masterclass to admire — one that helped shape his own career as an uncompromising Rangers defender through the nine-in-a-row years.
‘Tam was the guy I wanted to be when watching Rangers as a kid because of his total commitment,’ said ‘Bomber’.
‘Strikers needed to be tough nuts to get the better of Tam.
‘He was inspirational for me, such a big part of my growing up following Rangers winning those Trebles in the Seventies.
‘When he scored the cup final goal, me and my brother were caught in the surge of fans and my dad was pulling us out of it.
‘For Scotland, that tackle when Channon was through on goal was unbelievable.
‘There was always that debate of whether he or Martin Buchan was best for Scotland but, thankfully, it was Tam that day for his defensive qualities.
‘I know his nickname was Jaws. On the park, aye, but when he was off it he loved his bowling and his family.
‘He was still entertaining the fans up until the last minute of last season as he worked in Ibrox hospitality on matchdays.
‘Always approachable and friendly, he was a real gem of a guy.’
Forsyth won nine honours in 326 appearances for Rangers and was inducted into the club’s Hall Of Fame in 2003.
He stopped playing in 1982 and was appointed manager of Dunfermline.
He left within a year but assisted in Tommy McLean’s successful managerial spells at Morton and Motherwell, including their 1991 Scottish Cup final thriller when they beat Dundee United 4-3.
Forsyth is survived by son David and daughters Karen and Julie from his marriage to wife Linda, who died in March of last year.
‘HE WAS THE GUY I WANTED TO BE GROWING UP WATCHING RANGERS’