Two men with Hibs’ connections were inducted into the Scottish Football’s Hall of Fame at a dinner on Sunday night in Glasgow.
Ally McLeod who is best remembered for managing the national team at the 1978 World Cup Finals in Argentina played for 72 times for Hibs after signing from Blackburn Rovers in 1961 and Maurice Malpas was the club’s assistant manager under Terry Butcher two years ago.
Ally enjoyed a successful playing career with Third Lanark, St Mirren, Blackburn Rovers, where he played a leading role in the 1960 FA Cup Final before his move to Hibernian and then Ayr United. He moved into football management with Ayr United and capped a rewarding first spell at Somerset Park by twice winning promotion into the top flight and guiding the ‘Honest Men’ to a Scottish Cup and League Cup semi final. In 1975 Ally moved on to Aberdeen, where, one year later, he guided the ’Dons’ to victory in the League Cup Final against Jock Stein’s Celtic. MacLeod’s success at club level led to his appointment as Scotland manager in May 1977 and the new boss got off to an excellent start.
Under Ally’s leadership Scotland defeated England at Wembley in 1977 to win the British International Championship. They also qualified for the 1978 World Cup Finals in Argentina, and although the campaign ultimately ended in disappointment they bowed out of the tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Netherlands who would go on to contest the final. MacLeod went back into club management, taking the reins at Ayr United (twice), Motherwell, Airdrieonians and Queen of the South. His last trophy came in his third managerial spell with Ayr United, winning the Second Division title in 1988.
Renowned as one of Scotland’s best full backs, Maurice Malpas was truly a one club man having spent his entire playing career with Dundee United. Having signed as an S – Form in 1978, Maurice would make his first team debut for the club on 21st November 1981 and just seven days later earned a place on the bench when United played in the 1981 Scottish League Cup Final. This was the start of a distinguished career which would continue to the year 2000. Malpas would chalk up an impressive 830 appearances and his club honours include a League Championship winner’s medal in 1983 and a Scottish Cup winner’s medal in 1994, when he became the first Dundee United captain to lift the famous trophy.
Maurice would play in a further four Scottish Cup finals and two Scottish League Cup finals. He was also a member of the Dundee United team which reached the semi final of the European Cup in 1984 and was a UEFA Cup finalist in 1987. His impressive performances with the Tannadice club were recognised in 1991 when he received the Scottish Football Writers Player of the Year Award. His international career kicked off in 1984 against France and continued up to 1992 when his final appearance against Italy brought him to 55 caps. During his time with Scotland Malpas would play at the 1986 and 1990 World Cup tournaments and the 1992 European Championships.
Also inducted at the dinner were former Arsenal player and manager George Graham, ex Scotland boss Bobby Brown and sports doctor Professor Stewart Hillis OBE.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
