Jonnyboy
24-11-2022, 08:23 PM
Some years ago, I wrote a series, entitled Hibees in Blue, for the match programme and given that there's no domestic football at the moment for us Hibs fans, I thought I'd resurrect the article. Hopefully, the names will bring back memories for those of us that witnessed watching these guys play for Hibs and that they can be shared here.
This first list is tagged as Hibees in Blue - One and I'll follow them up with others if there's an appetite to share.
Thomson Allan
Thomson Allan was born in Longridge, West Lothian on 5 October 1946 and joined Hibs in 1963 where he soon became a regular in the first team. In 1971 he was transferred to Dundee where he won a League Cup Winner’s medal in 1973 and it was whilst he played for Dundee that he won his two international caps and travelled as a reserve goalkeeper when Scotland competed in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. In 1979 Thomson joined Meadowbank Thistle for a brief period on loan before signing for Hearts later that same year and he remained at Tynecastle until his retirement from the game in 1980.
Thomson Allan won two Scottish caps
Steve Archibald
Born in September 1956, Archibald joined Clyde in 1974 and spent four years with the Bully Wee before attracting the attention of Aberdeen whom he joined in 1978, winning a Scottish League Championship medal there in 1980. He next joined Spurs, attracting a then record fee for the transfer of a player from Scotland to England and was top scorer in his first season at White Hart Lane where he went on to win FA Cup winners medals in 1981 and 1982 as well as a UEFA Cup winners medal in 1984.
In 1985 he was transferred to Barcelona where he won a Spanish League Championship medal in his first season and a European Cup runners up medal the following year. In 1988 he returned to Scotland and joined Hibs where he quickly gained cult status before leaving to play at several other Clubs prior to his retirement from playing after which he briefly managed both East Fife and Airdrie.
Steve Archibald won 27 caps
Bertie Auld
Born in Glasgow in 1938, Bertie Auld joined Celtic in 1955 and after a colourful career at Parkhead he left to join Birmingham City in 1961 where he was in the side which reached the Fairs (UEFA) Cup Final. In 1965 he returned to Celtic and two years later was a key member of the Lisbon Lions side, the first British Club to win the European Cup. Released by Celtic in 1971 he had one season with Hibs before taking up a coaching role with Partick Thistle where he enjoyed moderate success before becoming the Hibs Manager in 1980. Two years on he moved to Hamilton Academical and then back to Thistle briefly before joining his last Club, Dumbarton, in 1988.
Bertie Auld won three Scottish caps and suffered the ignominy of being sent off in his first game for his country.
John Blackley
John Blackley was born near Falkirk in May 1948 and joined Hibs in 1965 from junior side Gairdoch United. A wonderful defender Blackley was part of the Hibs side immortalised as Turnbull’s Tornadoes in the early 1970’s and remained at Easter Road until 1977 when he left to join Newcastle United, attracting a fee of £100,000. Things did not go to plan at St. James’ Park and led to a move to Preston North End in May 1979. A little over two years later he was appointed player/manager of Hamilton Academical thereby starting off in a long career in football coaching/management. Blackley was both assistant manager and manager at Easter Road, having been right hand man to Pat Stanton and then in the chair himself when Stanton departed. Since leaving Easter Road he has also coached at St. Johnstone, Dundee United, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday.
John Blackley won seven Scottish caps
Des Bremner
Des Bremner was born in the Banffshire town of Aberchirder in September 1952 and began his playing career in the Highland League with Deveronvale before signing for Hibs in 1972. Equally effective in both defence and midfield Bremner was the main cover for right back John Brownlie when that youngster suffered a terrible leg break in a match against East Fife. After seven happy and not unsuccessful years at Easter Road he departed for Aston Villa in 1979 and won both a League Championship medal in 1981 and a European Cup winner’s medal the following year. Des moved across the City in 1984, joining Birmingham City and remains in the game as a football development officer with the FA.
Des Bremner won a single Scottish cap
John Brownlie
Born in March 1952 in the Lanarkshire village of Caldercruix, Brownlie was playing for Junior side Pumpherston when His snapped him up when he was just 17 and he went on to play right back in the legendary Turnbull’s Tornadoes team of the early 1970’s. ‘Onion’ made over 200 appearances for Hibs before he left to join Newcastle United in 1978 and was there for four years before signing for Middlesbrough in 1982. Two years on he left to join Hartlepool and went on to play for Berwick Rangers and Blyth Spartans before retiring from playing in 1986. Back in Scotland he took the reigns at Central Park, Cowdenbeath and steered the Blue Brazil into the First Division for the first time in over 30 years. Since then he has been involved in coaching and youth development at a number of clubs including Clyde, East Stirling and Raith Rovers.
John Brownlie won seven Scottish caps
John Collins
Born in Galashiels in January 1968 Collins joined Hibs as a youngster directly from Hutchison Vale Boys Club and was a huge favourite with the Easter Road fans. A first team regular until the end of the 1989/90 season he was transferred to Celtic in a £1m deal and had six very successful seasons with the Parkhead club before leaving to join French side Monaco in July 1996. After two seasons with Monaco he returned to the UK and signed for Everton in August 1998 for a fee of £2.5m and was adored by the Goodison Park’s fans during his stay on Merseyside. Fulham was John’s last port of call but since retiring from playing he has gained his UEFA Pro Coaching license, having taken the time to study under a number of top European coaches.
John Collins won 58 Scottish caps and has a deserved place in the SFA Hall of Fame
Bobby Combe
A Hibs man through and through Bobby Combe was born less than a mile from Easter Road and was often referred to by the fans as the sixth member of the Famous Five. Made his Hibs debut and scored a goal in the same game as Gordon Smith in 1941 and was part of the team which demolished Hearts 5-3 at Tynecastle when Smith scored a hat trick. Ironically Bobby had been training with Hearts as a youngster but his Hibs daft family was anxious for him to join the greens and so when the chance came he jumped at it. He was both a prolific scorer and maker of goals and in a famous 8-1 thrashing of League leaders Rangers he bagged four and had a hand in two others. In WW2 he was reported missing and feared dead but had in fact been a POW in Germany. Within 24 hours of returning to Edinburgh he was back at Easter Road looking for a game! A true Hibs legend, Bobby won just three Scottish caps in a career interrupted by six years of war in Europe.
This first list is tagged as Hibees in Blue - One and I'll follow them up with others if there's an appetite to share.
Thomson Allan
Thomson Allan was born in Longridge, West Lothian on 5 October 1946 and joined Hibs in 1963 where he soon became a regular in the first team. In 1971 he was transferred to Dundee where he won a League Cup Winner’s medal in 1973 and it was whilst he played for Dundee that he won his two international caps and travelled as a reserve goalkeeper when Scotland competed in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. In 1979 Thomson joined Meadowbank Thistle for a brief period on loan before signing for Hearts later that same year and he remained at Tynecastle until his retirement from the game in 1980.
Thomson Allan won two Scottish caps
Steve Archibald
Born in September 1956, Archibald joined Clyde in 1974 and spent four years with the Bully Wee before attracting the attention of Aberdeen whom he joined in 1978, winning a Scottish League Championship medal there in 1980. He next joined Spurs, attracting a then record fee for the transfer of a player from Scotland to England and was top scorer in his first season at White Hart Lane where he went on to win FA Cup winners medals in 1981 and 1982 as well as a UEFA Cup winners medal in 1984.
In 1985 he was transferred to Barcelona where he won a Spanish League Championship medal in his first season and a European Cup runners up medal the following year. In 1988 he returned to Scotland and joined Hibs where he quickly gained cult status before leaving to play at several other Clubs prior to his retirement from playing after which he briefly managed both East Fife and Airdrie.
Steve Archibald won 27 caps
Bertie Auld
Born in Glasgow in 1938, Bertie Auld joined Celtic in 1955 and after a colourful career at Parkhead he left to join Birmingham City in 1961 where he was in the side which reached the Fairs (UEFA) Cup Final. In 1965 he returned to Celtic and two years later was a key member of the Lisbon Lions side, the first British Club to win the European Cup. Released by Celtic in 1971 he had one season with Hibs before taking up a coaching role with Partick Thistle where he enjoyed moderate success before becoming the Hibs Manager in 1980. Two years on he moved to Hamilton Academical and then back to Thistle briefly before joining his last Club, Dumbarton, in 1988.
Bertie Auld won three Scottish caps and suffered the ignominy of being sent off in his first game for his country.
John Blackley
John Blackley was born near Falkirk in May 1948 and joined Hibs in 1965 from junior side Gairdoch United. A wonderful defender Blackley was part of the Hibs side immortalised as Turnbull’s Tornadoes in the early 1970’s and remained at Easter Road until 1977 when he left to join Newcastle United, attracting a fee of £100,000. Things did not go to plan at St. James’ Park and led to a move to Preston North End in May 1979. A little over two years later he was appointed player/manager of Hamilton Academical thereby starting off in a long career in football coaching/management. Blackley was both assistant manager and manager at Easter Road, having been right hand man to Pat Stanton and then in the chair himself when Stanton departed. Since leaving Easter Road he has also coached at St. Johnstone, Dundee United, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday.
John Blackley won seven Scottish caps
Des Bremner
Des Bremner was born in the Banffshire town of Aberchirder in September 1952 and began his playing career in the Highland League with Deveronvale before signing for Hibs in 1972. Equally effective in both defence and midfield Bremner was the main cover for right back John Brownlie when that youngster suffered a terrible leg break in a match against East Fife. After seven happy and not unsuccessful years at Easter Road he departed for Aston Villa in 1979 and won both a League Championship medal in 1981 and a European Cup winner’s medal the following year. Des moved across the City in 1984, joining Birmingham City and remains in the game as a football development officer with the FA.
Des Bremner won a single Scottish cap
John Brownlie
Born in March 1952 in the Lanarkshire village of Caldercruix, Brownlie was playing for Junior side Pumpherston when His snapped him up when he was just 17 and he went on to play right back in the legendary Turnbull’s Tornadoes team of the early 1970’s. ‘Onion’ made over 200 appearances for Hibs before he left to join Newcastle United in 1978 and was there for four years before signing for Middlesbrough in 1982. Two years on he left to join Hartlepool and went on to play for Berwick Rangers and Blyth Spartans before retiring from playing in 1986. Back in Scotland he took the reigns at Central Park, Cowdenbeath and steered the Blue Brazil into the First Division for the first time in over 30 years. Since then he has been involved in coaching and youth development at a number of clubs including Clyde, East Stirling and Raith Rovers.
John Brownlie won seven Scottish caps
John Collins
Born in Galashiels in January 1968 Collins joined Hibs as a youngster directly from Hutchison Vale Boys Club and was a huge favourite with the Easter Road fans. A first team regular until the end of the 1989/90 season he was transferred to Celtic in a £1m deal and had six very successful seasons with the Parkhead club before leaving to join French side Monaco in July 1996. After two seasons with Monaco he returned to the UK and signed for Everton in August 1998 for a fee of £2.5m and was adored by the Goodison Park’s fans during his stay on Merseyside. Fulham was John’s last port of call but since retiring from playing he has gained his UEFA Pro Coaching license, having taken the time to study under a number of top European coaches.
John Collins won 58 Scottish caps and has a deserved place in the SFA Hall of Fame
Bobby Combe
A Hibs man through and through Bobby Combe was born less than a mile from Easter Road and was often referred to by the fans as the sixth member of the Famous Five. Made his Hibs debut and scored a goal in the same game as Gordon Smith in 1941 and was part of the team which demolished Hearts 5-3 at Tynecastle when Smith scored a hat trick. Ironically Bobby had been training with Hearts as a youngster but his Hibs daft family was anxious for him to join the greens and so when the chance came he jumped at it. He was both a prolific scorer and maker of goals and in a famous 8-1 thrashing of League leaders Rangers he bagged four and had a hand in two others. In WW2 he was reported missing and feared dead but had in fact been a POW in Germany. Within 24 hours of returning to Edinburgh he was back at Easter Road looking for a game! A true Hibs legend, Bobby won just three Scottish caps in a career interrupted by six years of war in Europe.