They Played in Blue - Part One

Page 2

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

Matt Busby

Born in the village of Orbiston, Lanarkshire in May 1909 Busby’s name is instantly recognisable to football fans the world over. His playing career started with Denny Hibs until, aged just 18, he was snapped up by Manchester City where he played half back and won an FA Cup winner’s medal in 1934. In 1936 he left Maine Road and moved to Liverpool where he spent the rest of his playing days. During the Second World War however he guested for numerous clubs including Hibs. In 1945 he was appointed as Manager of Manchester United when the Club had no ground, it having been destroyed in the war. From these ashes he built a magnificent team which enjoyed both League and Cup success before tragedy struck and a number of first team players were killed in the Munich air crash of 1958. Busby himself was injured in the crash but survived to build a new United, dubbed the Busby Babes, winning the European Cup with them in 1968. In 1971 he finally retired as Manager, having reigned there for some 26 years but he remained at Old Trafford as a Director and Club President. Knighted in 1968, Sir Matt died in January 1994.

Matt Busby won a single Scottish cap

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.

John Connolly

Born in Barrhead, Glasgow in 1950 John Connolly was a star of the very talented St. Johnstone side of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s before being transferred to Everton in March 1972 for a reported fee of £70,000. His stay on Merseyside was a good one and Connolly was a regular starter for the Toffees before joining Hibs towards the end of his career. After he stopped playing Connolly went into coaching and had spells with both Queen of the South and St. Johnstone

John Connolly won a single Scottish cap

Peter Cormack

Corky was on the books as a schoolboy at Tynecastle but was given his senior chance by Hibs and took full advantage of that opportunity by breaking into the first team at just 16 years of age. At just 17 he scored in the famous win over Spanish giants Real Madrid and the following Saturday got two more at Ibrox in a 4-2 win. In 1970 he left to join Nottingham Forest where he scored 15 goals in 72 appearances before being transferred to Liverpool in 1972 where he bagged 21 goals in 125 appearances along with a hatful of medals. From there it was on to Bristol City and then back to Hibs before taking up coaching at Partick, Cowdenbeath and Hibs.

Peter Cormack won nine Scottish caps

Tommy Craig

Born in Glasgow in November 1950 Tommy enjoyed a senior career with Aberdeen, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Swansea, Carlisle United and Hibs. He also had a spell as a coach at Easter Road and is currently reserve team coach at Newcastle

Tommy Craig won a single Scottish cap

Stevie Crawford

Stevie Crawford was born in Dunfermline in January 1974 and began his career at Raith Rovers before moving to Millwall in July 1996. London life didn’t seem to suit him and a year later he joined Hibs where he stayed for three years before moving to his home town club Dunfermline. From there he tried his luck in the south again when he joined Plymouth but again he didn’t settle and returned north to Dundee United in January 2005 before moving on to Aberdeen in August of that year and then back to Dunfermline in August 2006.

Stevie Crawford won 25 Scottish caps