Willie MacFarlane 1930 - 2010 RIP

**big-mo** · 11-03-2010 10:52 AM

Sorry to bring the news of another member of the Hibs family who passed away today. Willie was not only a player for Hibs but was also a manger of the club. He signed for Hibs in 1949 and was with the club for nine years. He was a member of the team that played in the first European Cup.
He later played for Raith Rovers and Morton.

He took over as manager from Bob Shankly in 1969 but was sacked by Tom Hart the day before the Liverpool Fairs Cup game in December 1970 after a dispute over player selection.

Willie would have been 80 next week. (17th March)

***Baader*** · 11-03-2010 10:56 AM

Sad news. We've lost too many Hibs men lately - least he had a decent innings.

Willie brought Schaedler and Arthur Duncan to Easter Road. RIP.

**killie-hibby** · 11-03-2010 11:06 AM

I remember being at Tynecastle the day his team beat Hearts to go top of the league.
RIP Willie.

**shadeparkhibby** · 11-03-2010 11:16 AM

He also signed Bobby Smith RIP Willie

**--------** · 11-03-2010 11:36 AM

If Hart hadn't sacked Willie, Willie could have taken us a long way, IMO.

Very sorry to hear he's dead. IMO he was way ahead of ET tactically and as a judge of a player.

He was always his own man, and Hart didn't like employees who didn't know their place - Willie wasn't the only one to get across him.

I didn't mourn Hart when he went, but I'll mourn for WM.

***Golden Bear*** · 11-03-2010 11:38 AM

Yet more sad news.

I'll always remember "Packy" for the commitment and enthusiasm he brought to the Club.

RIP Willie.

**Delboy4** · 11-03-2010 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Baader

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Sad news. We've lost too many Hibs men lately - least he had a decent innings.

Willie brought Schaedler and Arthur Duncan to Easter Road. RIP.

My business partner went the other way to Stirling Albion when Shades came to Hibs in a deal.

So, if it wasn't for him (Jimmy Hancock) Shades wouldn't have signed, well so Jimmy says...

RIP Willie

***stu in nottingham*** · 11-03-2010 01:47 PM

A very good manager indeed.

Another good Hibernian passes on. God rest and keep you Willie.

***Ray_*** · 11-03-2010 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by stu in nottingham

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A very good manager indeed.

Another good Hibernian passes on. God rest and keep you Willie.

One of his early matches was “the currents” at Ibrox, when Marinello x2 & Joe McBride scored in the 3-1 win that put us top of the league in October; we had already won at Parkhead & Tynie.

His second season had started really well with Hibs beating ET’s Aberdeen 4-0 in the final league cup qualifying game; Hibs were 4-0 up at half time with a scintillating display against a terrific Aberdeen side who had won “the Scottish” three months earlier. Aberdeen, with players like Bobby Clark, Martin Buckan & Joe Harper, went on to challenge Celtic at the top [Pat Stanton ending Bobby Clarks shut out record on Joe Baker’s second debut], but Hibs got hammered 3-1 in both legs of the league cup quarter finals by Rangers & they fell away from there.

It was the usual stuff from Hibs, totally lacking consistency, two crackers from Joe McBride helped us beat Celtic 2-0 in the first match after Tom Hart had come in and we also beat Rangers with two goals coming from Jim Blair, but the other end of the extreme saw us getting well beat by Clyde, a few days before we played so well against Liverpool in England.

To be fair to Willie Mac, he had lost the Two Peter's [Marinello & Cormack] within four month of each other during the second half of the 69/70 season & unfortunately his only mistake in the transfer market was buying the expensive Jim Blair as a replacement for Peter Cormack, he was very much in credit with the transfers in though, as in his all too short time at the club he brought in Shades, Arthur Duncan & Johnny Graham, who got two against Airdrie, on the evening of the day he signed. The other two we know well, but Johnny Graham was also an excellent player who won Scottish league caps while at Hibs and fitted well in to the forward line that read Marinello, Graham, McBride, Cormack & Stevenson.

RIP Willie Mac & thanks for the memories.

PS When he signed up I won the sweep at School for the new Hibs manager, so thanks for that too.

**Hibby Bairn** · 11-03-2010 04:43 PM

Used to deliver papers to his house at the top of Silverknowes Brae when he had the bookies in Davidsons Mains.

11 newspapers he got. Was always happy once I had got past his house!

Sorry to hear he has passed away.

**iwasthere1972** · 11-03-2010 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by big-mo

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Sorry to bring the news of another member of the Hibs family who passed away today. Willie was not only a player for Hibs but was also a manger of the club. He signed for Hibs in 1949 and was with the club for nine years. He was a member of the team that played in the first European Cup.
He later played for Raith Rovers and Morton.

He took over as manager from Bob Shankly in 1969 but was sacked by Tom Hart the day before the Liverpool Fairs Cup game in December 1970 after a dispute over player selection.

Willie would have been 80 next week. (17th March)

Sad news. Thought highly of the guy as a manager and remember being at Easter Road on the night Liverpool came a calling. Was quite shocked that Willie had been sacked.

Says on the official site that Willie would have been 90 next week. Obviously an oversight on their part.

RIP Willie.

**DoonTheSlope** · 11-03-2010 06:55 PM

Met Willie on a number of occasions over the years, sad news.
Condolences to his family and friends.

***Biggie*** · 11-03-2010 07:03 PM

RIP Willie...a good man.
Willie came to watch me and gave me great advice on how to improve my play up front, it was advice I kept for the rest of my playing days...he was manager of Meadowbank at the time (or head coach)....

***The Harp*** · 11-03-2010 07:08 PM

Yet more sad news at the passing of another Hibernian. Very sorry to hear about Willie's death.
Had the pleasure of sitting at a table with Willie and Tommy Preston a few years ago in hospitality at ER. Great characters with a host of stories to tell.

God bless you Willie. RIP

***Gerard*** · 11-03-2010 08:01 PM

RIP
Willie
Gerard O'Donnell

***Jamesie*** · 11-03-2010 08:35 PM

RIP Willie.

What a hellish year so far.

**Dashing Bob S** · 11-03-2010 08:42 PM

RIP Willie.

**HibeeMcGinn1** · 11-03-2010 08:51 PM

RIP. always sad news to hear a hibee passing away

***Hiber-nation*** · 11-03-2010 09:09 PM

Yet more sad news.

Really enjoyed watching Willie's team back in 69/70 when we finished 3rd in the league, only a point behind rangers. Couldn't believe he when he got sacked.

RIP Willie.

**WindyMiller** · 11-03-2010 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by iwasthere1972

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Sad news. Thought highly of the guy as a manager and remember being at Easter Road on the night Liverpool came a calling. Was quite shocked that Willie had been sacked.

There were a great many of us who hadn't heard the news till we turned up that night.

RIP Willie you built a good team.

**mim** · 11-03-2010 10:11 PM

Willie was our left back when I first started watching Hibs regularly.

A tough cookie, he was too.

R.I.P. Willie.

**Risboro Hibby** · 11-03-2010 10:16 PM

Really Loved Willie's team as a young lad.

The first manager in my time to take Hibs to the top of the league. Still remember Willie's headline on his managers comments, that we were the table toppers.

We are losing far too many good Hibbies at the moment .

RIP Willie and Thanks for the memories

**NaeTechnoHibby** · 12-03-2010 01:14 AM

R.I.P.

We are losing too many great Hibbies this year

**Lucius Apuleius** · 12-03-2010 08:16 AM

Not been a good couple of weeks has it?

RIP Willie and also thanks for the memories.

**archiebald** · 12-03-2010 08:23 AM

J Grahams 2 goals were against Morton on his debut.

**heretoday** · 12-03-2010 09:05 AM

Hibs were an exciting team to watch when he was manager. He carried on from Stein and Shankly. You always felt they were in with a shout. Great days.

**marinello59** · 12-03-2010 03:06 PM

Requested post via email

From myself and the rest of my family thanks for all the nice messages. He will be sorely missed and was very much loved. The funeral will take place at Lorimer Chapel, Warriston at 1pm Wednesday. Then to Easter Road. All friends and family welcome.

Nicole

***Jonnyboy*** · 12-03-2010 03:13 PM

Can I add my message of sadness at hearing this news

Willie was part time manager with Stirling Albion IIRC and said upon getting the Hibs job that he would not have given up his full time job as a plant hire manager for anyone else but Hibs.

As a player Willie was wholehearted in his approach to the game and when he left Hibs he joined Raith Rovers whom he helped win 5-2 in his first appearance .......... against Hibs!

God Bless you Willie
RIP

**hibbybrian** · 12-03-2010 03:21 PM

As a 14 year old nipper I had a school project on football hooliganism and my cousin who played for Hibs reserves (Brian Stoddart) arranged for me to interview Willie in the manager's office at ER

I'm sure Willie had more pressing issues but we spent over half an hour chatting - needless to say I got top marks for the project - but even better was having lunch with the players in the canteen

RIP Willie - you were a right good 'un

http://www.hibsprogrammes.co.uk/williemacfarlane.html

***Alfred E Newman*** · 12-03-2010 05:14 PM

Remember well Packys first game at Tynie. 2 late goals for a 2-0 win. Great times and a another good Hibs team that underachieved. Remember the signing of Erich Shaedler which was a great thing for us Peebles boys who knew him well. Though when Erich came on as a sub in his first game which I think was a friendly against Gornik of Poland, his first contribution was to go right through our star man Peter Cormack which resulted in Corky being carried off on a stretcher