Super Joe Tortolano

[Speedway]

This is some read:

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/latest-hibs-news/interview-hibs-cult-hero-joe-tortolano-on-why-he-considered-ending-it-all-1-4916208

[NAE NOOKIE]

A good read that, he certainly seems pretty self effacing when it comes to admitting his limitations as a footballer. He had the last laugh mind you, because there are plenty of players who have come and gone at Hibs before and since his time who are long forgotten.

A shame to hear he was at such a low ebb and nice to see he appears to be happy again … all the best to him

[Pretty Boy]

I vaguely remember him scoring an absolute screamer away from home. It may have been at Brockville and I'm sure it was late on. Hopefully someone with a better memory than me can recall with a bit more accuracy and detail.

Good to read he seems to be in a good place now after what reads like a horrible time for him.

[Robinho08]

Enjoyed the read, I was a bit too young to remember him. But I remember my uncle always giving Brian Hamilton abuse. 😂

[pollution]

I was one of the moaners in the old main stand, top right. Not at Joe, but at Brian Hamilton. Brilliant for a few minutes. Leave it at that.

[BILLYHIBS]

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I vaguely remember him scoring an absolute screamer away from home. It may have been at Brockville and I'm sure it was late on. Hopefully someone with a better memory than me can recall with a bit more accuracy and detail.

Good to read he seems to be in a good place now after what reads like a horrible time for him.

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/footb...-all-1-4916208

Scored twice in 1992 at Brockville in a 2–1 loss and a 3-1 win

In the 2-1 loss he came on as a sub and scored

One of my all time favourite players though much maligned

Came up from West Brom had a look around Tynecastle and then HIBS

Super Joe just got us!

[tamig]

I was at his debut in a midweek game at Kilbowie. He looked good but was a bit too inconsistent when he was played as a winger. Seemed to settle a bit better at left back and although not great defensively he could put in a beautiful cross. Keith Wright must have had plenty of assists from Joe’s left foot.

[Speedway]

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Enjoyed the read, I was a bit too young to remember him. But I remember my uncle always giving Brian Hamilton abuse. 😂

And with good reason.

[CockneyRebel]

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A good read that, he certainly seems pretty self effacing when it comes to admitting his limitations as a footballer. He had the last laugh mind you, because there are plenty of players who have come and gone at Hibs before and since his time who are long forgotten.

A shame to hear he was at such a low ebb and nice to see he appears to be happy again … all the best to him

Remember when he first came to Hibs as a pretty handy left winger, decent pace, could beat a man and also put in a fair cross. Gradually lost form and confidence on the wing and got converted to left back where he stayed for a good while. Never recaptured his first season's form and took mucho stick.

[Speedway]

A glimpse of his pace still present towards the end of his time at the club here:

https://youtu.be/Q8T_XVGxj5c

[DaveF]

Sure he scored twice in a very rare 2-0 win at Pittodrie way back when the away fans were in the beach end. Midweek game but no idea what year that would have been.

[Since452]

Before my time but my old man couldn't stand him. Said he was the worst player he'd ever seen play for Hibs!

[660]

Tortolano was an ever present in the first hibs team I watched and have an affection for him. Never realised he was that bad at the time but I was about 7 to be fair.

[Hibby70]

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I vaguely remember him scoring an absolute screamer away from home. It may have been at Brockville and I'm sure it was late on. Hopefully someone with a better memory than me can recall with a bit more accuracy and detail.

Good to read he seems to be in a good place now after what reads like a horrible time for him.

Was at not at Stenhousemuir, the game that got beamed back to the icerink?

[bringbackbenny]

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Before my time but my old man couldn't stand him. Said he was the worst player he'd ever seen play for Hibs!

Joe T got it tight off many fans but, especially compared to some of the charlatans since, he was overall harshly treated. Always gave 100%, had a sweet left foot and a fabulous crosser of the ball. Lots of good memories!

[H18S NX]

Was it not at Stirling Albion? either that or stenhousmuir in the cup?

[jgl07]

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Was at not at Stenhousemuir, the game that got beamed back to the icerink?

Joe certainly scored a great free kick against Stenhousemuir.

[barcahibs]

Might be a totally manufactured memory (I do that) but didn't he get sent off after about five minutes in a testimonial match against Man Utd - Alan Sneddon's testimonial? - after kicking Gordon Strachan about six feet into the air, right over the advertising hoardings...

[CockneyRebel]

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Might be a totally manufactured memory (I do that) but didn't he get sent off after about five minutes in a testimonial match against Man Utd - Alan Sneddon's testimonial? - after kicking Gordon Strachan about six feet into the air, right over the advertising hoardings...

Was it not big Gordon Rae's testimonial?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

First of the scapegoats (that I witnessed first hand - Miller era kid myself)

His team mates were sick of the abuse (as it was abuse and I have no time for anyone that condones abuse of Hibs players) I clearly recall. Callum Milne clatter the ball out and towards Hibs fans registering his disgust at EEP. How folks can regularly turn with such vitriol on a Hibs player is beyond me.
Can only assume the aim is to hound out the player as it’s been proven all too often it doesn’t make players perform better.
Imagine a team’s manager asking the support to lay off a player as he (Colin Nish) was a confidence player. Fell on deaf ears. Jesus wept.

[hibeerealist]

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Was it not big Gordon Rae's testimonial?

Yes it was

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Might be a totally manufactured memory (I do that) but didn't he get sent off after about five minutes in a testimonial match against Man Utd - Alan Sneddon's testimonial? - after kicking Gordon Strachan about six feet into the air, right over the advertising hoardings...

It was Gordon Rae's testimonial. I remember the disbelief that night as he scythed into Strachan from behind and absulutely chopped him ... to say folk were angry is an understatment, in testimonial matches the ref will normally let stuff go or even tell the bench to sub the offender to save having to reduce one team to 10 men, but in all honesty the tackle was so bad the ref didnt have any choice

[Cardinal Hibernian]

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Sure he scored twice in a very rare 2-0 win at Pittodrie way back when the away fans were in the beach end. Midweek game but no idea what year that would have been.

Absolutely correct - it was a midweek fixture at Pittodrie. I reckon that game was late April / early May 1988 and would have ben Jim Leighton's last home game for the sheep during his first spell with them before he moved south to Manchester United.

Also remember super Joe Tortolano going on a mazy run and scoring a peach of curling shot against Clydebank in March 1986 at the goals in front of that club house that they used to close the blinds that was part of New Kilbowie Park - at least it was a 4 sided ground!!!

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[SingaporeHibs]

His gag about his toilet bag being bigger than his suitcase made me laugh. Hibs trained at Wardie at times in those days and as a kid at the time we trained straight after them. The mini bus would be waiting on Joe, last man out the changing room, doing his hair in front of the only small mirror in the place, even though it was cracked and only about half of it still on the wall. Happy days.
He certainly had a sweet left foot but I don’t think he was ever a left back. Kinda hung out to dry in that position. Sounds like he was a confidence player (who isn’t really) and that position certainly wasn’t what he needed to get the best of him. I still remember the groans that came with some of his touches. Sounds like a great guy, no wonder his teammates loved him and likely fully deserved all the years at the club. As for that testimonial tackle, wahahahaha, a thing of legend. Who ever gets sent off in a testimonial?!?!?!?! So many players have come and gone since and a lot of them I’ll have forgotten as time has rolled on. I’ll never forget Joe and maybe that says a lot more about him than his self effacing article portrays. Great read. Loved this article. GGTTH

[DetroitHibs]

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Joe certainly scored a great free kick against Stenhousemuir.

Was at that game. He ran towards the stand and planted himself on the touchline, hands in the air.

[EVENTUALLY]

I always felt so sorry for Joe as he was a nervous wreck most weeks.

Reading that article confirms my opinion that Alex Miller was a poor man manager and generally did not get the best out of a lot of decent players at Easter Road during that era.

Joe was a brilliant crosser of the ball and delivered some very dangerous free kicks.

His celebrations whenever he scored or assisted a goal was a joy to see and was often a mixture of real happiness and a get it up you expression or gesture to sections of the crowd who constantly gave him a hard time.

My favorite memory was his appearance at Pittodrie near the end of season ? as a late Hibs sub who had played really well that night. Hibs were 1 up, I think Kano scored the first goal when Joe appeared. He played up front right through the middle and took possession of the ball on the halfway line and went solo towards the Dons goals corkscrewing Willie Miller into the turf as he turned him inside out before slamming the ball past Jim Leighton low into the corner. A few hundred Hibees in the Beach End went mental as Joe lapped up the acclaim. Fantastic goal and something that we may have seen much more of if the guy had been encouraged, supported and played in a more natural position.
Joe was a great servant to the Hibs and is deserving of much more appreciation than he ever got while he was playing.

[BroxburnHibee]

I remember an away game at Tannadice when as I walked in the teams were being read out and a lot of fans booed when Joe's name was read out.

Despicable imo

[BILLYHIBS]

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I always felt so sorry for Joe as he was a nervous wreck most weeks.

Reading that article confirms my opinion that Alex Miller was a poor man manager and generally did not get the best out of a lot of decent players at Easter Road during that era.

Joe was a brilliant crosser of the ball and delivered some very dangerous free kicks.

His celebrations whenever he scored or assisted a goal was a joy to see and was often a mixture of real happiness and a get it up you expression or gesture to sections of the crowd who constantly gave him a hard time.

My favorite memory was his appearance at Pittodrie near the end of season ? as a late Hibs sub who had played really well that night. Hibs were 1 up, I think Kano scored the first goal when Joe appeared. He played up front right through the middle and took possession of the ball on the halfway line and went solo towards the Dons goals corkscrewing Willie Miller into the turf as he turned him inside out before slamming the ball past Jim Leighton low into the corner. A few hundred Hibees in the Beach End went mental as Joe lapped up the acclaim. Fantastic goal and something that we may have seen much more of if the guy had been encouraged, supported and played in a more natural position.
Joe was a great servant to the Hibs and is deserving of much more appreciation than he ever got while he was playing.

Another good player that never got on with Alex Miller was Dougie Bell

He is to bring a book out and will state that Lexo virtually forced him out of Easter Road

Dougie was brilliant to watch he used to take the ball for a walk and had brilliant control it was as if the ball was tied to his foot

It looked good and relieved the pressure from a much relieved defence

[Gloucester Hibs]

Can recall him scoring against Hearts at Tynecastle and he was loving it! Went on to lose 3-1 I think though. Always thought he put in a very decent cross.

Total scapegoat of course, some of the treatment he got was disgraceful. Way worse than anything our players have been subjected to recently. Remember sometimes there’d be a loud cheer go up when his number come up to be substituted, brutal.

[TheCabbage]

My favorite memory was his appearance at Pittodrie near the end of season ? as a late Hibs sub who had played really well that night. Hibs were 1 up, I think Kano scored the first goal when Joe appeared. He played up front right through the middle and took possession of the ball on the halfway line and went solo towards the Dons goals corkscrewing Willie Miller into the turf as he turned him inside out before slamming the ball past Jim Leighton low into the corner. A few hundred Hibees in the Beach End went mental as Joe lapped up the acclaim. Hi Fantastic goal and something that we may have seen much more of if the guy had been encouraged, supported and played in a more natural position.
Joe was a great servant to the Hibs and is deserving of much more appreciation than he ever got while he was playing.[/QUOTE]

Remember the match well. Pretty sure I sat my English O grade exam that morning, rushed to finish it and leave the exam hall to sprint to the hubs club to get the bus up.