The Hearts and Tottenham Hotspur legend Dave Mackay was honoured in a fitting tribute at Tynecastle Park on Wednesday evening prior to a pre-season friendly between the clubs. The match was arranged to mark Hearts’ 150th anniversary as Spurs had travelled to Edinburgh back in 1974 to celebrate the local side being 100 years old.
Ange Postecoglou’s side ran out comfortable 5-1 winners in the end, but Mackay was the name on everyone’s lips before kick-off. The former left-half sadly passed away in 2015 at the age of 80, however he is remembered fondly in both North London and Gorgie.
He spent six years with Hearts and nine at Spurs, winning a glittering array of silverware with both clubs. He also represented Derby County and Swindon Town and won 22 Scotland caps.
Hearts laid a commemorative circular depicting Mackay inside the centre circle and welcomed a host of former players onto the pitch in his honour. Gary Locke, John Robertson, Gary Mackay represented the 1980s and 1990s era, and they were joined by a selection of players from the 1974 squad: Donald Ford, Donald Park, Jim Jefferies, Jim Brown, John Stevenson, Willie Gibson and Alfie Conn Jnr.
Our video above shows how events unfolded and how Mackay was warmly received by a terrific crowd of 15,646. More than 2,000 Tottenham fans were in attendance.
