Jim McCalliog always one for the big occasion
Southampton’s visit to Molineux is quite the game this coming Saturday, with Wolves striving for the three points which they hope can kickstart their season.
And if either team could roll the clock back, then having Jim McCalliog in the centre of midfield would provide a hugely positive option.
Because McCalliog, who represented both clubs with much distinction, was always a man for the big occasion.
Even the title of his popular autobiography – Wembley Wins, Wembley Woes – is a nod to the sort of footballing showpieces the proud Scotsman graced during his memorable career.
Even when losing an FA Cup Final, he was on the scoresheet. When winning an FA Cup Final, with Southampton, he provided the assist for the game’s defining moment.
At Wolves, he scored in a UEFA Cup Final quarter final at Juventus, and in the final against Tottenham, when he was captaining the team.
On a similar theme, more often than not, he scored when playing against his former clubs.
Pretty much all of them steeped in footballing history when you add Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester United to the illustrious list.
So yes, the greater the occasion, the greater McCalliog’s impact.
And that was a handy trait also noticed by his great footballing hero, Denis Law.
“Denis has always been my hero, and I remember ringing him up to see if he would do the foreword for my book,” McCalliog explains.
“When he said yes, I just burst into tears, and he said, ‘are you o-k Jim?’ I was just so thrilled.
“For so many young players in Scotland, Denis was a hero, because he was everything you wanted in a footballer from the skills, being a good header of the ball and having that feisty edge – he was a class act.
“For me, when you look through my career, I always did well on debuts, and that’s something that Denis also mentioned in interviews, when he talked about me being the most exciting arrival on the scene.
“He said the thing he loved about me was that I always produced a big performance for the big games on the big days.
“And when it comes to scoring against my former clubs, I used to get some proper stick!
“But my reasons for that were always that it was only fair to the clubs I played for to celebrate my goals.
“You watch players now who say they won’t celebrate and that’s up to them and is fair enough – but for me it’s a load of rubbish!
“When a club is paying your wages, you owe it to the club, the supporters and definitely team-mates to do your best and enjoy it if you score and that will always bemy thoughts.” Honest, direct and straight-talking. That’s McCalliog.
There are very few grey areas and that’s exactly how he likes it.
It was a similar focus and single-mindedness which laid the foundations for such a successful life in football, and indeed a second career since in the hospitality sector, running an award-winning bed and breakfast with wife Debbie in the quiet conservation village of Fenwick in Ayrshire.
The ambition was evident from the very start.
