John McCormick (footballer, born 1936)

John McCormick (18 July 1936 – 2 July 2017)[2] was a Scottish professional footballer. Playing as a centre back he made a total of 334 appearances in the Football League and Scottish League, for Third Lanark, Aberdeen and Crystal Palace before moving into non-league football with Wealdstone.

John McCormick
Personal information
Full name John McCormick
Date of birth (1936-07-18)18 July 1936
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Date of death 2 July 2017(2017-07-02) (aged 80)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
St Roch's
Third Lanark
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1964 Third Lanark 112 (0)
1964–1965 Aberdeen 28 (0)
1965–1973 Crystal Palace 194 (6)
1973–19?? Wealdstone ? (?)
National team
1962[1] SFL trial v SFA 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Third Lanark

He began his senior career at Third Lanark, in 1959 to 1965 and helped his hometown club to a third-placed finish in the Scottish First Division in 1961. In the close season of 1964[3] he moved to Aberdeen after 190 appearances for Lanark, but without scoring.

Aberdeen

McCormick spent two seasons at Aberdeen making 28 appearances without scoring, before moving to England with teammate Tom White to play for Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace

Palace manager Bert Head paid just £1,500 for McCormick's services, on 30 May 1966.[2] White had been Head's main target but it was McCormick, after initially understudying Alan Stephenson,[3] who helped the club to its promotion to the First Division for the first time in 1968–69. In that season, McCormick was ever present making 42 appearances and scoring 3 times.[3] In the top flight he formed a solid defensive partnership with fellow centre-half Mel Blyth and won Palace's first ever "Player of the Year" award at the end of the 1971-72 season. He was awarded a testimonial during the next season.[3]

Wealdstone

During the early part of the 1972–73 season McCormick lost his place, which was taken by Bobby Bell,[4] and was subsequently allowed to leave on a free transfer. He joined Wealdstone, then managed by former Palace colleague Eddie Presland, and helped the club to win the Southern League division one south in 1973–74.[3]

McCormick owned a hotel near Glasgow for 25 years. He lived in East Kilbride.

He died on 2 July 2017 at the age of 80.[5]

References
  1. Ronnie McDevitt (2016). Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781785312458.
  2. Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. Breedon Books. p. 332. ISBN 0907969542.
  3. Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. Breedon Books. p. 81. ISBN 0907969542.
  4. Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. Breedon Books. p. 239. ISBN 0907969542.
  5. What a terrific centre-back he was' - Palace fans pay tribute to star of 1969 team John McCormick after passing away
  • John McCormick at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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