Walker McCall

By Sean Graham Aberdeen FC Former Players Association

Big Walker McCall has played all over the world, starting at Hurlford United in Ayrshire, his career saw him turn out for Ayr United, St. Johnstone, Dundee, San Diego Sockers and Atlanta Chiefs in the United States and for South China in Hong Kong. But it was in his two spells with the Dons, that Walker found his true happiness and a few special memories along the way. He played for Aberdeen from 1973 to 1977 and then again in 1980 to 1983 during some of the glory days. He made 60 appearances and scored an impressive 23 goals. Walker is still a Red through and through and I was lucky enough to catch up with the big man this week as the club look forward to the massive clash with Celtic.

Matches against Celtic are quite special and you are fortunate enough to have some happy memories from this fixture?

The season that I actually made my debut and broke into the first team at Aberdeen, I played against some of the Lisbon Lions. We played at Parkhead and drew 0-0 and guys like wee Jinky, big Billy McNeill, Bobby Lennox, Bobby Murdoch, Ronnie Simpson, Jim Craig, Tommy Gemmell, all these guys were playing in the match. I remember we got a penalty and I was desperate to hit it but Ian Purdie took it and hit the post! I was desperate to take the penalty but because I had just broken into the team, I thought I had better not in case anyone thought I was arrogant.

But a few years later, I did manage to score at Celtic Park against Celtic, I got two goals that day, the 8th November 1980. One of my pals had travelled up from Kilmarnock to watch me play in that game but he was a Celtic supporter and when I scored the first goal, he jumped up and all the Celtic supporters that were round out him said, “Why are you jumping up son, that’s Aberdeen who have just scored” and he said, “Aye but that is my big pal!” When I scored the second one they said, “Pal or no pal, you’re no jumping now!”

I remember that it was a big game for both clubs and the build up leading to the game was intense. On the Friday we suffered a blow when Stuart Kennedy was injured and we had already lost Willie Miller with suspension. So we included a young Neale Cooper to partner Alex Mcleish and Andy Dornan was in at right back for Stuart. But we never ever showed fear because the Boss always told us to be proud to play for this club.

My first goal, I just managed to get in front of Tom McAdam and flicked the ball goalwards and I think it took a slight deflection, but I will claim it. The second was a very good goal, we worked the ball down the left between Scanlon and McGhee and Mark did brilliant in the corner with his quick feet between a couple of their defenders, then sent over the cross which I managed to meet perfectly to power a header past Bonner.
However to complete my day I was carried off! The incident when I was carried off, came when I slid in to block a George McCluskey shot after a corner and twisted my knee.

Up to that point it had been a good week for me. I had scored a hat-trick the week before against Airdrie. In between those games was the two ties against Liverpool in the European Cup. Unfortunately as I had signed later on when I came back from America, I couldn’t be registered to play in the European ties unless Aberdeen progressed to the later stages of the competition.

The headlines after that match were all about Gordon Strachan being attacked by a fan, do you recall what happened?

Yes, I remember a guy running onto the park with a bottle in his hand coming from the jungle area and making a bee line for Gordon. As we headed over Dougie Bell and Dougie Rougvie was already there and had a hold of the culprit, so there was no need to go any further as the two of them can look after themselves so we knew Gordon was OK. Would you tackle Rougvie and Bell?!

Tell us about the 4-1 win over Celtic, when you also scored?

I also scored against Celtic in the 4-1 win at Pittodrie in December 1980.  I scored with a header and I think that put us 11 points ahead of them in the league and most folk thought we would win the league that season, but we ended up losing it.

The day of the 4-1 game, Fergie had people in from all round about the stadium to try to help to try and get snow shovelled off the park and get sand on it, he was desperate to play the game because he mentioned that if we won that match, we would go 11 points clear at the New Year.

I remember Bob Valentine being the referee and Fergie knew where all the dodgy bits were on the park, so when he came to do the inspection to see if the game was going ahead, Fergie escorted him around the stadium!
Celtic had arrived by then and they started doing their warm up and I always remember Danny McGrain having aluminium studs on, they were no use, he had rubber studs on they were no use, he tried trainers, they were no use! Danny was sliding about and saying: “This game should not be getting played”. Meanwhile, Fergie was walking about with Bob Valentine taking him to certain parts of the pitch, saying that was alright, the fork was going in and the ball was bouncing and saying the pitch is playable!

Fergie came into the dressing room afterwards and said, “Celtic didn’t want this game on, they wanted it called off but it is going ahead, so right from the off get right in amongst them and the players who can influence them – Charlie Nicholas, Roy Aitken and Tommy Burns”.

Celtic took the kick-off and the ball was rolled back from McGarvey to Nicholas to Roy Aitken and Dougie Bell clattered him. Then after Celtic took the free-kick, the ball was rolled out to Tommy Burns and someone made their presence felt on Tommy and Celtic knew they were going to be in for a game of it as we set our stall out and we controlled the match after that. Although we won the game 4-1, we had goals chalked off, we hit the woodwork a few times before Charlie Nicholas pulled a goal back for them, it was 4-1 going on seven or eight.

Matches against the Old Firm, always seemed to be extra special, what was it like to play against them?

The atmosphere was electric and it was very good to test yourself against the better opposition. We seemed to do OK against them in the ‘80s!

You started out at Hurlford United before going on and playing for Aberdeen, Ayr, St.Johnstone and Dundee, then trying your football abroad. You often hear stories about football in Ayrshire being tough, was this the case?

It sure was when I started to play Junior football, but we had players who looked after the youngsters.

Who gave you your first break in football at Aberdeen?

Bobby Calder was the chief scout and Jimmy Bonthorne the manager at Aberdeen at the time. I was playing with Hurlford United and seemingly there were a few scouts there, as we had a good team with a lot of good players. I was invited for trials with Kilmarnock, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest. But Bobby Calder said that he wanted to sign me for Aberdeen, no need for any trials, as he had me watched for a few weeks.

Did you find it a big step up?

Yes I did but enjoyed the challenges that went with becoming a full time professional. Also the players there at that time were good with the young players, Harper, Varga, Clark, Hermiston, Robb, Young, Taylor and Graham, they were all really helpful to the youngsters.

Did you take long to settle in at Aberdeen?

No, I was put into good digs with about six other youngsters, so that was good, we had friends straight away. And you always had Teddy Scott at the club who was always asking if everything was alright and making sure you got home most weekends when you were down playing in the Glasgow area.

When I first came in, I did not know what to expect, but they certainly looked after you and made you feel like you were at home. They also kept your feet on the ground and did not let you get ahead of yourself.

What about your managers at the time, totally different characters? Did they impress you?

It certainly was a bit of a mix over my time at Pittodrie! Jimmy Bonthorne was very quiet but got his points across and you always knew he was the boss. Ally MacLeod was not my favourite cup of tea, and I did not seem to get on with him, nor him with me.

Alex Ferguson was just great and along with Archie Knox they made the training very hard and physical but enjoyable at the same time. There were sessions in afternoons for younger players but the amount of senior players that would return to train in the afternoons was amazing.

You moved to Ayr United and became a cult figure there. Did you enjoy your time at Somerset Park?

I really enjoyed my time at Ayr. Although it was part time, I worked there as a handyman and assistant groundsman. My manager there, Alec Stuart, was very good to me. And if some days my work was completed, I would go and get a training kit and do some extra training and worked on my control, shooting and free kicks. My spell at Ayr came to an end once Ally returned as manager because as I said previously, we did not get along.

You had a brief spell at St.Johnstone. Why did you leave the Perth club?

Well, that was a strange one. While at Ayr, I had a spell in the States with San Diego on loan and did really well. So on my return to Ayr, the American club tried to buy me, but Ayr were asking silly money. In the meantime, Alec Stuart left Ayr and became manager at St Johnstone. He phoned me to say he was leaving but would be the new manager at Saints, but I told him that I was still wanting to go back to America.

So to cut a long story short, we met up along with the American coach. We agreed terms for me to leave Ayr to join St Johnstone at a more reasonable cost. This was on a Tuesday and by the Thursday of the same week, I was a San Diego player who was then on loan to St Johnstone! I only managed a few games as I broke my ankle in the second or third game, so by the time I was fit enough to play, the season was due to start in America so I was off to the States.

You took a total change in direction and moved to play for San Diego Sockers and the Atlanta Chiefs for a couple of years, why did you decide to move to the States?

When I was over there on loan while still at Ayr, I just really enjoyed the place, did really well and scored a lot of goals. So I always wanted to return.

What was the football like over there?

The football was really good, and there was always a winner, never any draws. So there was the excitement of the shoot-out if the game was tied. You selected five players who were then given five seconds to score from 30 yards out. So you could dribble the ball to as close to goal as required as long as you had your shot off before the five seconds. If the goalie touched the ball, that was it over.

The lifestyle in San Diego was brilliant, not so good in Atlanta, but the golf was better there than my football. And although I was not fortunate enough to play for my country, I played against some of the greatest players ever to play this game like Gordon Banks, Pele, Bobby Moore, George Best, Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Johan Cruyff. And we had some quality players in San Diego, Julie Vee, a Hungarian, and I was fortunate to play with Leonardo Cueller and Hugo Sanchez, both Mexican internationalists.

Alex Ferguson brought you back to Aberdeen, why did you decide to come back?

I was back home and training with Aberdeen as still had 18 months left on my contract in Atlanta, but I was not enjoying it there and my wife and family could not settle and were already home before our season finished. So the Boss asked me if I would be interested in signing for them as he was impressed what he had seen during my time there training.

They had not long sold Steve Archibald and any moves they were making for other players, they were getting asked silly prices and the Boss has a value and won’t go over that, still to this day.

He also explained that he would off me a two year deal as he had a lot of good young players coming through but not quite ready yet, like Black, Hewitt, Cowan, Falconer. So I agreed terms and signed on the dotted line.

Could you see then that he was something special?

Yes I could, but it was not just the Boss. We had Archie Knox there also doing the training and the players like Miller, McLeish, McGhee, Strachan, Weir, Leighton, Bell, Kennedy, McMaster, the list goes on and on. I remember we played a practice match one day at Seaton Park with First Team (the Boss) v Second Team (Archie) and if you were not an Aberdeen Supporter you would not be sure who was first team and who were the reserves.

First Team: Leighton, Kennedy, McLeish, Miller, McMaster, Strachan, Simpson, Watson, Weir, McGhee, Harrow.

Second Team: Gunn, Dornan, Mitchell, Cooper, Rougvie, Porteous, Bell, Angus, Black, McCall, Hewitt.

That Aberdeen team had a lot of talented individuals as well as a very special manager. Could you tell then that the club were on the verge of something special?

Very much so with the talent we had at the club. It was not just the 11 first team members on the Saturday, it was about 25 quality players to cover all positions and put pressure on for places.

The role that Archie Knox and the late Teddy Scott played in bringing players through was also a huge boost for the manager, as he would not be slow in giving youth a chance?

It was a great time at the club and we all worked as a unit. The Boss made sure everybody was important, from the chairman to the tea ladies, all of us were made to feel important to the cause.

And Teddy and Archie’s training was first class and enjoyable at the same time. The Boss never looked at age, if you were showing in training, you got your chance and it was then up to you to keep in the team.

Do you have a favourite game or moment from your time with the Dons?

My favourite game would be at Celtic Park and getting two goals in the 2-0 win. But my favourite moment was scoring six in a reserve game when Joey Harper made his return to Aberdeen but still never got the headlines! It was

“KING JOEY RETURNS”.

Did you have any regrets leaving the Dons second time around?

The only thing I ever regret from my time at Aberdeen was when I did move on, I went with Alex Miller who had just been appointed as a Head Coach out in Hong Kong. He had made an enquiry about me as he needed a striker and at that point I wasn’t getting a game but I was with the squad that played Bayern Munich in the first leg in the Cup Winners’ Cup. I left on the Sunday to go to Hong Kong when they played the second leg at Pittodrie.
Of course the rest is history but I do wonder, at that time if I was doing well and still knocking in the goals, you never know Fergie might have named me on the bench in Gothenburg and I could have got a European medal out of it. But at the end of the day, these things are all laid out for you, it is no use thinking about ifs and buts, I made the decision, I moved on and that was it.

For the Scottish Cup final against Rangers in May 1982, the final we beat them 4-1 after extra-time, I was in the squad for that. What happened then was, he had named his team by the Thursday and then by the Saturday, he went and named Dougie Bell as one of the subs but he didn’t know who the other sub would be.
Leading up to that, the reserve team were fighting for a domestic treble and I just had scored about ten goals in four games for the reserves. Out one of the players left there was Drew Jarvie, myself, Andy Watson and Eric Black and they all said, “You will be the other sub Walker, I don’t know why he hasn’t named it because you have done well leading up to the final”.

We were all getting changed in the dressing room at Hampden when the gaffer comes in and Archie Know was there too and he said,

“Remember you have only named one sub”. I was sitting at the far end along with Drew Jarvie about halfway, Andy Watson was sitting halfway along and sitting right at the door was Eric Black and the gaffer just turned to Eric and said, “You are the other sub”. I don’t know if Eric was the first player he saw but I don’t think Fergie was like that, I think he would have thought things out. The manager knew what he was doing and I was not going to argue but I thought I did have a chance of making the bench and that was disappointing. Back then, only the 11 players that played and the two subs got medals.

Nowadays everybody is up getting medals when a team have won a cup!

You finished your career in Scotland at Dundee, did you enjoy life at Dens?

Yes I did. I was still living in Aberdeen and there were four of us that would travel down on train, Stewart Mckimmie, Gary Leiper and Stuart Forsyth. We had some quality players there as well and if you look, you’ll see how many of them went onto better things, Cammy Fraser, John Brown, Iain Ferguson, Stewart McKimmie, Tosh McKinlay, Robert Connor, so they were good times.

Football has changed over the years, would you have preferred to be playing now or are you happy with the career you had as a player?

No regrets whatsoever. I was very happy to have played with some of our most capped internationalists and against some greats like Kenny Dalglish, Danny McGrain, John Greig, Jimmy Johnstone, Davie Cooper. And to be around to see The Lisbon Lions concur Europe with a squad that lived within a 20 mile radius, Rangers win the Cup Winners’ Cup and of course the mighty Dons beating Real Madrid to lift the Cup Winners’ Cup with players that I played and trained with.

And to be managed by the best manager this country has seen (in my opinion, although the Boss would say Big Jock). Also to have seen the world and get paid for doing something that I loved to do.

No regrets, I loved every minute.

What was life and football like in Hong Kong?

Hectic to say the least. You had to have five Chinese players on the park at all times. We just did not have good enough Chinese players and our goalie could be bought, as he had a gambling addiction.

It was an experience and that is that!

Some moves you make in your career are good and some not so good, but work out OK later. This was 1 step forward and 12 back with no return.

What are you up to these days Walker and did you enjoy life abroad?

I am married to my lovely wife Diane. I have two children (Walker and Angela) from my first marriage and two step children (Corinna and Richie). I also have two cracking grandsons Corey (two) and Noah (three months), who I love to bits and try to spoil as often as I can. I work with Weatherford UK Ltd as an Inventory and Asset Controller and have been with the company now for over 16 years. I still live in Aberdeen.
I loved being abroad and still do, but not the heat, it is just too much for me now.
So when we go abroad my wife is out in the sun and I am covered up with tops, trousers and hats, lying under a parasol!

We have sadly lost a few heroes already this year, who was you hero?

Seve was my hero my ultimate hero was George Best and I met him while playing in America. I met Seve at Carnoustie. It was just announced at that time, that he had the illness and when I went up to him I said, Mr Ballesteros can I have a picture taken with you, the words hardly came out of my mouth and he had his arm round me so I put my arm round him and my mate took the picture.

I felt like one of these shy kids that you used to see running asking for an autograph, that day I was like one of those kids after getting my picture taken with Seve.

That will always be special for me, if you think back, it was a year later that he passed away, I would never have got another chance, I am a great believer in fate and I things happen for a reason and I think that is what happened that day.

I watch all these programmes on TV about Sporting Heroes and no matter when it comes on, when it comes to the one about Seve, I always start crying because I think that day was really special for me, really special.
 It was the same when I met my football idol in George Best and got my photo taken with him in America, that was when I was first getting into Man Utd, I could never tell you the Man Utd team but I could always tell you Best, Law and Charlton!

Has it always been United for you?

Oh yes! I always remember when I was at school I used to go down and stay with my uncle during the school holidays, that is when they were eight to ten weeks and this particular day he said he would take me down to Old Trafford, it was during the close season and when Ian Ure was there and Ian had taken in and showed me round Old Trafford, that is when it was the old Old Trafford with the white tiles and the team used to come out at the half-way line as well .
 
Then when I was a few years older my aunt said, one of the neighbours is coming to take you to Old Trafford, I thought oh yes, I was really excited, had my breakfast, got washed and ready…it was Old Trafford cricket ground, I have never been so bored in my whole life.

What do you miss about not playing?

The thing I loved most of all when I played football, was the banter in the dressing room and I think that most players would say the same thing if you asked them and when you stop playing, you miss the banter and all the wind ups from the dressing room and that what I love about the golf days , meeting up with all the former players like wee Joe and Ian Fleming , Henning Boel, Martin Buchan and guys like that, don't get me wrong, I love my golf but it is great to meet up with these guys.

So you really look forward to the Former Players Golf Day?

The day is fantastic and all these guys who have played for Aberdeen sharing their stories and guys like Martin (Buchan) telling you about things that happened at Old Trafford as well as Pittodrie and some of the older players sharing their stories too, it is just a great day.

It's full of ex-Dons from legends like wee Joe Harper, Willie Miller, John Hewitt and guys like these, down to guys that perhaps only played a handful of games or who never made the first team but no one thinks any less of them, we are all there as former Aberdeen players, for a good day out and for the banter and to enjoy ourselves.
But what is also important is the companies who buy into it and have a team with an ex-player in it and they put money into the day and the club, so a lot of the money that's made on the day goes into the Former Players Association fund as well.

Aberdeen have had a bit of success in recent years after winning the League Cup, that will make them hungry for more surely?

That day down at Celtic Park when I met you before the game, it wasn’t the best of games but we won the cup after a penalty shoot-out but the atmosphere that day with the Aberdeen fans doing all those displays, it put hairs on the back of your neck when you see that even now watching it back and seeing some of the things on You-Tube and seeing all the supporters singing the Northern Lights and all the songs, it was just amazing, where did they all come from? 40,000 Aberdonians inside Celtic Park that day, where did they all come from?

At the end of the day Walker, you are just a fan who loves meeting your heroes?

To play against all these people in America and get photos with guys who were your idols was just amazing.
I am just a fan who loves getting photos as a memento but looking back at all the pictures that I have had taken with all these great stars from the world of sport, the one person I don't have a photo with is one with just me and Sir Alex Ferguson.

I think there is a picture with Fergie in the dug-out shouting instructions onto the pitch and I am in the background warming up on the track that is the only picture I have with Alex Ferguson, apart from team pictures we are in.

What is the one thing you didn’t manage to do?

The thing that I didn't manage to achieve that I would like to have achieved was getting a cap for my country which I would have loved to have done.

You see some of these guys, you know the ones I mean, the ones that say they are injured when they are not because they don't want to go to Estonia but if it was playing England at Wembley, then that is a different story.
If I was ever given a chance to play for my country, I would never phone and say I wasn't available, I would always make the effort to get there, the only way I wouldn't go is if I had a broken leg or serious injury but I would have certainly made the effort to put that jersey over my neck.

I have been amazed at the amount of quality players who don't have the amount of caps they should have over the years while others who are perhaps ordinary players by comparison, seemed to have amassed a decent number caps over the years, it just annoys me at times.

To read other interviews with members of the Aberdeen FC Former Players Assocation, buy a copy of RedMatchday at each home game.