On this fine festive day, a saviour was born. A shining star led the way to the north and gifts were bestowed upon him as he was welcomed into the world. Whether or not there were actually any cattle in attendance is still unconfirmed, but it was a moment that made people rejoice all over the globe.
That’s right, on Christmas Day 1964, Gary McAllister was born in Motherwell. Sorry if you thought we were on about Jesus Christ, but at least we know with absolute certainty that the famous Scot actually exists and to our knowledge, hasn’t been the root of several wars throughout history.
Perhaps the closest he got to that was the Euro 96 game between England and Scotland at Wembley, but on his birthday we thought it only right to celebrate the balding genius who made longevity sexy.
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Twenty-five years ago, by the time footballers reached the age of 30 they were on the decline. In fact, it is only recently, with the continuation at the top level of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, that it has become the norm to continue way into your thirties.
Ronaldinho stopped playing in Europe at 31 while Zinedine Zidane hung up his boots at 34 after the 2006 World Cup final. Yet before them, McAllister did it all and got better with age. As a youngster he found his way at Motherwell, before Leicester City convinced him to move to England in a new playmaking midfielder role.
Having done well in the Second Division, First Division clubs were queuing up to sign him, including Brian Clough’s two-time European champions Nottingham Forest. However, McAllister was reportedly left unimpressed after an interview with Clough ahead of a £1.15 million move, and the transfer never materialised.
Instead Leeds United, Clough’s fierce rivals, swooped in to pick up the Scotsman as a replacement for Vinnie Jones. Joining at the age of 26, McAllister spent six successful seasons at Elland Road to the delight of the Leeds fans. In his first two seasons at the club, the Scot helped the newly-promoted Whites finish fourth and then went on to remarkably win the Division One title in 1991-92.
“Ah, bollocks. I'm giving this a bit of the old Van Basten…”
He became the club captain and added his name to the famous history of the West Yorkshire giants, but by 1996 his time had come to an end. At 31, many expected his move to Coventry City to signal the start of the end of his career, but instead he just kept on performing. As captain, he helped the Sky Blues to the 'Great Escape' in 1996-97 under former Leeds teammate Gordon Strachan before keeping Coventry in the Premier League for a further three seasons. His passing was outrageously good, but it was his leadership and composure that made him stand out in those early years of the Premier League.
After he left in 2000 for Liverpool, Coventry were subsequently relegated after 34 consecutive years in the top flight. That wasn’t a coincidence, given his influence, but what was a surprise was how he helped improve the Reds. At the age of 36 he was written off by many, but in his first year on Merseyside he was crucial as Liverpool won three cups in one season.
He scored a penalty winner against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, scored again in the final against Alaves and netted perhaps his most famous goal in a never-to-be-forgetten Premier League game as Liverpool secured Champions League football. In the dying moments of the Merseyside Derby, he whipped in a free-kick from 40-plus yards to secure an epic 3-2 win. It was an unforgettable season for a man in his mid-30s, and the late Gerard Houllier described him as his “most inspirational signing”.
His time at Liverpool would end at the conclusion of the following season, at the age of 38, and he returned to Coventry, now in the second tier, as player/manager. He lasted two years as the club struggled to come to terms with relegation, but it did provide him with excellent experience to take into his coaching roles.
He’s worked closely with Steven Gerrard at Rangers and Aston Villa in recent years, but it is worth remembering him as the player who defied Father Time and just kept getting better. Here’s to you Gary McAllister, the balding genius loved absolutely everywhere.
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