I would not be a footballer without him

MALKY MACKAY admits he would never have made it as a top-tier footballer without the leadership of Frank Connor.

Former Celtic coach and manager Connor, who died this month, has made a lasting impression on the now Ross County boss.

Mackay became a Celtic defender after being knocked out of Queen’s Park.

And he thinks it’s fitting that he should return to her old ways today, just four days after seeing 86-year-old Connor.

Although he spent a short part of his playing career at Celtic, Connor was their reserve coach in the late 1970s.

He then returned as assistant manager under Davie Hay from 1983-86 before stepping down as chief of staff in 1993 following the departure of Liam Brady.

Despite a strong emphasis on County’s hopes of an uproar in the east end of Glasgow, Mackay admitted Connor, below, will be very much in his mind.

He said: “It is fitting that we play Celtic.

“I was at the funeral and there were an awful lot of people in Motherwell Cathedral, a big football party there.

“Frank was one of my mentors. He was my coach at the Celtic Reserve for a while and I would not be a footballer without him.

“He was a man of football. The standards and disciplines that Frank set for his entire career are still present today in many of the games that were passed back then.

“He was a fantastic footballer all his life and he was also a real family man.

“His nine children were there, his ten grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The cathedral was packed.

“He was a very loyal servant of many clubs, one of them Celtic.

“I was there with a lot of people who are into football, and my condolences go out to Meg and the whole family. It’s a sad loss.”

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