McCole: John

1959-1961 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Glasgow: 18-09-1936

Debut: v West Bromwich Albion (a): 19-09-1959

5’10 1/2” 11st 9lb (1960)

#92 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

It is said that he was born in Gweedore, Co Donegal, in Northern Ireland and grew up in Glasgow, but McCole started with Vale of Leven before moving to Falkirk. There he set his goalscoring standards, netting thirty-eight times in seventy-three games. He was a quality striker, who was a prolific goalscorer wherever he went. Bradford City signed him in September 1958. He made his debut against Southampton at Valley Parade on 20th September 1958 and he scored with a header. He scored thirty-two goals in his first season, which prompted Leeds to buy him for £10,000 in September 1959. In his first spell at Valley Parade he scored an impressive thirty-two goals in just forty-two League games, McCole still is the only Leeds player to score four goals in a League Cup-tie, achieving the feat against Brentford in September 1961. He maintained an excellent scoring record at Leeds, topping the club’s goalscoring in both of his seasons with the club, passing the twenty goal mark in both campaigns and finishing at least ten goals ahead of his closest rivals each year. However, his twenty-two League goals in just thirty-three games in 1959-60 were not enough to save the club from relegation to Division Two. Despite his excellent record, McCole was allowed to go back to Bradford City in October 1961 for £8,000, after spending the summer in USA with New York Rangers, a side formed by British players in NASL for a Phil Woosnam promotion. He is accepted as Bradford City greatest centre forward and a footballer/ball artist/ball player, who could involve others in the game up front. He was also a renowned "goalkeeper", who in a 1959 cup-tie at Brighton & Hove Albion went in goal after only ten minutes and played out the game keeping a clean sheet as City won 2-0 with Geoff Smith, the injured goalkeeper, playing on the right wing as the usual 'virtual passenger'. In his second spell with the Bantams he scored fifteen goals in forty-six games. In December 1962 he took his talents to Rotherham United, where a broken leg in 1963, ruled him out for a year. The game was against Derby County at the Baseball Ground and in the thirty-second minute, Derby right half Ray Young carelessly clipped a back-pass far too many feet wide of Reg Matthews, the Derby keeper, and McCole was able to take the ball away from the 'keeper and walk it in. Two minutes later came McCole's injury. The centre-forward and Derby’s Les Moore both raced for a through ball, and Reg Matthews dashed out, but just as the goalkeeper was about to grab the ball, Moore swept it out, McCole, unable to stop, shot over the 'keeper's shoulder and crashed to the ground, fracturing his right leg. He scored five goals in fourteen League appearances at Millmoor. It was a pity that this centre forward's time at Rotherham United was spoiled by injury because there was no doubt that he was an accomplished player. He hit both goals in his second game as the Millers were 2-0 home winners against Luton Town but it was his skilful play which helped to lay on many goals for others around him, particularly Albert Bennett. Had he remained fit, he would no doubt have added many more goals. He then had a spell with Shelbourne in the League of Ireland from June 1963 before joining Newport County in October 1964, playing six games and scoring twice for his final Football League team in the 1964-65 season. He returned to the League of Ireland with Cork Hibernians in February 1965, and then Dundalk with Derek Stokes, another former Bradford City hero of the time. He died in Gweedore, Co Donegal in 1982 aged forty-six from cancer.