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Happy birthday Donnie!


Duncan Tom
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A huge favourite, a legend!

Held his place after the relegation in 1970, and featured in most of the matches as we rampaged through the old 1st division to win back our place in the top league at the first attempt.

His only 1st team appearance the following season was in the 5-0 win vs. Raith Rovers in the League Cup.

Was that season-long absence due to injury, or semi-retirement as he moved into the physio side? He featured in a handful of league matches in 72-73 (and is in the squad pic as a player). But from the 73-74 pic on he features as physio (and had that role for the Scotland team, I recall).

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1 hour ago, Jaggernaut said:

A huge favourite, a legend!

Held his place after the relegation in 1970, and featured in most of the matches as we rampaged through the old 1st division to win back our place in the top league at the first attempt.

His only 1st team appearance the following season was in the 5-0 win vs. Raith Rovers in the League Cup.

Was that season-long absence due to injury, or semi-retirement as he moved into the physio side? He featured in a handful of league matches in 72-73 (and is in the squad pic as a player). But from the 73-74 pic on he features as physio (and had that role for the Scotland team, I recall).

Donnie did become a team physio after retiring.

He also drew the short straw and coached Dee Hepburn for the little bit of football skill needed for her role in the film Gregory's Girl.  The club got a mention in some nationwide award ceremony as I recall.  Perhaps the experience trying to coach someone not naturally a football player put him off coaching!  I'm sure a current players look at the talent pool available and say "Not for me!"

Happy Birthday Donnie.  Many happy memories of the late sixties and early seventies for me!

 

ps   just checked. "Gregory's Girl" was made in 1981 - above still applies to our talent pool for recent seasons.

Edited by East Kent Jag II
late correction
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I used to go out between 6-30/6-45 am to my local newsagent to get the paper. Most mornings i went there was a guy standing in the corner reading a paper. I never paid any attention to him, then one day he came up to me and said, i have noticed that you wear a Thistle hat or scarf, i take it you are a Thistle fan? Only then did i realise the guy was in fact Donnie. From that day 25 years ago  he always said hello and we had a chat about Thistle. The last time i seen him was about 18months ago in Tesco in Renfrew. I hope he is keeping well and that he has a great birthday.:partyhat: :fan:

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Donnie McKinnon made his debut just about the time I was becoming a serious and dedicated jags fan. He represented everything was that was good about the Jags. 

I recall a fairly recent article in which Donnie stated he was a regular in the Thistle team before his brother Ronnie achieved same at Rangers but it was Ronnie who became an International. 

Of the two our McKinnon was the better footballer but the other McKinnon was more streetwise and ruthless. 

I recall a 5-1 hammering at Firhill from Celtic who moved big John (yogi) Hughes from No. 11 (where he normally terrorised Joe Hogan) to No,. 9 where he gave Donnie a really hard time! 

Well McKinnon's weakness - he was to fair, too much of a footballer and not a practitioner of the 'dark arts'. His brother by comparison kicked everything that moved! 

Next game against Celtic, Donlevy (our No. 6) played as No. 5 and Hughes didn't get a look-in plus acquired a few bruises! 

So is Donnie a legend - without doubt. 321 games in the red and yellow says it all. 

Happy birthday Donnie

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