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Location: Wallace, Willie
Discussion: Willie Wallace - The Quiet Man
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Willie Wallace - The Quiet Man
Oct 21 2006, 4:14 PM EDT William Semple Brown Wallace, “Wispy” to his mates, (because of his quiet speaking voice) was born in Kirkintilloch on 23rd June, 1940. He began his senior football career with Stenhousemuir in 1958 as a “Sawdust-in-my-boots winger”, as he put it himself, and moved to Raith Rovers in October 1959. He soon attracted the attention of Hearts, and he joined the very successful Tynecastle club in 1961. Willie spent five full seasons with Hearts, winning a League Cup winner’s medal in October 1962 as Hearts beat Kilmarnock 1-0 in the final, and he was in the Hearts team who lost the league on goal average to Killie in 1965. Wispy won seven caps for Scotland. He faced England in two rip-roaring games; England won 4-3 at Hampden in 1966, and Scotland won 3-2 at Wembley in 1967. Willie was keen to move away from Hearts, and Rangers were known to be interested. Then, on December 6, with Rangers in Germany in the ECWC, Jock Stein struck and Willie signed for Celtic. Willie made his Celtic debut against Motherwell on Saturday, 10th December, but didn't score in Celtic’s 4-2 win. Willie scored two in his second game, a 6-2 home win against Partick Thistle, including a 20 yard rocket half-volley that nearly took the net off. That type of ferocious shooting was a Wallace trademark, and he ended the 1966-67 season with 21 goals from 29 appearances (21 League, 5 Scottish Cup, and 3 European Cup). Of course, he scored both goals in the 2-0 Scottish Cup Final win over Aberdeen at Hampden, and, perhaps more importantly, scored two goals in the vital 3-1 European Cup semi-final first leg win over Dukla Prague. Over the next five seasons, Willie scored 134 goals in all competitions for Celtic, in 235 first team appearances. He was top scorer in seasons 1968-69 and 69-70. In October 1971, after a fall-out with Jock Stein, Willie and John Hughes were transferred to Crystal Palace for a joint fee of £50,000. Palace got a bargain! Willie now lives in Australia. Do you find this valuable? |
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