WHEN Brian Clough enticed Dave Mackay to Derby County in 1968 it was a great coup.

Mackay was a legend in Scotland and had enjoyed success at Spurs. However, he was well into his 30s and knew his playing career was drawing to a close. Nevertheless, Clough and Taylor recognised that Mackay had more to give on the pitch and made him captain during the record-breaking 1968-69 season, which saw the Rams win the league at a canter and gain promotion to Division One.

Dave recalls: "It was a very young team. I was the old man then, being 33. Anyone over 30 is old as a footballer.

"Other players, like Roy McFarland and, later, Colin Todd and Archie Gemmill, were doing all the running for me. As you get older you can't do as much. But my shouting was very good!"

Quick-witted Mackay's experience and determination hugely benefited the side, particularly youngsters like John McGovern who was only 18 when he started playing for the Rams in 1968.

Mackay (pictured below celebrating winning the league in 1969) was born in Edinburgh and began his playing career with the club he supported as a boy, Heart of Midlothian.

He won all three Scottish domestic honours with the club and captained the side in 1957-58 when they broke the senior British league goal-scoring record with 132 goals for with only 29 against.

He was signed by Spurs for £32,000 in March 1959. Later, Clough described him as Spur's greatest ever player.

In 1968, Mackay was signed by Derby County for £5,000 – thanks to some Cloughie persuasion. "I had the chance to go back to Hearts," Mackay said. "They are my favourite club of all time. I left there as a hero but I could no longer do what I did before, so thought it was best not to go back.

"I didn't want people to say 'Who's the wee fat guy'."

Mackay could see the makings of a decent team at Derby and was glad to play his part. At the time, he continued to live in London but Clough allowed him to miss Monday morning training to ease the pressure on him.

Mackay, an old-fashioned sweeper, repaid him three-fold on the pitch – and his first season at Derby won him honours. He was named the FWA Footballer of the Year, jointly with Manchester City's Tony Book.

Of Clough and Taylor, Dave, 74, says: "They were brilliant together. Brian was fairly tough and he would have a go at a few of the players. Peter was good at smoothing things over."

Dave still goes to the occasional Rams game and says: "I hope Nigel (Clough) does well. He's a smashing lad."

As for his own career, which included a spell as manager of Derby, he says: "If I was born again, I'd like to do the same things all over again."