Jim McLean facts for kids

James Yuille McLean (born August 2, 1937 – died December 26, 2020) was a famous Scottish football player, manager, and club director. He is best known for managing Dundee United for a very long time, from 1971 to 1993. He became their most successful manager ever, winning three big trophies for the club. He also helped the Scottish national team as an assistant manager to Jock Stein.

He helped Dundee United win their only top league title in the 1983 season. They also won the Scottish League Cup twice, in 1979 and 1980. Under his leadership, the team also did very well in European competitions. They reached the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1984. Later, they made it to the UEFA Cup final in 1987.

McLean also played football as an inside forward. He played for clubs like Hamilton Academical, Clyde, Dundee, and Kilmarnock. His brothers, Tommy and Willie, were also successful football players and managers.

In 1987, McLean won the first-ever SFWA Manager of the Year award. He was added to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Early Life and Family

James Yuille McLean was born on August 2, 1937, in Larkhall, Scotland. He grew up in a nearby village called Ashgill. His family was very involved in football. His grandfather, William Yuille, played for Rangers before World War I.

James had two brothers, Willie and Tommy. All three brothers became professional football players and managers. They had a strict religious upbringing. After finishing school, James trained to be a joiner. He continued this job for much of his playing career.

Playing Career

McLean played as an inside forward. He started his football journey with a local junior club, Larkhall Thistle. His father and brother Willie had also played for this club.

In 1956, he began his professional career with Hamilton Academical. He played over 125 league games for them. In 1960, he moved to Clyde. After playing more than 100 games for Clyde, McLean joined Dundee in 1965 for £10,000.

Joining Dundee meant he became a full-time professional footballer at age 27. His first game for Dundee was a tough one, losing 5–0 to Dundee United. In his first season, he scored eight goals. He became Dundee's main attacker after Charlie Cooke left.

McLean was Dundee's top scorer in the 1966–67 season with 17 goals. He scored 18 goals in the 1967–68 season. During this time, Dundee reached the Scottish League Cup final and the Fairs Cup semi-final.

After George McLean joined Dundee, Jim McLean often played in midfield. He was sometimes not popular with fans. He felt this was because he followed very talented players like Cooke. In 1968, he was sold to Kilmarnock for £3,000. There, he played alongside his brother Tommy.

McLean retired from playing in 1970. He had played 474 games and scored 170 goals in his career. He then returned to Dundee as a coach.

Management Career

McLean worked as a first-team coach at Dundee for 18 months. In November 1971, he became the manager of their rivals, Dundee United. He took over from the retiring Jerry Kerr.

McLean immediately started a plan to develop young players. He personally visited players like Ralph Milne and Paul Sturrock to convince them to join United. He also brought in experienced players to change the team's style of play.

At first, the team's league results were average. But McLean led the club to its first Scottish Cup final in 1974. They lost to Celtic, but it was an important step for the club. The next season, they finished fourth, their best league finish ever. This meant they qualified for the new top division.

By 1978, McLean was seen as a very good manager. Some even thought he could become the Scotland manager. However, Jock Stein got the job instead.

As McLean's young players grew, they became very talented. Players like Maurice Malpas, Paul Sturrock, and David Narey emerged. In December 1979, McLean guided his team to win the League Cup. They beat Aberdeen in a replayed final. United won the League Cup again in 1980, beating Dundee in the final. They also reached the Scottish Cup Final in 1981, but lost to Rangers. At the same time, the club was also becoming well-known in Europe.

Success in the 1980s

Many people did not believe McLean's Dundee United could win the Premier Division. But in 1982, United beat strong European teams like AS Monaco and Borussia Mönchengladbach in the UEFA Cup. McLean was also helping Jock Stein with the Scotland national team at the 1982 World Cup.

In the 1982–83 season, United won the league championship. They had a great run of wins against teams like Kilmarnock and Dundee. This secured the title for Dundee United.

After this success, Rangers offered McLean their manager job. McLean considered it, but he did not like Rangers' policy of not signing Roman Catholic players. Even though the Rangers chairman said this policy would change, McLean turned down the offer. He later said staying at Dundee United was important for his family. In 1984, he also turned down an offer to manage Newcastle United in England.

After winning the league in 1983, Dundee United played in the European Cup. McLean's tactics helped them get great results. They reached the semi-finals, but lost to Roma in 1984. Three years later, McLean led the team to a European final in the UEFA Cup. They beat strong teams like Barcelona and Borussia Mönchengladbach. United lost 2–1 in the final to Swedish club IFK Gothenburg. In 1987, he won the first SFWA Manager of the Year award.

McLean kept Dundee United as a top team in Scotland. They finished no lower than fifth in the league for many years. He also led the team to six Scottish Cup finals, but they never won the trophy. The last of these finals was in 1991 against Motherwell, who were managed by his brother Tommy.

Later Years at the Club

In 1984, McLean became a director at Dundee United. Four years later, he became both chairman and managing director, while still managing the team. He stopped being manager in July 1993, after almost 22 years.

He remained chairman until October 2000. He briefly returned as a director in January 2002 but left a month later. In October 2002, McLean sold his shares in the club to Eddie Thompson. This ended his connection with Dundee United after more than 30 years.

After Football

McLean was honored for his achievements in football. He was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

He also wrote a regular column for the Daily Record newspaper. In 2011, the University of Dundee gave him an honorary degree. This was to recognize his great achievements as a manager. In 2015, he was inducted into the Dundee United Hall of Fame. The club called him "unquestionably, the most successful manager in the club's history."

In February 2020, a play about McLean's life called Smile was performed. McLean was unable to attend due to his health.

Death

James McLean passed away in December 2020 at the age of 83. He had been battling dementia for a long time. Dundee United said he was "a titan of Dundee United folklore." His family added that he was "a much-loved husband, father, brother, uncle and father-in-law." They said his "remarkable six-decade career made him a true legend."

Honours

Player

Clyde

• Scottish Division Two : 1961–62
• Glasgow Charity Cup : 1960–61 (shared)

Dundee

• Forfarshire Cup : 1965–66, 1966–67

Manager

Dundee United

• Scottish Premier Division : 1982–83
• Scottish League Cup : 1979–80, 1980–81
• UEFA Cup : runner-up 1986–87
• Forfarshire Cup: 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88

Individual

• SFWA Manager of the Year: 1987
• Scottish Football Hall of Fame: 2005
• Dundee United Hall of Fame: 2015
• SFA Service Award: 1985
• Honorary Doctor of Law from University of Dundee: 2011

See also

• List of longest managerial reigns in association football