Jim McCalliog showcases new autobiography

Scottish football legend Jim McCalliog showcases new autobiography - Wembley wins Wembley woes.

Jim McCalliog (born 1946) entered into Scottish football folklore in 1967 when he scored the third of three goals at Wembley that sealed a famous 3-2 victory for Scotland over reigning world champions England. 

Football fans can now enjoy reminiscing over a golden era of the game as Jim’s newly published autobiography documents his 17-year long professional career. 

Born in Glasgow in 1946, Jim played for Glasgow schoolboys, Scotland schoolboys, Scotland youth & Scotland under 23s. He went on to play for a host of leading clubs over the border, including Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester United and Southampton. 

He left Chelsea in October 1965 to join Sheffield Wednesday in a £37,500 deal, and in doing so at 19, became the country’s priciest teenager. Jim twice reached the FA Cup Final at Wembley; the first occasion in 1966 was a disappointing one as despite his scoring the first goal, 'The Owls' lost 3-2 to Everton, but 10 years later he was a member of the Southampton team that defeated Manchester United 1-0 to lift the coveted trophy. 

The new autobiography of course also details his captaincy of Wolves to the 1972 UEFA Cup Final, coming agonisingly close to glory in their defeat against Tottenham. McCalliog made more than 200 appearances for the club in all competitions in a five-year spell starting in 1969, scoring 48 goals.

Perhaps best remembered at the club for his strike against Juventus in Turin in the quarter final, he also scored in the home leg of the final, before joining Manchester United. 

In a long and distinguished career, he also played in the North American Soccer League with Chicago Sting where he faced the legendary Brazilian footballer Pele.

Enjoying reminiscing with football fans at a launch event today at Hampden Park, Jim said: "I had a fantastic career as a professional footballer. During the pandemic, I realised I wanted to share my stories and I hope the book brings smiles and memories of a golden era, which I’m so proud to have been part of.”

Jim is a longstanding supporter of Football Memories Scotland, which has its HQ at Hampden Park. The programme supports people across Scotland living with Alzheimer’s and dementia to reminisce over a golden era of football and share memories. 

Richard McBrearty, Curator of the Scottish Football Museum and Project Director of Football Memories Scotland, said: “Jim has had a long and illustrious career in football and we are thrilled to welcome him here to Hampden Park and to the Scottish Football Museum to launch his book in Scotland.”

“Jim’s beginnings in Glasgow and Scotland have stayed close to his heart, proven by his fantastic support for our Football Memories groups, for which we are extremely grateful. It’s a pleasure to pay tribute to Jim today and to be joined by so many of his fans and followers.”

The foreword to Jim’s autobiography, ‘Wembley Wins, Wembley Woes’, was penned by footballing great and Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductee Denis Law, who recently revealed his Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia diagnosis. 

Jim signed copies of his new book and gave his talk in the Scottish Football Hall of Fame gallery in Hampden Park today (Wednesday, 6 October 2021).