Newcastle United hero John McNamee dies aged 83 as tributes paid to 'a giant of a man'

Big John McNamee was the frightening enforcer in Newcastle United's European Fairs Cup days but cruelly during recent years a series of crippling setbacks had reduced him to a shell of his former self.

However the courage and fight he showed when a cult hero on Tyneside never left him throughout a lengthy stay in a Cumbria care home. May he now rest in the peace denied him after dying aged 83.

McNamee was a hulk of a man with a fiercesome reputation which went before him casting a long shadow of doubt over opponents. A true Celt, a warrior, a mixture of Mel Gibson's Braveheart, Desperate Dan and the Incredible Hulk, the stories of his footballing prowess are part of folklore.

It was said that he could bend crowbars between his teeth and certainly when he strode across Hadrian's Wall to join United it was a journey of necessity. He was hounded out of Scotland because of constant disciplinary run-ins with referees!

McNamee went on to iconic status not just as a frightening centre-half who tackled like the crack of doom but as a European Fairs Cup winner in 1969. It was the highlight of a colourful career.

I've known John since the day he signed for Newcastle back in December of 1966, a transfer that helped save the club from relegation and paved the way for the Magpies only ever European trophy clinched in Budapest, ironically, on his 28th birthday.

No less a figure than Sir Alex Ferguson, a teak tough character himself, revealed why McNamee had to get out of every town back home. It followed a clash during a reserve game between St Johnstone and Celtic.

As a centre-forward Fergie was in the direct firing line of a Celtic back line known collectively as the Big Bad Johns - John 'The Gorilla' Kurilla, John Cushley, and John McNamee.

"The most legendary of these three frighteners was McNamee," Ferguson recalled in his autobiography. "It was probably unwise to become warlike with him but we had to be dragged apart by team-mates. John threatened to kill me and, heartened by the proximity of so many players and the referee, I told him I would be around at the end. I thought no more about it until as I was combing my hair after being in the bath one of the groundstaff told me somebody was waiting for me.

"Assuming it was a friend I stuck my head round the door. I nearly fainted when I saw McNamee standing there. Now I wasn't a coward by any means but this was a monster and a little common sense was in order.

"So I went back to combing my hair and waited for the noise of the Celtic coach pulling out. The best of three falls with a monster was not a good idea!"

John was the only player the legendary Jock Stein felt was good enough to sign twice - firstly in 1958 as an apprentice at Celtic and again immediately upon becoming manager of Hibernian.

McNamee holds the record of a double first having played in the very first European game of any sort at Celtic Park and the first ever European match at St James Park. Those two occasions completed a unique set - he was the only footballer to have performed for three different teams (Celtic, Hibernian and Newcastle) in the old Fairs Cup.

Perhaps the key moment of his time on Tyneside - he made 132 appearances scoring eight goals - came in the semi-final of the Fairs Cup against Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox.

When Dave Elliott collapsed in the street for a second time having had an epileptic fit Joe Harvey decided he would not risk his traumatised room-mate Ollie Burton and turned instead to Big John. A diehard Celt facing Rangers at Ibrox!

If that was not explosive enough McNamee promptly poured petrol on the flames telling the Scottish Press that he could play their international centre-forward Colin Stein on one leg. Recipe for disaster . . . except Newcastle kept a clean sheet in a draw before 70,000 fanatics that nicely set up the second leg and a cup final. No shrinking violet our man.

I had long worked with Big John not just during his playing days at Newcastle but afterwards on talk-ins across the area.

He was a joy to listen to, a fund of gloriously irreverent and downright hilarious reminiscences, yet behind the facade of a fun guy was a life of terrible tragedy.

Having lost his dear wife Rose aged only 41 he was left to bring up four kids on his own putting them through university despite a lack of money. He became a postman in Cockermouth to give him more time with the family only for his Royal Mail van to be involved in a head on collision which left him with serious neck and back injuries. Then his son Darren died unexpectedly in Australia.

Crippled by old football injuries which put him on sticks, John went on to lose all his goods and shackles when floods decimated the area where he lived. Not once but twice.

Worse followed. McNamee was originally diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease which robbed him of so many treasured memories and warm public appreciation many years ago and things continued to go steadily downhill. It was later confirmed he had CTE and had also developed Parkinson's Disease. He ended up confined to a wheelchair hardly able to speak.

No man deserves such constant horrific fortune but John McNamee battled on until the very end. A giant of a man in every way.