Scottish soccer mourns the passing of Stein
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from September 1985.
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"To lose Jock Stein is unbelievable -- we are all totally distraught," said Scottish Football Association Secretary Ernie Walker.
Fans recalled that another great manager, the late Bill Shankly of Liverpool, once said: "John, you are immortal."
Team doctor Stewart Hillis said that Stein collapsed on the touchline and died in the dressing room of a heart attack Tuesday night in Cardiff while watching his national side playing Wales in a World Cup qualifying game. He saw his side equalize to secure a 1-1 draw and an almost cert-ain victory. ain chance to reach next year's finals in Mexico.
Welsh team manager Nike England said he saw Stein fall after pulling away a photographer who had been "bothering him all night."
Stein, 62, a burly, friendly man, began his working life as a miner in South Wales and played soccer there before moving to Glasgow Celtic as centre-half in 1951. Injury shortened his playing career and in 1975 he almost died of severe head and chest injuries suffered in a car crash.
Stein managed Glasgow's Celtic club, the premier team of Scottish Roman Catholics, and under him it won the Scottish League title 10 times, including a record nine straight wins. He also led Celtic to the league cup six times and the Scottish Football Association Cup eight times.
He became a legend when he guided Celtic to become the first British club to win the European Cup in 1967. He succeeded Ally MacLeod as manager of the Scottish national side after Scotland and had a disastrous time in the World Cup in Argentina in 1978.
Under Stein, Scotland qualified comfortably for the 1982 World Cup in Spain but were eliminated after being drawn in a powerful group with Brazil. The match, played before nearly 40,000 fans, was vital to both side's chances of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals in Mexico.
Scotland, which needed only to draw to be virtually sure of advancing, trailed 1-0 until the 81st minute when substitute Davie Cooper equalized by slotting home a penalty. Several times during the second half the TV cameras focused on a nervous-looking stein on the bench.
The Welsh team manager, Mike England, said later he saw Stein collapse on the touchline.
"A photographer had been bothering him all night and in the end Jock got off the bench and dragged him away," England said. "Jock had asked him to move several times, but he refused and in the end Jock physically did it himself. Jock then held his chest and I knew he'd had a heart attack."
Eight years ago, Stein had a mild heart attack but made a good recovery.
