Jock Wallace by Alan Ball

[clan macrae 292]

Older bears will know all abut Alan Ball.He won the World Cup with England in 1966 and played most of his career with Everton and Arsenal. He was ,along with Rodney Marsh, my favourite english players in my youth. Ball was a midfield dynamo who was a very skillful player with endless energy. I saw Ball play twice at Ibrox for Everton and Arsenal in pre season friendlies. I liked the fact that he wore white football boots which made him look very cool

I had the great pleasure of reading his auto biography "Playing Extra Time" over the festive period and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Ball devoted half a chapter in his book to our very own Jock Wallace. I wasn't aware of the connection but Ball became Big Jock's assistant in the mid 80s at Colchester United. Ball rated Jock so highly as a manager that he compared him to Bill Shankly and Sir Alf Ramsey, high praise indeed. Jock became a father figure to Ball and his love for the big man shines through.

The two came together when Colchester were bottom of the old fourth division by eleven points with with eleven matches remaining. Ball has some wonderful anecdotes to share with the reader. He talks about their match with Exeter and how he orders his captain to stand up in the middle of the dressing room and tells him to sing "No Surrender", the captain who is puzzled and embarrased quietly murmurs "No Surrender", Jock exploded, "louder" and then gets the rest of the team to join in a huddle and belt out that famous song. Ball tells how he had to leave the dressing room as he was in stitches and went into another room and saw what transpired next through a cubbyhole "Louder" big Jock rasped again to the team.He then gave his captain a full blow in the stomach ,elbowed somebody else, gave another a crack and then the buzzer went for the team to get out on the pitch. They were so wound up that they thrashed Exeter 4-0 and Ball cried laughing.

Remarkably Colchester escaped relegation and Ball puts this great escape down to Jock's motivational skills. He also tells of Jocks antipathy to anything green and white and Celtic and his love for the Rangers. Ball recounts several more very funny anecdotes and you are struck by his genuine admiration for big Jock and you need to remember this is a world class player holding the big man in the highest esteem.

Sadly the chapter does not end on a happy note. Ball gives an account of an incident that occurred during a pre season friendly in Inverness where Jock is walking along the track to the dugout before the game . Jock by this time has developed Parkinsons and a fan shouts out "Big Jocks pissed" Ball is walking a few yards behind Jock and by the time he gets to the dugout big Jock is sitting down and there are tears running down his face .He was deeply upset by the fans comment. The chapter ends with Ball on a plane to China with Manchester City for pre season games, Ball tells how he was very sorry to leave Jock at Colchester but that sadness deepened beyond description when he heard that Jock had died at the age of sixty in July 1996. He read this from a newspaper on the plane. Ball was devastated and unable to get in touch with Jock's family.

I would recommend this book to any football fan and the chapter on Jock Wallace is the cherry on the cake.

When you compare this tribute to Jock from a World Cup winner to the obituary that Odious Creep wrote where he disgracefully called Big Jock a bigot you begin to wonder if they were talking about two different people. How this Creep is allowed into Ibrox god only knows. Could you imagine if he called Lennon a bigot or said something about Jock Steins past do you really think that Mr Lawell would ever allow him to enter Celtic Park again?I wonder.

Older bears will know all abut Alan Ball.He won the World Cup with England in 1966 and played most of his career with Everton and Arsenal. He was ,along with Rodney Marsh, my favourite english players in my youth. Ball was a midfield dynamo who was a very skillful player with endless energy. I saw Ball play twice at Ibrox for Everton and Arsenal in pre season friendlies. I liked the fact that he wore white football boots which made him look very cool

I had the great pleasure of reading his auto biography "Playing Extra Time" over the festive period and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Ball devoted half a chapter in his book to our very own Jock Wallace. I wasn't aware of the connection but Ball became Big Jock's assistant in the mid 80s at Colchester United. Ball rated Jock so highly as a manager that he compared him to Bill Shankly and Sir Alf Ramsey, high praise indeed. Jock became a father figure to Ball and his love for the big man shines through.

The two came together when Colchester were bottom of the old fourth division by eleven points with with eleven matches remaining. Ball has some wonderful anecdotes to share with the reader. He talks about their match with Exeter and how he orders his captain to stand up in the middle of the dressing room and tells him to sing "No Surrender", the captain who is puzzled and embarrased quietly murmurs "No Surrender", Jock exploded, "louder" and then gets the rest of the team to join in a huddle and belt out that famous song. Ball tells how he had to leave the dressing room as he was in stitches and went into another room and saw what transpired next through a cubbyhole "Louder" big Jock rasped again to the team.He then gave his captain a full blow in the stomach ,elbowed somebody else, gave another a crack and then the buzzer went for the team to get out on the pitch. They were so wound up that they thrashed Exeter 4-0 and Ball cried laughing.

Remarkably Colchester escaped relegation and Ball puts this great escape down to Jock's motivational skills. He also tells of Jocks antipathy to anything green and white and Celtic and his love for the Rangers. Ball recounts several more very funny anecdotes and you are struck by his genuine admiration for big Jock and you need to remember this is a world class player holding the big man in the highest esteem.

Sadly the chapter does not end on a happy note. Ball gives an account of an incident that occurred during a pre season friendly in Inverness where Jock is walking along the track to the dugout before the game . Jock by this time has developed Parkinsons and a fan shouts out "Big Jocks pissed" Ball is walking a few yards behind Jock and by the time he gets to the dugout big Jock is sitting down and there are tears running down his face .He was deeply upset by the fans comment. The chapter ends with Ball on a plane to China with Manchester City for pre season games, Ball tells how he was very sorry to leave Jock at Colchester but that sadness deepened beyond description when he heard that Jock had died at the age of sixty in July 1996. He read this from a newspaper on the plane. Ball was devastated and unable to get in touch with Jock's family.

I would recommend this book to any football fan and the chapter on Jock Wallace is the cherry on the cake.

When you compare this tribute to Jock from a World Cup winner to the obituary that Odious Creep wrote where he disgracefully called Big Jock a bigot you begin to wonder if they were talking about two different people. How this Creep is allowed into Ibrox god only knows. Could you imagine if he called Lennon a bigot or said something about Jock Steins past do you really think that Mr Lawell would ever allow him to enter Celtic Park again?I wonder.

well put linnyplant Jock Wallace epitomised everything that is good about the gers,keep up the good stuff.cheers

[topgoalie 637]

Just read Ted McMinns book,he had a good few storys about big Jock,he even took him over to Sevilla with him,worth a read......

[rab wilson 3,246]

I started going to Ibrox around 77 with a mate and loved big Jock when he was there.

Jock Wallace was a true Dyed Blue Rangers man. Who knows what his thoughts would be on whats gone on at his beloved club.The word legend is bandied around a lot these days but if ever someone deserved the honour of a statue at Ibrox it is Mr Jock Wallace.

God Bless you Jock and "NO SURRENDER"

I too attended my first game at ibrox as a 5 year old in 77, was against either Ayr Utd or St Mirren in the old centenary stand, but my dad and my uncle had arranged for us to mee the players before the game.there they were , all sitting on tables and desks with just the Rangers jersey on, big greig, wee doddy stand out from memory as they covered their bollox as we came into the room, remember thinking big McCloy was a fuckin giant. I said to greig as he signed my programme" you are really lucky", to which this giant bear like guy came over and said" youre bloody right he's lucky son, he gets to play for you every week" i hid behind my dad for a few seconds after this huge guy with the gruff voice bent down to talk to me and my cousin, eyes that would have pierced the devils stomach, but then with a smile of true affection and a wee cuddle for me and my cousin Tommy he said loud enough for all the players to hear it" boys, ill tell ye a wee secret, the Rangers will win for ye the day".

My lasting memory, apart from those words were seeing the sheer size of the man as he walked to the front of the room, a giant, not one Rangers player moved or spoke until the big man told them they could, total respect, total command and just total class.

Big Jock sold me Rangers for life just by seeing him, those fuckin eyes, the desire which i realize now that burned in them.

He knew what he was and was so proud of it. A proud Protestant Rangers supporter,who was lucky enough to be our , and my favourite ever Rangers manager.

Im a proud Protestant Rangers Supporter as well, like it or lump it , its how the rest of the world see us as well, something to be cherished a la Barcelona newspaper 2007 who described us on our impending visit to their beautiful city as:

The Protestants are coming.

Fuckin yes!

No Surrender Big Jock

RIP

No Surrender

Rab

[Non_Sucumbi 876]

Older bears will know all abut Alan Ball.He won the World Cup with England in 1966 and played most of his career with Everton and Arsenal. He was ,along with Rodney Marsh, my favourite english players in my youth. Ball was a midfield dynamo who was a very skillful player with endless energy. I saw Ball play twice at Ibrox for Everton and Arsenal in pre season friendlies. I liked the fact that he wore white football boots which made him look very cool

I had the great pleasure of reading his auto biography "Playing Extra Time" over the festive period and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Ball devoted half a chapter in his book to our very own Jock Wallace. I wasn't aware of the connection but Ball became Big Jock's assistant in the mid 80s at Colchester United. Ball rated Jock so highly as a manager that he compared him to Bill Shankly and Sir Alf Ramsey, high praise indeed. Jock became a father figure to Ball and his love for the big man shines through.

The two came together when Colchester were bottom of the old fourth division by eleven points with with eleven matches remaining. Ball has some wonderful anecdotes to share with the reader. He talks about their match with Exeter and how he orders his captain to stand up in the middle of the dressing room and tells him to sing "No Surrender", the captain who is puzzled and embarrased quietly murmurs "No Surrender", Jock exploded, "louder" and then gets the rest of the team to join in a huddle and belt out that famous song. Ball tells how he had to leave the dressing room as he was in stitches and went into another room and saw what transpired next through a cubbyhole "Louder" big Jock rasped again to the team.He then gave his captain a full blow in the stomach ,elbowed somebody else, gave another a crack and then the buzzer went for the team to get out on the pitch. They were so wound up that they thrashed Exeter 4-0 and Ball cried laughing.

Remarkably Colchester escaped relegation and Ball puts this great escape down to Jock's motivational skills. He also tells of Jocks antipathy to anything green and white and Celtic and his love for the Rangers. Ball recounts several more very funny anecdotes and you are struck by his genuine admiration for big Jock and you need to remember this is a world class player holding the big man in the highest esteem.

Sadly the chapter does not end on a happy note. Ball gives an account of an incident that occurred during a pre season friendly in Inverness where Jock is walking along the track to the dugout before the game . Jock by this time has developed Parkinsons and a fan shouts out "Big Jocks pissed" Ball is walking a few yards behind Jock and by the time he gets to the dugout big Jock is sitting down and there are tears running down his face .He was deeply upset by the fans comment. The chapter ends with Ball on a plane to China with Manchester City for pre season games, Ball tells how he was very sorry to leave Jock at Colchester but that sadness deepened beyond description when he heard that Jock had died at the age of sixty in July 1996. He read this from a newspaper on the plane. Ball was devastated and unable to get in touch with Jock's family.

I would recommend this book to any football fan and the chapter on Jock Wallace is the cherry on the cake.

When you compare this tribute to Jock from a World Cup winner to the obituary that Odious Creep wrote where he disgracefully called Big Jock a bigot you begin to wonder if they were talking about two different people. How this Creep is allowed into Ibrox god only knows. Could you imagine if he called Lennon a bigot or said something about Jock Steins past do you really think that Mr Lawell would ever allow him to enter Celtic Park again?I wonder.

BlueD. excellent piece. Met Jock Wallace twice and he really was larger than life and very intimidating. He seems to have made a positive impression at every club with which he was associated from Rangers to Colchester, from Leicester to Seville -- he was a man genuinely loved and respected.

Wouldn't have bothered mentioning the odious creep - he really is a scumbag who deserves a slow lingering death - a truly despicable individual.

To hear that Allan Ball has written about him with sensitivity and praise does not surprise me -- both wore their hearts on their sleeves.

For younger bears --- Ball was playing for England v Scotland at Wembley. A Scotland fan ran on to the pitch and punched Ball. To his credit Ball dusted himself off and got on with the game unlike some of today's 'so called men'.

Next day Ball too the Scotland fan for a pint.

[JograBear 1,074]

Brilliant story. Thx for sharing. Loved big Jock.