Allan McGraw

Allan McGraw (born 29 July 1939 in Govan, Glasgow, Scotland ^[1]) is a retired football striker and manager.

He holds the record for most goals in a season in Scottish football, a feat he achieved while playing for Greenock Morton. He finished as Morton's top goalscorer in five consecutive seasons, helping the club to two promotions and a Scottish League Cup final appearance. He went on to play for Hibernian, where he scored a goal which meant that the club reached a League Cup final, but he took a number of pain killing injections in order to play while injured. This ruined his knees, causing great pain and necessitating the use of walking sticks for the rest of his life. After leaving Hibs, he briefly played for Linfield and again for Morton.

He later returned to Morton as manager and in the mid-1990s produced what is regarded as one of the greatest teams to ever play at Cappielow. McGraw signed the two Finns, Marko Rajamäki and Janne Lindberg, and Englishman Warren Hawke, to complement Derek McInnes, John Anderson, David Wylie and Alan Mahood, who he had brought through the system at Morton. The team were denied the chance to win promotion to the Scottish Premier Division by one goal in the 1995-96 season.

Due to his two lengthy stays at Cappielow he is known as Mr. Morton, but he actually supports Rangers as he was brought up in Govan. He stood for election as an independent for West Renfrewshire in the 1999 Scottish Parliament election. His son Mark also played for both Morton and Hibs.

Despite his lack of mobility, McGraw still enjoys a keen interest in golf, plying his trade at Gleddoch Golf Club. He carded a 74 net score in the 2015 Gleddoch Quaich competition, for a respectable finish in a strong field.

References

• Jeffrey, Jim (2005). The Men Who Made Hibernian F.C. since 1946. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-3091-2.