Lou Macari was by many people regarded as something of an an icon for the Scottish-Italian community. During a rewarding professional footballing career stretching from 1967 to 1986, Macari was an attack-minded midfield player who provided sterling service to Celtic, Manchester United, and Swindon Town.
PART ONE
Born in the noble city of Edinburgh and brought up in the Ayrshire seaside resort of Largs, Lou Macari started out with Glasgow Celtic where he ultimately established himself in the all conquering team of the early 1970´s and went on to win the Scottish Football League Championship in the 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons, and the Scottish FA Cup in 1971 and 1972, under the stern and wise leadership of legendary Parkhead head coach Jock Stein.
At Celtic, Macari was a member of the Quality Street Gang which included talented youngsters like David Cattanach, George Connelly, Kenny Dalglish, Vic Davidson, John Gorman, Davie Hay, Pat McCluskey, Danny McGrain, Brian McLaughlin, and Paul Wilson. At the age of 18, he was given his competitive debut for Celtic by Stein in a comfortable 2-0 Scottish League Cup Quarter-Final Second Leg triumph against Ayr United at Somerset Park on the 27th of September 1967 and recorded his first goal for the club in a close 2-1 Scottish First Division victory over Dundee at Dens Park on the 30th of April 1969.
Conceivably, one of Macari´s greatest moments as a Celtic Park player arrived when the men in green and white quite simply deconstructed Eddie Turnbull´s Hibernian to the tune of a 6-1 score in the Scottish FA Cup Final in front of more than 100,000 people at Hampden Park on the 6th of May 1972.
Celtic captain Bill McNeil, a Lisbon Lion, put Stein´s side into an early 1-0 lead when the central defender converted a well-delivered free-kick by midfielder Tommy Callaghan after two minutes, only for ex-Hearts and Dundee United ace Alan Gordon to equalise for the Easter Road outfit with a close range goal ten minutes later. John “Dixie” Deans, a bargain £17,500 signing from Motherwell the previous year, then registered his first goal of the contest as the forward brilliantly headed home a free-kick from Bobby Murdoch, also a Lisbon Lion, in the 23rd minute of proceedings.
In the second half, the prolific marksman followed up with goals in the 54th and 74th minutes to complete a tremendous treble before Macari added two more in the 83rd and 87th minutes to make the scoreboard at Hampden reflect a 6-1 advantage for The Bhoys. Macari would start off the following campaign in similar excellent fashion and his goal scoring qualities would soon attract the keen interest of a number of leading clubs in England.
PART TWO
Much impressed with the consistent performances delivered by the free flowing frontman, recently appointed Manchester United supremo Tommy Docherty eventually signed Lou Macari for a transfer fee of £200,000 midway into the 1972-73 season in order to strengthen his ageing first team squad. A dedicated performer, Macari found the back of the net on his First Division debut for Manchester United in a 2-2 draw against fellow relegation strugglers West Ham United in front of an attendance of over 50,000 spectators at Old Trafford on the 20th of January 1973 and became an immediate hit with the home supporters.
He netted again in a heavy 4-1 loss to Ipswich Town at Portman Road on the 17th of February and hit the winner in a 2-1 victory over bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford on the 3rd of March. He also scored in a 3-1 defeat to First Division new boys Birmingham City at St Andrew´s the following week and netted his final goal of the campaign in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Stoke City at Victoria Ground on the 14th of April.
Now firmly established in the Manchester United side, Macari recorded his first goal of the 1973-74 term in a 3-2 loss against Newcastle United at St James´ Park on the 17th of November and hit another in a 2-1 defeat at home to Sheffield United on Boxing Day before grabbing the opener in a 2-0 home win over Ipswich Town three days later. After scoring the winning goal in a narrow 1-0 FA Cup Third Round triumph against Third Division opponents Plymouth Argyle at Old Trafford on the 5th of January, Macari bagged the winner in a 1-0 revenge victory over Sheffield United at Bramall on the 2nd of March, and then scored his sixth of the campaign in a 2-0 win against fellow relegation candidates Norwich City at Carrow Road on the 6th of April.
The Scot was later converted into an offensive orientated midfield administrator by fellow countryman Tommy Doc and he would eventually make a habit of coming forward from deep positions to score important goals for the Old Trafford side. And even though Macari´s first years with Manchester United were spent in a struggling team which ultimately found themselves relegated to League Division Two at the end of the day, the dynamic midfield warrior nevertheless enjoyed his football under the able and sound guidance of the former Scotland boss and became one of the key players in bringing the once mighty club back to League Division One where they rightly belonged.
And with gifted footballers such as defenders Martin Buchan, Alex Forsyth, and Stewart Houston; midfielders Gerry Daly, Brian Greenhoff, and Sammy McIlroy; and forwards Willie Morgan and Stuart Pearson, Manchester United settled down well in unfamiliar surroundings and the now awakened giant won the Second Division title and promotion back to the top-flight at the very first attempt. United also reached the League Cup Semi-Finals, but lost 3-2 on aggregate to Norwich City, and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Walsall as they lost 3-2 after extra time in the replay at Fellows Park.
Macari scored his first goals of the 1974-75 season when he was on target twice in a 5-1 hammering of Third Division Charlton Athletic at Old Trafford in the second round of the League Cup on the 11th of September. He got on the scoresheet again in a 3-0 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on the 19th of October and hit his second brace of the campaign in a 4-0 triumph against Oxford United on the 2nd of October. He registered another brace in a 3-2 League Cup Third Round win at home to Division One Burnley on the 13th of November and netted his fourth double of the season in an enthralling 4-4 draw against lowly placed Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on the 7th of December before scoring a goal in 3-0 League Cup Fourth Round Replay victory over First Division new boys Middlesbrough on home soil on the 18th of the same month.
The perpetual performer kept up his scoring touch and produced yet another brace as Manchester United drew 2-2 at home to fellow promotion chasers Norwich City in a League Cup Semi-Final First Leg fixture on the 15th of January and then netted one of the goals in a 4-0 home win against relegation threatened Cardiff City on the 1st of March. On Easter Friday, he notched the opener in a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers at Eastville before delivering the winner in a 2-1 victory against York City at Old Trafford on Easter Saturday. After getting on the scoresheet in a 3-2 home victory over Oldham Athletic two days later, he bagged the decider in a 1-0 away win over Southampton on the 5th of April and then netted his final goal of the promotion campaign in a 4-0 triumph at home to Blackpool on the 26th of the same month, finishing the season on a total of eighteen goals.
On the opening day of the 1975-76 campaign, Lou Macari recorded a brace in Manchester United´s 2-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in front of a 32,000 strong home crowd at Molineux Stadium. On the 10th of September, he scored one of the goals in a 2-1 League Cup Second Round victory over Fourth Division Brentford at Old Trafford and found the net net again in a 2-1 success against fellow First Division side Aston Villa in a League Cup Third Round fixture at Villa Park on the 12th of the same month.
He netted Manchester United´s second goal in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City at Maine Road on the 27th of September and headed a consolation in a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United at Boleyn Ground four weeks later. After scoring the fourth goal of a 4-1 rout of bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on the 13th of December, he grabbed the opener in an eventual 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on the 23rd of the same month and then bagged the winner in a 2-1 victory over nearby Burnley at Old Trafford four days later.
With the calendar turning to 1976, Macari got himself a goal in a reassuring 3-1 triumph against Birmingham City at Old Trafford on the 31st of January and produced a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw to Coventry City at Highfield Road on the 7th of February. He resumed his net finding form and found the target in a 2-1 FA Cup Fifth Round victory over Leicester City at Filbert Street on the 14th of the same month and registered a consolation in a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at Vila Park seven days later before bagging a goal in a 4-0 trashing of West Ham United at Old Trafford the following week.
With the season approaching its final stages, Macari scored his last goal of the campaign in a 1-0 triumph against Burnley at Turf Moor on the 19th of April, taking his total tally to 15. Manchester United eventually ended the season in a highly respectable third position, just three points behind runners-up Queens Park Rangers and four points shy of First Division Champions Liverpool, and they also reached the FA Cup Final at Wembley, only to suffer a 1-0 loss against Second Division outfit Southampton. The Edinburgher finally won an FA Cup Winners medal the following campaign, though, when The Manchester Reds beat already crowned champions Liverpool by a 2-1 score thanks to goals from “Pancho” Pearson and striking partner Jimmy Greenhoff in the 51st and 55th minutes respectively.
In the 1977-78 season opener against Birmingham City at St Andrews, Lou Macari notched up three goals as Manchester United walloped The Blues 4-1. The supporters around the stadium had barely found their seats before Macari headed a well-taken corner by Steve Coppell past Birmingham custodian Jimmy Montgomery and into the onion bag after only five minutes of action, and he added another goal for the visiting team when he hammered an unstoppable shot from inside the penalty area beyond the reach of Monty and high into the roof of the net in the 22nd minute.
The Black Country club managed to reduce the deficit thanks to a goal from ex-Newcastle United midfielder Terry Hibbitt eight minutes into the second frame, but Manchester United regained their two goal advantage through Gordon Hill who found the target with a thunderous volley that flew past Montgomery and into the back of the net in the 75th minute, and as the contest entered the closing stages, the red shirts stretched their lead even further when Macari completed his hat-trick by slotting the ball home from a few yards out with seven minutes left of normal time. As a Manchester United player, Macari would go on to score 78 goals in 329 League matches for the club before he ultimately announced his retirement from active football at the end of the 1983-84 campaign.
A Scottish international, he pulled on the famous dark blue shirt of Scotland on twenty-four occasions following his senior debut in a narrow 1-0 British Home Championship triumph against Wales at Hampden Park on the 24th of May 1972. He scored his first goals for The Tartan Terriers when he hit a brace each side of the interval in a 2-2 draw with The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto in Belo Horizonte in the Brazilian Independence Cup on the 29th of June 1972 and then netted the opener in a comprehensive 4-1 World Cup Qualifier victory over Denmark at Idraetsparken in Copenhagen on the 18th of October the same year, while his final goals for the country of his birth came when he scored twice in a 4-2 international friendly triumph against Chile at Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago on the 15th of June 1977.
PART THREE
After leaving Manchester United in 1984, Lou Macari became manager of Swindon Town who were struggling in the lower leagues, but his influence quickly changed the club’s fortunes. After a somewhat turbulent start, including a brief sacking and reinstatement following a fan-led protest, he would go on to guide the club to remarkable success. In particular, the 1985-86 season saw Swindon achieve a stunning title win in the Fourth Division, amassing a record-breaking 102 points.
Swindon opened their campaign with a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Wrexham, and matters did not improve as they suffered a heavy 4-1 loss at Hereford United just a week later. However, Macari was not one to panic; instead, he stuck to his principles, drilling his players on the training ground and instilling in them the discipline and resilience that had served him well during his own playing days. Accordingly, Swindon’s fortunes began to turn, and a narrow 2-1 victory over Torquay United in the League Cup provided a much-needed morale boost.
A patchy run followed in the league, with wins against Torquay and Northampton Town interspersed with defeats to Peterborough, Crewe Alexandra, and Hartlepool. However, what was becoming increasingly apparent was that Macari’s side had an ability to grind out results, especially at home. The 2-2 draw against Torquay United in the League Cup second leg was enough to see them progress on aggregate, and a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Northampton in the league demonstrated their growing resilience.
By October, the team had started to click, and a 4-0 demolition of Rochdale was followed by an even more impressive 3-1 victory over Sunderland in the League Cup, a result that saw Swindon progress past a side two divisions above them. This newfound confidence carried over into the league, with back-to-back away wins at Burnley and Chester City proving that Macari’s side could not only battle but also dominate when required.
Momentum was now firmly with the Robins, and as the nights grew longer, their form only grew stronger. A narrow but significant 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup was followed by a series of league wins, including triumphs over Tranmere, Cambridge United, and Scunthorpe United. Macari had instilled a winning mentality, and the squad responded with a relentless pursuit of promotion.
Nevertheless, it was not all smooth sailing. The FA Cup proved to be a distraction, with a 4-2 defeat to Bristol City ending any hopes of a run in that competition, while a humbling 6-1 loss to Ipswich Town in the League Cup demonstrated the gulf in class between Swindon and top-tier opposition. However, Macari’s men did not dwell on these setbacks; instead, they refocused on their league campaign, and from December onwards, they were almost unstoppable.
Swindon went on an extraordinary run, winning eight of their next nine league matches, including vital victories over Halifax, Hereford, and Torquay. By the time April arrived, promotion was within touching distance, and a decisive 2-0 victory over Mansfield Town sealed the club’s return to the Third Division.
Macari’s ability to instill discipline and a winning mentality within his squad was instrumental in this achievement. His direct, pragmatic style of play was effective, if not always aesthetically pleasing. The following season, Macari led Swindon to yet another promotion, this time via the playoffs in Division Three, defeating Gillingham in the final.
Swindon Town’s campaign commenced on August 3, 1986, with an impressive 2-1 away victory at Bolton Wanderers, setting an early tone of intent. What’s more, just weeks later, they displayed their attacking prowess with a resounding 3-0 home victory over Torquay United in the League Cup on August 26. However, the reality of a long and arduous season quickly hit, as a 2-1 home defeat to Notts County on August 31 exposed the defensive frailties that would periodically trouble Macari’s side.
Nevertheless, Swindon swiftly recovered, securing an aggregate 6-2 triumph over Torquay in the League Cup on September 2. Yet, inconsistency plagued their early league form, as evidenced by a 2-2 draw away to Newport County on September 6 and a frustrating 1-1 home stalemate against Chester City a week later. These results suggested that while Swindon possessed attacking dynamism, defensive solidity remained elusive.
In stark contrast, a humiliating 6-2 home defeat to Blackpool on September 16 served as a wake-up call. Macari’s men were subsequently knocked out of the League Cup by First Division Southampton after a 3-0 away loss on September 23. The setback underscored the gulf in class between Swindon and top-tier opposition, but rather than denting their confidence, it appeared to galvanise them.
Swindon’s response was emphatic. A commanding 2-0 home victory over Rotherham United on September 27 was followed by a hard-fought 3-1 triumph against Wigan Athletic on October 5. Furthermore, a 2-0 away success at Fulham on October 11 and a dramatic 4-3 win at Port Vale on October 21 underscored their growing resilience.
By the turn of the year, Swindon were firmly entrenched in the promotion race, despite occasional setbacks such as a 1-0 defeat at Walsall on November 25 and a frustrating 2-2 draw away to Doncaster Rovers on December 21. However, crucial victories, including a dominant 3-0 FA Cup win over Enfield on December 6 and a convincing 2-0 league victory against Brentford on Boxing Day, ensured that they remained in the hunt.
The early months of 1987 saw Swindon’s momentum gather pace. A narrow 1-0 FA Cup victory at Fulham on January 10 demonstrated their ability to grind out results, and a 3-0 home win over Newport County on January 25 further cemented their promotion credentials. Despite a disappointing 4-2 loss at Brentford in the Freight Rover Trophy on January 6, Macari’s side remained focused on their primary objective.
Crucially, Swindon found form at the business end of the season. A string of decisive results—including a 3-1 win at Gillingham on April 4 and a crucial 2-0 victory over Aldershot on May 2—propelled them towards the Third Division summit. Eventually, on May 9, 1987, Macari’s men secured their place in the Second Division with a 2-0 win at Mansfield Town, completing a remarkable journey that was as arduous as it was exhilarating.
As the final whistle blew at Field Mill, Swindon Town celebrated a well-earned promotion, and Macari had firmly etched his name into the club’s folklore. With a mix of discipline, determination, and attacking verve, his side had overcome adversity to rise through the ranks. Ironically, for a man who built his managerial reputation on pragmatism and defensive resilience, it was Swindon’s attacking vibrancy that had ultimately driven them to glory.
Macari’s tenure at Swindon Town during the 1987-88 season was a rollercoaster of grit, ambition, and occasional heartbreak, as the club sought to establish itself in the second tier of English football. Having guided Swindon to promotion from the Third Division the previous season, Macari entered the new campaign with a characteristic mix of tenacity and tactical discipline, aiming to cement his side’s place in the higher echelons of the Football League. However, the journey was anything but smooth, as results oscillated between impressive victories and frustrating defeats, making for a campaign filled with unpredictability.
The season began inauspiciously with a 2-0 defeat at Bradford City on August 15, an early reminder that Division Two would be no easy ride. Nevertheless, Macari’s side bounced back emphatically, dispatching Bristol City 3-0 in the League Cup three days later, a performance that showcased their attacking flair and resilience. In the league, Swindon recorded their first victory with a 2-0 triumph over Sheffield United, a match that hinted at the promise of Macari’s methods. What’s more, the team demonstrated their ability to grind out results on the road, edging past West Bromwich Albion 2-1 in a hard-fought contest at The Hawthorns.
As the season progressed, Swindon’s form oscillated between the impressive and the inconsistent. A notable 3-2 victory at Middlesbrough in early September suggested that Macari’s men were finding their feet, but home defeats to Birmingham City and Ipswich Town served as a reminder that consolidation in Division Two would require more than just moments of brilliance. Nonetheless, the League Cup provided a welcome distraction, as Swindon dispatched Portsmouth with a commanding 3-1 victory, sealing their place in the next round with a confident 3-1 win in the return leg at Fratton Park.
October saw Macari’s side gain momentum in the league, stringing together a series of solid results, including a 4-0 demolition of Reading and a disciplined 2-0 victory over Oldham Athletic. Moreover, their 3-0 win against Stoke City reinforced the notion that Swindon, when at their best, could compete with the strongest teams in the division. However, defensive frailties reared their head once again, as a thrilling but ultimately disappointing 4-3 home defeat to Manchester City demonstrated the fine margins between success and failure at this level.
By December, Swindon’s season had developed into a frustrating pattern of promise punctuated by setbacks. A 4-1 victory over Huddersfield Town highlighted their attacking prowess, yet narrow defeats to Aston Villa and Sheffield United stalled their progress. Nevertheless, the team enjoyed a strong festive period, securing consecutive victories against Reading, Ipswich Town, and West Bromwich Albion to enter the new year with renewed optimism.
Yet, as the season wore on, inconsistency remained Swindon’s Achilles’ heel. Macari’s side battled admirably, mixing moments of brilliance with lapses in concentration, but ultimately finished 12th in the league. It was a respectable finish for a newly promoted team, but one that left fans wondering what might have been had they managed to string together a longer run of positive results.
Macari´s success at Swindon Town cemented his status as a highly promising manager. However, despite his successes, controversy was never far away. In 1989, Macari was fined by the Football Association for betting on Swindon to lose an FA Cup tie to Newcastle. This betting scandal would cast a shadow over his later career. Nonetheless, his achievements at Swindon earned him a move to a club with greater ambitions.
PART FOUR
Macari’s next stop was West Ham United, a club steeped in tradition. Appointed in 1989, he became the first West Ham manager not to have previously played for or worked with the club. His arrival was marked by an attempt to overhaul the club’s training and dietary regimes. While these changes may have been seen as forward-thinking, they met resistance within the squad. Despite bringing in players such as Ludek Miklosko, Trevor Morley, Martin Allen, and Ian Bishop, results on the pitch were underwhelming.
By the end of 1989, West Ham found themselves in tenth place in the Second Division, a far cry from the promotion push expected of them. To compound matters, Macari’s team was embarrassingly knocked out of the FA Cup by Torquay United. The final blow came in early 1990 when it was revealed that Macari was under investigation for the betting irregularities from his Swindon days. Facing the fallout from this scandal, Macari left the club in February 1990, his time at Upton Park defined by disappointment and controversy.
After a year away from football, Macari returned to management in 1991 with Birmingham City. Though his time at St Andrew’s was brief, it was not without success as he led Birmingham to victory in the Football League Trophy in 1991, a 3-2 win over Tranmere Rovers in the final. This triumph was a glimmer of what might have been a successful tenure, but Macari soon left the Brummies for a new challenge at Stoke City, a club that would become synonymous with his managerial career.
Macari’s time at Stoke City from 1991 to 1993, and then again from 1994 to 1997, is widely regarded as the most successful period of his managerial career. When he arrived at Stoke, the club had just endured their worst-ever finish in the league, and Macari was tasked with turning their fortunes around.
Under Lou Macari’s shrewd guidance, Stoke became a dominant force in the Second Division. And although they narrowly missed out on promotion in 1992 after a playoff defeat to Stockport County, City bounced back just days later to win the Football League Trophy.
The 1992-93 season saw Stoke clinch the Division Two title with 93 points, a remarkable achievement that also included a club record unbeaten run of 25 games. However, Macari’s time at Stoke was not without its frustrations. Following his successful first stint, he departed for Celtic, but he would return to the club in 1994. His second tenure saw Stoke consistently competing at the higher end of the table, but promotion to the Premier League eluded them. Despite guiding Stoke to the play-offs in 1995-96, they fell short against Leicester City. The following year, after a mid-table finish, Macari left the club under somewhat controversial circumstances, launching a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against chairman Peter Coates.
In October 1993, Macari took on what was arguably the most high-profile role of his managerial career: manager of Celtic. His reign began with a bang, defeating Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox in his first game. Yet this initial success was not sustained, and Macari struggled to impose his authority on a club in transition. His transfers were largely unsuccessful, with players like Willie Falconer, Lee Martin, and Carl Muggleton failing to make an impact. One of his most criticized moves was the sale of the prolific Gerry Creaney, a decision that left fans questioning his judgment. A heavy defeat to Rangers in the New Year fixture and an early exit from the Scottish Cup against Motherwell sealed his fate. When Fergus McCann took control of Celtic in March 1994, Macari’s days were numbered, and he was dismissed three months later.
Macari’s final managerial role came at Huddersfield Town in 2000. Taking over a club in relegation trouble, he was unable to prevent them from dropping out of Division One at the end of the 2000-01 season. However, he did manage to steady the ship the following season, guiding Huddersfield to the play-offs in a bid for immediate promotion. Unfortunately, they were defeated in the semi-finals by Brentford, and his contract was not renewed due to his perceived overly defensive tactics. This brought his managerial career to a close.