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First posted on Facebook on 24th September, 2016

Happy Birthday to John O’Hare who will turn 70 today. John was a favourite player of Brian Clough who signed him at Derby County, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest. John would win two League Championships; one each with Derby and Forest and two European Cups and perhaps one of the few players who also won the Texaco, Watney and Anglo-Scottish Cups.
As for Scotland, John played 13 times and scored five goals. It was Bobby Brown who first picked him in April, 1970 to play against Northern Ireland in Belfast. John would score the only goal of the game, heading in from a deep cross from Tommy McLean.
John would also score the only goal against Denmark at Hampden in a Euro Qualifier in November ’70.
Tommy Docherty would also reap from John’s goalscoring as O’Hare scored in both Doc’s opening games; the 2-1 win over Portugal at Hampden in October ’71 and then the 1-0 win against Belgium up at Pittodrie. Both there were Euro ties. John would also go on to score for Scotland against Peru at Hampden in April ’72, with Denis Law hitting the other in the 2-0 win.
John’s undoing would be club Manager Clough’s unwillingness to let him travel to Brazil for the Independence Cup in the summer of 1972 and by the following season he was consigned to International history.
John can certainly hold his head up high for his efforts for Scotland as his five goals all came in 5 victories and with four being vital to the result. All his caps came as a Derby County player.
Happy Birthday John and all the best.