John Livingstone "Ian" McMillan (born 18 March 1931) is a Scottish former
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who played for
Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians Football Club is a Scottish professional football team in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and play in Scottish League One. They were formed in 2002 as Airdrie United ...
,
Rangers and the
Scotland national team.
Playing career
McMillan was born in
Airdrie. Nicknamed "The Wee Prime Minister" (he shared a variant of his surname with
the incumbent of the era),
[Hall of Fame , Ian McMillan]
Rangers FC he started his career with local club
Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians Football Club is a Scottish professional football team in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and play in Scottish League One. They were formed in 2002 as Airdrie United ...
in 1948 where he would go on to become a club legend.
[Greatest XI]
Airdrieonians FC He scored 102 goals in 249 league appearances over ten years for the club
in this spell, in the role of scheming inside-forward (a creative midfield position in today's football parlance).
[
McMillan was at Rangers from 1958 until 1964, making 127 league appearances] and 200 in all competitions, including the 1961 European Cup Winners' Cup Final
The 1961 European Cup Winners' Cup Final was an association football match contested between Fiorentina of Italy and Rangers of Scotland. It was the final match of the 1960–61 European Cup Winners' Cup and the first European Cup Winners' Cup fi ...
. The ''Gers'' lost out in that tie to Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as Fiorentina (), is an Italian professional football club based in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. The original team was founded by a merger in August 1926, while the actual club was refounded in August 2002 fo ...
, but his spell was otherwise very successful,[ featuring four Scottish League titles ( 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63 and 1963–64), three ]Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,[1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...](_blank)
, 1962
Events January
* January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand.
* January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism.
* January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...
and 1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...
), and two from the Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup (also known as the Viaplay Cup for sponsorship reasons) is a football competition open to all Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) clubs. First held in 1946–47, it is the oldest national League Cup in existen ...
(1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
and 1961
Events January
* January 3
** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015).
** Aero Flight 311 ...
). Despite his prominent role at a major club, he also continued to work in his other profession as a mining surveyor as he had done as a part-time player.[ He studied geology as a student at Edinburgh University.
He returned to Airdrieonians in 1964] where he would remain for a further two years, though affected by injuries.[
]
International
He was Cap (sport), capped six times by the Scotland national team between 1952 and 1961, scoring twice – both against the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in April 1952. McMillan was in Scotland's 22-man 1954 World Cup squad, but the SFA decided to take only 13 of the group to the finals, with McMillan staying at home on reserve with the likes of Bobby Combe
James Robert Combe (29 January 1924 – 19 January 1991) was a Scottish footballer, who played for Hibernian and was player/manager of Dumbarton for one season. He also represented Scotland and the Scottish Football League XI.
A schoolboy inter ...
and Jimmy Binning
James Binning (21 December 1922 – 1991) was a Scottish footballer who played for Arbroath and Dumfries side Queen of the South.
Career
From the season 1948–1949 until his departure, Binning scored six goals in his 84 league games for Arbro ...
(inside forward George Hamilton was also on reserve, but travelled after Bobby Johnstone
Robert Johnstone (7 September 1929 – 22 August 2001) was a Scottish footballer, who played for Selkirk, Hibernian, Manchester City, Oldham Athletic and Witton Albion. Johnstone also represented Scotland and the Scottish League.
Johnstone ...
withdrew through injury).
After playing
McMillan later managed Airdrieonians between 1970 and 1976, taking them to 1975 Scottish Cup Final. He is currently ''Honorary president'' of the current Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians Football Club is a Scottish professional football team in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and play in Scottish League One. They were formed in 2002 as Airdrie United ...
, a club that was formed as 'Airdrie United' after the original Airdrieonians went out of business in 2002.
He is the grandfather of modern-day player, Iain Russell
Iain Thomas Russell (born 14 November 1982) is a Former Scottish professional footballer who last played as a forward for Cowdenbeath, on loan from Pollok.
Russell came through the youth teams at Annan Athletic and Rangers before making a f ...
.
Career statistics
International appearances
International goals
Honours
*Scottish Football Hall of Fame
The Scottish Football Hall of Fame is located at the Scottish Football Museum. Nominations are made each year by fans and a committee selects the inductees. The first inductions to the Hall of Fame were in November 2004 in a ceremony at Hampden Par ...
inductee: 2018
References
External links
*
International stats
at Londonhearts.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:McMillan, Ian
Living people
1931 births
Scottish footballers
Scotland international footballers
Scottish football managers
Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) players
Rangers F.C. players
Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) managers
1954 FIFA World Cup players
Scotland B international footballers
Scottish Football League players
Scottish Football League representative players
Footballers from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire
Association football inside forwards
Scottish Football League managers
Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductees