Thomas "Tam" McKenzie was a Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 professional footballer

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 who spent most of his career with Heart of Midlothian

Heart of Midlothian F.C.

Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...

.

McKenzie was born in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

 and joined Hearts from Haddington Athletic

Haddington Athletic F.C.

Haddington Athletic F.C. are a Scottish junior football club based in Haddington, the county town of East Lothian.The club play in the SJFA East Region. For the 2011–12 season, the club will compete in the South Division in the third tier of the East league setup.Nicknamed the Hi-Hi, The club...

 in 1942 as a centre-half, having initially played as a centre forward

Striker

Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...

 as a juvenile with Pentland Rovers. After only one appearance for the Hearts team in the Wartime League, he left for Arakan

Rakhine State

Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...

, where he served in The Royal Scots

The Royal Scots

The Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland...

 during the Second World War.

McKenzie returned to Edinburgh at the war's conclusion and established himself in Hearts first team as a left back. Renowned for his strength and tackling skill, he enjoyed particular success in his personal battles against one of Scotland's most famous right wingers of the time, Hibernian

Hibernian F.C.

Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...

's Gordon Smith. Despite Hibs enjoying great success in the late 1940s and early 1950s, McKenzie's effective shackling of Smith ensured that Hearts enjoyed the upper hand in Derby

Edinburgh derby

The Edinburgh derby is an informal title given to any football match played between Scottish clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian , the two professional clubs based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The two clubs have a fierce rivalry that dates back to the clubs being founded in the mid-1870s, which...

 matches of the era.

McKenzie captained Hearts during the 1949-50 season

1949-50 in Scottish football

The 1949–50 season was the 53rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division A:Rangers won the league with a 2–2 draw in their last match, away to Third Lanark, a game in which Rangers took a 2–0 lead...

 and was part of the side which eventually ended their 48-year trophy drought by winning the 1954-55

1954-55 in Scottish football

The 1954–55 season was the 58th season of competitive football in Scotland.Aberdeen won their first League Title.-Scottish League Division A:Champions: Aberdeen...

 League Cup

Scottish League Cup

The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...

. He saw off the challenge of Jock Adie

Jock Adie

Jock Adie is a Scottish former footballer who played as a left-back. Adie began his career in the late 1940s with Heart of Midlothian, spending seven years with the Tynecastle side before moving back to Fife with East Fife...

 to retain his place in the side, and was the left-back when Hearts won the Scottish Cup

Scottish Cup

The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...

 in 1955-56

1955-56 in Scottish football

The 1955–56 season was the 59th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:Following league reconstruction League Division One was expanded from 16 to 18 teams with Airdrieonians and Dunfermline Athletic being promoted...

. He eventually lost his place in the side to the emerging George Thomson

George Thomson (footballer born 1936)

George Thomson is a Scottish former footballer, who played for Hearts, Everton and Brentford.- External links :*, Neil Brown...

 during the 1957-58 season

1957-58 in Scottish football

The 1957–58 season was the 61st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: HeartsRelegated: East Fife, Queen's Park-Scottish League Division Two:...

 but he made enough appearances to collect a winners medal, as Hearts won the League title

Scottish football champions

The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish Premier League thereafter....

 for the first time since 1897.

In 1959, McKenzie eventually left Hearts, moving south to Wisbech Town

Wisbech Town F.C.

Wisbech Town F.C. is an English football club currently based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at the Fenland Stadium.-History:...

 at the age of 36. He played one season with the Southern Football League

Southern Football League

The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...

 club before moving to March Town

March Town United F.C.

March Town United F.C. are an English football club based in March, Cambridgeshire. The club are currently members of Eastern Counties League Division One and play at the GER Sports Ground.-History:...

 as player-manager. He was still domiciled in England when he died in 1967, as the result of a car crash

Car accident

A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...

. His son David would later play League football with Meadowbank Thistle in the 1970s.

External links

• Appearances at londonhearts.com