Former manager of Scotland who ironically declared himself ‘a winner’

Ally MacLeod, who died on 1 February, 2004, at the age of 72, was the former football manager of Scotland and Aberdeen.

Mr MacLeod led Scotland into the world cup finals in 1978, boldly claiming that the team would "bring back a medal" from Argentina. This boast came back to haunt him when Scotland were eliminated in the first round.

This was a huge disappointment for Mr MacLeod, who was devoted to Scottish football, and he was widely ridiculed following the failure. For a man who had introduced himself to the team by stating "My name is Ally MacLeod and I am a winner", such a high profile failure was difficult to forget.

In time his contribution to the game north of the border was realised, with the Tartan Army presenting him with a crystal decanter in appreciation of his services to both the national team and to Scottish football in general months before his death.

Alistair Reid MacLeod was born on 26 February, 1931, in Glasgow, Scotland. A talented left winger, he started his playing career at Third Lanark in 1947 and made his first team debut against Stirling Albion at Cathkin Park on November 6, 1949.

A spell in the Royal Scots followed as part of his national service, before he was transferred to St Mirren in 1956. He did not settle though, and six weeks later left the club to play in England with Blackburn Rovers.

Whilst at Blackburn he was named man of the match in the 1960 FA cup final, though it was a game the team lost 3-0. After a promised wage increase did not arrive he moved back to Scotland in 1961 when he signed for Hibernian.

Mr MacLeod ended his playing career at Ayr United in 1965, but continued his association with the club when he was named coach, before taking over as manager in 1966.

After guiding Ayr to promotion to the First Division in 1969, he took the club to within a whisker of both the Scottish league Cup final in 1970 and the Scottish FA cup final in 1973. He was also named Ayr's 'Citizen of the Year' just a few months later.

In 1975 he took the position of manager of Aberdeen, and won his first major honour the following season when the club beat Celtic 2-1 to claim the Scottish League cup.

This success brought him to the attention of the Scottish Football Association, who were looking for a new manager to guide the team to the 1978 world cup finals in Argentina.

Mr MacLeod was made manager in 1977 and proceeded to unite the nation behind the team, daring Scotland to think that they stood a fine chance of claiming the trophy. It is this level of expectation that made Mr MacLeod the villain of the piece in the months following the tournament.

A defeat to Peru and a draw with Iran meant that Scotland were knocked and to compound matters, midfielder Willie Johnston was infamously sent home after failing a drugs test. Although the team rallied to beat eventual runners-up, Holland, this did little to alter feeling back home and Mr MacLeod was duly made a scapegoat by the nation.

Upon returning home he reverted to club management, taking jobs at Motherwell , Airdrie , Queen of the South and Ayr United. In time he was forgiven for the world cup failings, though his involvement in the doomed campaign was never forgotten.

Mr MacLeod died peacefully at home in Ayrshire. He had suffered from Alzheimer's disease for a number of years. He was survived by his wife Faye and two sons.