Leading Scottish ice hockey player

Born: July 31, 1929;

Died: April 15, 2017

JOHNNY Carlyle, who has died aged 87, was a leading Scottish and British ice hockey player and coach whose career spanned almost three decades.

Noted for his rugged style of play, he was considered the best British-born defenceman of the era. Having made his reputation with local club Falkirk Lions, he went on to play for Great Britain in the World Championships of 1951 and 1952 and was player/coach in the 1961 tournament, winning a silver medal. He also played for top British clubs Harringay Racers, Nottingham Panthers and Brighton Tigers before returning north.

At a time when the sport was dominated by imported Canadian players, Carlyle distinguished himself by being selected three times for the All Stars teams, composed of the season’s best players in Britain, and was nominated as their coach on six occasions. He was also coach to the British team in the 1971 and 1973 World Championships and in 1988 was inducted into British Ice Hockey’s Hall of Fame.

His interest in the sport was fired when he saw a game at Falkirk Ice Rink between Canadian Forces teams near the end of the war when, in exchange for free admission, he marked the score. He bought a second hand pair of skates from a friend for 30/- and began playing for Falkirk Cubs when Canadian player/coach Nelson McCuaig changed him from a right hand shot to left hand, a pivotal moment in his early career.

He made his debut for the senior team, the Lions, on November 13, 1946 aged 17 in a home defeat to Paisley Pirates. Following national service with the Argylls, spent mostly in Trieste, he rejoined the Lions for whom he played until 1955, making 297 appearances in total and winning three national titles, as well as earning nine Scottish caps.

This was a golden era of the sport when up to 4,000 fans would pack into Falkirk Ice Rink to watch keenly fought encounters against rivals such as Dundee Tigers, Fife Flyers, Ayr Raiders and the Pirates. The presence of Canadian players such as ‘Happy’ Finch and McCuaig made it difficult for young Scottish players to make a breakthrough and Carlyle recalled fights during training at Falkirk, fuelled by the Canadians’ fear of losing their place in the team to Scottish rivals.

As a Lion, Carlyle was selected to play for Great Britain in the World Championships in 1951 and ’52, in London and Paris respectively. In 1951 the team placed fourth after a narrow defeat by the USA whom they had previously beaten in an exhibition match with Carlyle scoring. The next year, with him moved from forward to defenceman, they finished fifth.

Moving to Harringay Racers in 1956 represented a big step up for him, one which initially he doubted he could do, commenting at the time that he wouldn’t bother unpacking his bags. It was a much bigger club playing at British level in their 9,000-capacity Arena. However, he enjoyed considerable success, becoming their first British-born captain in his second season there after coach Bill Glennie worked with him on improving his puck firing, a weakness in his game.

He captained them to two draws against the mighty USSR team in 1957, the first at home and the other in Moscow. As at that time the Moscow State Circus used to come over to occupy their Arena for about eight weeks, the Racers would go on tour to Europe playing matches in Czechoslovakia, USSR, Sweden, Norway, Poland,

Germany, Belgium and Holland. The team with which they drew 2-2 to an enthusiastic ovation in Moscow’s Lenin Stadium finished second in the 1958 World Championships.

After Harringay, Carlyle played briefly for Edinburgh Royals and Nottingham Panthers before joining Brighton Tigers where he thoroughly enjoyed three seasons, latterly as player/coach. In 1961 he guided the undefeated British team to a silver medal in Pool ‘B’ of the World Championships in Switzerland, runners-up to Norway on goal difference, after which he became coach to Murrayfield Racers until retiring in 1973.

Born John Cumming Carlyle in Baxter’s Wynd, Falkirk, in 1929, he was the only son of Robert, a painter, and Evelyn and was later brought up in the town’s Merchiston Avenue. His paternal grandparents had emigrated to Scotland from Pennsylvannia to work in the mines. He attended Comely Park primary school before going on to Falkirk Technical College.

As a youngster he showed promise as a swimmer but his sporting future lay in ice hockey. On June 3, 1955 he married a Bo’ness girl Johan Hay whom he had met at a local dance. The couple enjoyed almost 62 years together and had a son Garry.

When his hockey career finished, Carlyle worked as sales supervisor in Glasgow for a period before opening two fruit shops and a café in Falkirk. He maintained his interest in ice hockey though as a spectator and occasional hospitality host at Murrayfield.

A resolute competitor, he was highly valued by teammates and players he coached and was described as very much a hockey player’s hockey player. His direct manner belied a sociable individual who enjoyed a party.

He is survived by his wife, son, daughter in law Rosemary and grandsons Dylan, Ryan and Harry.

JACK DAVIDSON