McCORMACK John Cecil
One of the true post-war Oakwell Legends, Cecil McCormack didn’t stay long with the Reds, but made as big an impact as anyone in the clubs history
Cecil hailed from the North East and joined Gateshead as a 16 year old in 1938. After scoring 19 goals in 27 games in the 1946/47 he was transferred to Middlesbrough. At AyresomePark he notched 15 goals in 37 games but then signed for Non League Chelmsford for surprisingly higher wages. In August 1950 Barnsley manager Angus Seed tempted him back into league football and paid £7000 for his services. He made his debut against Southampton on the opening day of season in a 2-1 defeat for the Reds and didn’t look anything special. However, the McCormack magic appeared in game number two at HullCity, when he bagged a brace in a 3-3 draw and then repeated the act at Chesterfield two days later, netting both goals in a 2-1 win. A goal at Sheffield United in a 2-0 win gave him 7 goals in 5 games and Mac was flavour of the month.
The diminutive centre forward was getting better game by game; he was only average height but he had superb control, was quick and elusive, and all defences were finding him a handful. On September 9th LutonTown were the visitors and Sid Owen, later an England centre half, was completely demoralised as the Reds won 6-1. Cecil scored 5 times to equal the earlier feats of Frank Eaton, Peter Cunningham, and Beaumont Asquith and the Barnsley Chronicle described him as a “willo the wisp”, who had bewildered, baffled and bemused the Hatters. A few weeks later he scored a hat-trick against Grimsby which took his tally to 18 goals in 13 games and when he scored a brace against QPR in a 7-0 romp he created a record of scoring in 7 consecutive home games.
The second half of the season saw the goals dry up a little, but at the seasons end he had still recorded 34 goals in 38 games which still remains a club record. The start of the 1951/52 season saw him continue in a same vein, netting 9 goals in 13 games. However the club then received and accepted an offer of £20000 from NottsCounty and Mac was on his way to the Midlands. The fee was a record for Barnsley but the fans were not pleased, as once again the club had proved all too eager to sell an asset for cash. Only Brian Joicey’s 29 goals in 1976/77 has come close to challenging Cec’s record and his final tally of 43 goals in 51 games confirms McCormacks place in Oakwell history. At County he scored 35 goals in 82 games and later had a season in the Midland League with Kings Lynn before emigrating to Canada