Hibs legend Jimmy O’Rourke dies aged 76 as tributes pour in for Easter Road icon
HIBS have announced the passing of club legend Jimmy O’Rourke at the age of 76.
A former striker, O’Rourke was an integral part of the Hibees‘ legendary side of the 1970s under Eddie Turnbull.
SNSHibs legend O’Rourke has passed away[/caption]
Andrew Barr – The Sun GlasgowO’Rourke (left) pictured with ex-Hibs star Keith Wright[/caption]
Announcing his passing, the club said they were “devastated” by the news.
A boyhood Hibs supporter, O’Rourke burst into the club’s first team aged just 16 and 85 days in December 1962.
He held the record of being the Easter Road side’s youngest-ever player until 2004.
O’Rourke would score his first Hibs goal three days later against Dunfermline, becoming their youngest-ever goalscorer.
That’s one record that he does still maintain.
The goals continued to flow for O’Rourke and he went on to find the net 121 times in 325 appearances for the club, meaning he sits ninth in their all-time top scorers’ list.
A player who gave Hibs fans plenty of memorable moments, one of the major highlights was his winner in the 1972 League Cup Final.
His 66th minute effort turned out to be the goal that secured the trophy in a 2-1 win over Celtic in front of over 70,000 fans at Hampden.
At the time, it was Hibs’ first trophy success in two decades.
That was far from his only major moment of glory during his 12-year stint with the Leith club.
He’s also remembered for striking a stunning hat-trick against Sporting Lisbon in 1972.
And he was a man for the Edinburgh Derby occasion too, netting twice in a 7-0 thrashing of Hearts in January 1973.
He left Hibs in 1974 and went on to enjoy two-year spells at both St Johnstone and Motherwell, where he considered his excellent form as a goalscorer.
After his playing days came to an end, O’Rourke returned to Hibs in a coaching capacity, assisting the legendary Turnbull.
He service to the club certainly didn’t go unnoticed and he was inducted into the Hibernian Hall of Fame 2012.
Several Hibs fans paid tribute after the news broke.
One said: “RIP Jimmy, with the angels high above.”
Another said: “He was a lovely guy. Spoke to him a few times. RIP.”
A third said: “He would be worth millions in today’s game. RIP Jimmy.”
Invoking memories of the fans’ chant for their hero, Hibs closed their emotional statement by saying: “In his passing, Hibernian has lost one of its best-loved sons. Jimmy, Jimmy O’Rourke, everyone knows his name.
“To the angels high above.”
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