Legendary Hibs striker Jimmy O'Rourke has died at the age of 76, the Easter Road club have announced.
Hibs shared the sad news on Tuesday morning, offering up tributes to the former player, who was a key component in the famous Hibs side of the 1970s dubbed "Turnbull's Tornadoes".
“Everyone at Hibernian Football Club is devastated at the loss of Jimmy, a true Hibs man and an icon of Easter Road,” Hibernian FC said in an announcement.
Jimmy O'Rourke began playing for the team in 1962 when he was just 16-years-old. He held the record for the club’s youngest ever player until 2004.
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Born in Edinburgh in 1946, Jimmy was born and raised a ‘Hibee.’ He signed with the team straight out of school in 1962 at just 16-years-old.
Just three days after his Hibs FC debut, he claimed another record while playing against Dunfermline. The young Jimmy ‘found the net’ and became the Hib’s youngest ever goal scorer, which is a record he still holds.
O'Rourke was also a key player in the club's famous Turnbull’s Tornadoes side of the 1970s.
“During his 12 years at Easter Road, O’Rourke was a pivotal player in one of the Club’s greatest-ever teams. He scored the crucial second goal in our 1972 League Cup Final victory over Celtic – the Club’s first major silverware in 20 years. A man for the big occasion, he also scored twice in our Drybrough Cup Final win over the same opponents earlier that same year,” Hibs FC said.
“Many Hibees will remember him most fondly for his hat-trick in our European victory over Sporting Lisbon, again in 1972, or his brace in our famous 7-0 Edinburgh Derby win on New Year’s Day, 1973.”
The Hibs striker was transferred to St Johnstone in 1974, and he later played for Motherwell before returning to Hibernian FC as an assistant coach to Eddie Turnbull.
In 2012, he was inducted into the Hibernian Hall of Fame, joining his old teammate and dear childhood friend, Pat Stanton.
Jimmy O’Rourke was surrounded by his family when he died in Edinburgh on Tuesday.
“In his passing, Hibernian has lost one of its best-loved sons,” Hibernian FC said.
“Everyone knows his name.”
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