McMullan passed on his knowledge to a raft of future All Whites in their younger years and his list a proteges reads like a who’s who of New Zealand football.
Among the names are David Chote, St Jacobs, Raf de Gregorio, Rupert Ryan, Leo Bertos, Shane Rufer, Mark Burton and Billy Harris.
But the most famous of all is Oceania Player of the Century Wynton Rufer, who met McMullan as a fresh-faced 14-year-old and credits him for laying the foundations for much of his success.
Rufer and co all learned from ‘Jim’s Bible’, a coaching manual that contained a collection of drills emphasising basic football techniques.
Former Miramar and Team Wellington striker Ryan, who played two matches for New Zealand in 1998, says McMullan had a massive influence on both his football and life when he was a young man growing up in Wellington.
“There was nothing he did not know about the game and the calibre of players that he produced is a testament to his ability to get the best out of people through his quiet way,” Ryan says.
“He never asked for anything for giving up his time to coach youngsters. He always made it very clear as well that he didn’t care about ability, it was only a person’s attitude towards the game that he was interested in.”
Ryan is now living in Australia and plays for Brisbane club Oxley United. He says his former mentor’s words of wisdom still ring true on a regular basis.
“I still hear Jim’s voice in my head when I play football now – ‘change the angle’, ‘drop the shoulder’. He always used to say that there’s only one place to put the ball when you’re in a good position and that’s in the back of the net.”
McMullan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1920 and ended up in New Zealand 30 years later, via England and a stint in the British army.
World War II broke out when he was 19 and he fought at El Alamein and Monte Cassino, two of the most significant battles of the war.
He arrived in Wellington in 1950 as an assisted immigrant and soon married war widow Dot Brotherway, who passed away in 1997.
He became interested in coaching when his stepson let in nine goals as a goalkeeper for Miramar in a junior match in the 1950s and began to attend every football coaching clinic in Wellington, from which he started developing his own unique techniques.
Wellington Phoenix and All Whites midfielder Bertos recalls one in particular. McMullan would make the youngster juggle the ball while he circled, demanding Bertos shout out how many fingers he had raised.
“That was preparing me for game situations – so I could see where team mates and opponents were even when I was trying to get the ball under control,” Bertos says.
“He introduced me to all the different skills, the fundamentals and how to express yourself. He emphasised practice so everything became automatic.”
McMullan did not take charge of teams, instead preferring to base himself at Miramar Park and making himself available to any young players keen to learn.
“Jim made a huge contribution to my brothers and I,” says Mark Chote, brother of ex-All White David.
“He would be on the corner of Miramar Park with his bag of balls, ready for anyone who wanted to listen and work hard – once he had finished his own ten laps of the ground of course. He was the first person to seek out in the clubrooms after the game for an honest view of individual and team performance.
“I know many players who are very grateful to Jim for the time he freely gave.”
McMullan’s funeral will be held at 1pm on Thursday at the Cockburn St Chapel in Kilbirnie.