JOHN DROVE DICK AROUND THE BEND . . . THROUGH THE CITY CENTRE AND UP THE VICKIE — WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM FRIENDS

Last week’s boxing story regarding Frank Hendry prompted former Lochee United goalkeeper Paul Gibb to get in touch.

“My grandad could give you a story not only on boxing but concerning the great Dick McTaggart,” he said.

“It really is a one-off tale.”

Paul’s grandad is John Gibb, and I spoke to John in his home in Landsdowne Square, Dundee.

John (87) worked for 33 years with Arnot’s Garage, before completing his working life as a mechanic with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

He said, “When Dick McTaggart came home from Melbourne in 1956 with his Olympic lightweight gold medal, I drove the car which took him from the train station to his parents’ home in Dens Road.

“It all came about when a Mr Thomson spoke to my boss John Arnot and asked him for a loan of a car and a driver to meet Dick when he arrived back in Dundee.

“The one he wanted was a pre-1930s Bullnose Morris Cowley, and Mr Arnot asked me to drive it.

“When I arrived at the old Dundee Taybridge rail station, there was a bit of a crowd there and, with Dick being in the RAF at the time, the RAF personnel were there with ribbons on a jeep and all their guys in ceremonial dress.

“I was told to switch off the engine when Dick got into the car, clutching his medal and the Val Barker Trophy, awarded to the most stylish boxer at the Olympics.

“Jock McVicar, a local boxer, appeared with two brand new ropes and tied them to the front of the car, and several boxers started to pull the open-topped car with Dick inside, and me steering.

“We were aiming for Dick’s parents’ house in Dens Road and the boxers pulled us up Union Street, along the High Street, up Commercial Street and Victoria Road, and ending in Dens Road.

“There were crowds all along the way, but more so at the house. There were that many people in the house that it must have had elastic walls.

“What disappointed me was that there were no city dignitaries to greet Dick. It seemed as if he was just being ignored. However, not from the Dundee public, who came out in great numbers to greet him.

“Dick was an unassuming chap, who would not blow his own trumpet, but I always felt he was treated very shabbily at the time from the Dundee council.

“I know that in later years they named a sports centre after him, but, after finishing with the RAF, he was forced into jobs such as putting up billboards and rat-catching.

“It was real travesty that Dundee couldn’t find a position for him. After all, he was an Olympic gold medallist.

“It wouldn’t happen nowadays, of course, as the council are very much sports-minded.

“At the time, NCR had a thriving boxing club and their coach Johnny Currans was due to retire.

“That would have been the perfect position for Dick, but they brought up another coach from England to fill the post.

“I was really very disappointed with that.

“Not long after Dick came home from Melbourne, he fought an exhibition bout against a Pole at the Caird Hall and put on a brilliant display.

“My earliest memories of Dick was going down to a gym in Dundee’s West Port, which was situated above Durkie’s bakery on the corner of Park Place.

“Dick and his brother Peter used to work out there and it was great watching them train.”

DUO’S TITLE DEEDS

At last they arrived . . . having been stuck in a Royal Mail sorting office in the “Big Smoke” during the recent postal strike.

I’m referring, of course, to the two new books which reflect on past glories of Dundee and Dundee United — concentrating on their title wins of 1961-62 and 1982-83 respectively, and their subsequent European Cup runs, both of which were halted dramatically at the semi-final stage by Italian giants AC Milan and AS Roma.

I’ve just scanned quickly through the review copies as I’ll give them a proper read over the next few weeks at the side of a pool when my wife Yvonne takes me to exotic climes to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary (and they said it would never last!).

“Dundee — Champions of Scotland 1961-62” and “Dundee United — Champions of Scotland 1982-83” (Desert Island Books), penned by Kenny Ross and Peter Rundo respectively, are comprehensive accounts of these great seasons.

At the back of the book are the scores, scorers, line-ups and comment from each game, which I found to be very interesting, indeed.

It’s highly unlikely, given the current set-up, that both clubs will ever celebrate a top-league title again, so memories like these are to be savoured and treasured.

Ideal for a Christmas present for the Blue Nose or Arab in your life — or, indeed, for yourself!