BOB THE BUILDER

Bob Blyth, a former teacher at Morgan Academy, contributed to the column several months ago with stories about the Dundee United Cup, played for by schools U/15 teams.

And Bob was also interested in the recent tale regarding the time over 7000 watched Jeanfield Swifts at The Bowl, in Perth (BwB, Oct 17).

“That was a good story on Jeanfield getting 7000 in Perth for that cup-tie,” opened Bob, who built up many fine teams at Morgan.

“But, you know, there were many crowds such as these in junior football around that time, especially in big Scottish Cup games.

“I signed for Jeanfield in 1947 from Carnoustie Juveniles, but remember seeing Swifts three years earlier in the final of the Laing Cup at Beechwood Park, Dundee. They beat Carnoustie Panmure 5-0 in the final, with all the goals coming in the first half. I also recollect that each side missed a penalty.

“There were 4700 spectators that Saturday afternoon (June 3, 1944), and the gate receipts were £120.

“Both teams were riddled with great players.

“The Jeanfield side was — McFarlane; Bremner, Allan, Fraser, Cranston, Kelly, Matthewson, Gardiner, Turnbull, Adamson, Mathieson.

“Carnoustie lined up — Todd; Smith, Sutherland, Condie, Woods, Murray, Toseland (who sometimes played under the name Johnstone for some reason), Ruse, McGregor, Easson, Spencer.

“Turnbull and Matthewson scored two goals each, with Fraser also scoring.

“Many players out of these teams went on to play for senior clubs, such as McFarlane (East Fife), Bremner (Liverpool), Kelly (Blackpool), Easson (Portsmouth) and others.”

Bob also commented on last week’s revelation that Ian Phillip joined Dundee from Carnoustie, despite never playing for the Gowfers.

“This was done as a safeguard for the players,” Bob continued, “During my time in charge of the Morgan Academy football team, John Duncan and Dave McNicoll joined Dundee under a Broughty Athletic form, and Ian McGowan signed for Montrose ‘from East Craigie’.

“This way, the players could be reinstated to juniors if they did not make the grade.”

JUST MAKES ME CROSS

In my time as a football manager in juniors and amateurs, one thing which really infuriated me was the inability of players to cross a ball into the box.

Far too many times the ball just does not get past the first marking defender.

In the past week, there has been two glaring examples of this.

Dundee played Kilmarnock at Dens last Saturday, and Rangers entertained Panathinaikos on Tuesday.

Both home sides had a lot of the ball, both had at least 80% of their crosses stopped by the first defender — and, ultimately, both lost their games!

David Beckham (and the late Davie Cooper) is a wonderful exponent of this art — his curving, whipped crosses making them a nightmare for defenders to deal with.

The last Dundee derby at Tannadice saw United pulverise the Dark Blues in the second half because they had a player (Jim Paterson) who could get the ball over into the danger area.

Also, remember Gary Neville’s magnificent curving cross for Alan Shearer to dive and head home for England against Scotland at Wembley in Euro 96?

It hurt a lot at the time, but you have to admire the move.

FINN AND RON IN SAME TEAM

Dougie Macdonald, of Fintry, Dundee, wants me to settle a pub argument.

“I’ve been arguing with several of my mates — all Arabs — about the time I saw Ron Yeats and Finn Dossing playing in the same Dundee United team,” said Dougie.

“They’ve vociferously pointed out to me that it was impossible for these two to play together as there was around five years of a gap between Yeats leaving Tannadice for Liverpool and Danish striker Dossing arriving.

“I know all that, but I’m sure they played in some sort of game together.

“Can you help?”

Indeed, I can, but they didn’t technically play for Dundee United together.

They played for the “Doug Smith Select” AGAINST United at Tannadice in August 1977 in a testimonial for the legendary United centre-half and captain, who went on to become a director and chairman with the club.

Our photo shows the “Doug Smith Select” in the dressing-room before the game.

Back row (from left) — Finn Dossing (ex-Dundee United), Dave Smith (Berwick Rangers), Willie Miller (Aberdeen), Mogens Berg (ex-Dundee United), Ron Yeats (ex-Dundee United and Liverpool), Doug Smith, Ally Donaldson (Dundee), Jimmy Briggs (ex-Dundee United), Roy Aitken (Celtic). Front — Dennis Gillespie (ex-Dundee United), Bobby Lennox (Celtic), Tommy McLean (Rangers), Lex Richardson (St Mirren), Andy Rolland (ex-Dundee United).

The Dundee United squad that night included: McAlpine; Williamson, Stewart, Smith, Rennie, Narey, Sturrock, Wallace, Dodds, Addison, Payne, Kirkwood.

United won 5-4 with goals from Kirkwood (2), Dodds, Payne and Wallace. The Select goals came from Dossing, Lennox, Smith (pen.) and Gillespie.