WE COULD’VE BEATEN BEST

A British football team which could have taken on the best in the world.

Now that’s something.

And, according to George A. Johnston, from Hertfordshire, we, at one time, had the players.

“Football these days has everybody attacking and, with the perfect playing surfaces, the easier ball (in that it never gets too heavy) and improving techniques, we are fast reaching the stage where you might not get the ball off the opposition until they’ve scored,” said George, who has often contributed to this column.

“Similarly, of course, they can’t get the ball off you until you’ve scored.

“I liked the old-fashioned football when not only were Scottish club teams composed of mainly Scottish players but also some had mainly defensive duties, while others concentrated most on attack.

“I especially enjoyed watching good defenders who used the ball well and who had the skill to dribble past the opposition when this was appropriate.

“The best club defence I ever saw comprised Bobby Brown, George Young, Jock Shaw, Ian McColl, Willie Woodburn and Sammy Cox.

“They (Rangers) weren’t my favourite team, but these guys were so good they could be put into the Scottish team en bloc.

“In fact, I don’t think they ever were, because the selectors thought Shaw was getting too old and Woodburn was ever-likely to blot his copy-book.

“Both the Rangers and Scotland moved George Young to centre-half when Woodburn got his sine die ban, but only the national side moved Sammy Cox to left-back where he was sensational.

“Dundee folk will remember Sammy playing left-half for Dundee from

1944-46 and the Dark Blues didn’t want him to leave.

“Indeed, the Rangers defence needed to be good at that time because Hibs had their wonderful forward line — the ‘Famous Five’ — and the Scottish defence had to be good because England, too, had their, arguably, best forward line-up of all time.

“If you added that defence to the following forward-line, then you would have a team.

“Bring on Hungary 1953 or Brazil 1970.

“Maybe it’s not far short of the best British XI. if we bring in John Charles, George Best and Jim Baxter.”

BAR FLOODED ON RAY’S VISIT

ELIZABETH PAUL, of Vorlich Avenue, Dundee, remembers when Sugar Ray Robinson came to Dundee’s Ellenbank Bar.

“George Kidd was my landlord and I lived above the pub,” she recalls. “I had not long had a baby boy and, a few days before Sugar Ray’s visit, I flooded the pub (well, my washing machine did).

“Downstairs, as you can imagine, they were in an uproar.

“I was in despair as I thought I might have to pay for the damage, or worse, be evicted.

“Thankfully, neither of these things transpired.

“In fact, I did have a grandstand view from my window, above the bar, of Sugar Ray coming out of his car and entering the premises.

“I longed to go downstairs and see him properly. Needless to say, I didn’t dare.”

GEORGE FUREY, of Fintry Road, Dundee, writes, “Re your recent article concerning Sugar Ray Robinson.

“I enclose a photo of the man himself, along with George Kidd, and including boxers ‘of yesterday’.

“The photo (which appeared in the BwB page in the Evening Telegraph) was taken outside the Ellenbank Bar in Alexander Street, Dundee, when he visited the city.”

STRACHAN IS THE ONLY PUNDIT TO TALK SENSE

TOM McGOVERN, of Manchester, was in Dundee recently attending his niece’s wedding.

“I was telling young Dundee fans at the wedding that, with a bit of luck, Dundee FC could have been Britain’s first European Cup winners.

“They were a superb team, who were robbed in Italy (against AC Milan).

“It is no fluke that Britain’s most successful managers have been Scots, and the only pundit who talks sense on TV is also a Scot — Gordon Strachan.

“The wee man was a great player and he took Southampton to the FA Cup Final two years ago on limited resources.

“I would have rated England’s chances in the last European Championships if they had Strachan as coach instead of Sven Goran Eriksson.

“Eriksson cost England success in Portugal. His tactics starved Michael Owen, one of the best young strikers in the game.

“After the early goal against Portugal, England resorted to tactics employed by Italy around 40 years ago, copying the game plan of Helenio Herrera with Inter Milan.

“Jock Stein then took apart the Italians with Celtic in the European Cup Final.

“Eriksson is paid a reputed £4 million a year to employ 40-year-old tactics.

“There was no comparing Eriksson to Portugal coach Scholari at last year’s Euro 2004 competition.

“Scholari had no hesitation in replace their top player Figo when he was having a bad game.

“Figo’s reputation meant nothing, but Eriksson still idolises Real Madrid’s David Beckham, who is over-rated and ineffective.”

BULLIONFIELD AMATEUR FC 1939-40

The photo (below) of BULLIONFIELD AFC was sent in by FRANK GLOAK, of Rosebank, Perth.

“Their home ground was at Bullionfield, Invergowrie,” revealed Frank.

“The team was named after, and sponsored by, Bullionfield Paper Mill. The same ground was used by Invergowrie Cricket Club for a few years.”

Players in the photo are: Back row (from left) — John Tosh (secretary), Jack Sellars, Jock Mitchell, George Sellars, Doug Peden, Gordon Ryden, Albert McNab, Ian Robbie.

Front row — Jim Soutar, Alex Edmonds, Alistair Soutar, Mr Chrighton (president), Frank Gloak, Ed Hughes, Harry Soutar.