REFUSED GILLIE AND THE BEATLES IN THE SAME WEEK
DEREK ARMSTRONG, a member at the Carnoustie Caledonia Golf Club, wants details of Alan Gilzean’s career.
“As you have mentioned in BwB before, we are always having debates in the clubhouse about football,” said Derek.
“The latest is the career of Alan Gilzean.
“I’m a great Gillie fan and I would be grateful if you could outline his career, including games, goals for Dundee, Tottenham Hotspur and Scotland.”
After provisionally signing on at Dens Park from Coupar Angus Boys Club in 1956, Gilzean was farmed out to Violet (one game) and Coupar Angus Juniors.
He also served two years in the army and did not make his debut for Dundee’s first team until August 1959 against Motherwell in a home League Cup tie in front of 18,000.
Unfortunately, the Dark Blues went down 4-1 and it was several months before he was chosen again at top-team level.
His next game came in February 1960, and it was a 0-0 draw with Rangers at Ibrox (att. 20,000).
He was rarely out of the first-team scene from then until his transfer to Spurs in December 1964 for £72,500.
In all, he scored 165 goals in 185 league and cup appearances for the Dens Parkers, and netted an incredible 52 goals in his final full season at Dens (1963-64).
This 52-goal tally was made up of 33 League, eight League Cup, nine Scottish Cup and two Summer Cup.
With Tottenham, he started 429 games (10 as sub.), and netted 133 goals in all competitions during his White Hart Lane career.
Gilzean won his first cap for Scotland as a Dundee player against Wales in 1964, and netted the winner against England at Hampden the same year.
His 22nd and final cap came against Portugal in 1971.
He netted 14 times for his country.
Researching Gillie’s statistics reminded me of a great story, which has, as far as I know, not been put in print.
It was given to me some time ago by a colleague, who swears it is true.
A gentleman in Perthshire ran a local football team and was given the opportunity to sign a budding young schoolboy star.
However, he turned down the chance to fix-up this Coupar Angus youngster, citing that he thought he did not have what it takes to make the grade.
That youngster was Alan Gilzean.
History shows . . .
The same gentleman also helped to run dances at the local village hall to raise funds for his football team, booking various groups to provide the music, usually going down the accordion and piano route.
In the same week as he turned down young Gillie, as the tale goes, he was offered the chance from an agent to book “a new up-and-coming group from Liverpool” who were touring small venues in Scotland,
On hearing that they played only guitars and drums, he refused the booking as he didn’t think his patrons would like that particular type of music.
That group was The Beatles.
History shows . . .
Henceforth, this gentleman became legend for the fact that he refused Gillie AND The Beatles in the same week.
DEE WENT NAP AGAINST MAN.UTD.
Some members of the Dee Club, in Lochee, Dundee, have been involved in debates regarding Dundee FC.
NORRIE McCOULL wants to know the match details when Dundee played Manchester United in the 1950s.
Dundee beat Manchester United 5-1 at Dens Park in a friendly on Monday, April 9, 1956.
George Merchant scored a hat-trick for the Dark Blues, with Alan Cousin and O’Hara also netting for the home side. Webster scored for Man. U.
Bobby Charlton made his debut for the Red Devils, who had just clinched the English championship the previous Saturday.
Dundee — Brown; Gray, Irvine; Black, Stevenson, Cowie; Stables, Cousin, Merchant, O’Hara, Ritchie.
Manchester United — Wood (Whelan); Greaves, Kennedy; Goodwin, Jones, McGuinness; Berry, Viollet, Webster, Charlton, Pegg.
Fellow-club member JOHN BROWN (no relation) has a more obscure query. He’d like confirmation that in Dundee’s first 12 years in existence (1893-1905) they didn’t have any players sent off.
We don’t have files which list that type of statistic, but, if any reader can assist, get in touch.
NEW ZEALAND CAP ALAN BOATH
SCOTT PORTEOUS, of Broughty Ferry, Dundee, was interested to see the Sporting Club photo (BwB, Dec. 24).
“There was a player around that time called Alan Boath, and he went on to sign for Dundee United,” recalled Scott.
“Is he the same player who went on to play for New Zealand?”
I put this query to ex-Dundee United, Rangers, Aberdeen and Scotland striker DAVIE DODDS, who played alongside Boath as a youngster.
“I played alongside Alan at Celtic Boys and Dundee United,” said Davie, now mine host of the Angus Lounge/Rendezvous in Union Street, Dundee.
“Sporting Club came about when several players and committee broke away from Celtic Boys. Alan never played for Sporting, but he was at Dundee United with me, although he never played in the first team.
“Yes, it’s the same player who played for New Zealand. He was brought up with me in Dundee, so I know he wasn’t born in New Zealand, so he must have qualified after a period of residency.”
Alan Boath actually played against Scotland in the World Cup Finals in Spain in 1982. Scotland won the match 5-2 and his former Tannadice team-mate Dave Narey came on for Gordon Strachan in that game.
His manager at Tannadice Jim McLean was No. 2 to Jock Stein at these finals.
MICKY BOYLE BENEFIT
Friends, family, colleagues and former team-mates of Micky Boyle have arranged a benefit night in his memory.
The well-known former Dundee junior footballer, who served Downfield for many years as a player and was a league-winning manager with Lochee United, died last year of cancer.
On Saturday, February 26, The Marquee, Constable Street, Dundee, will host a disco evening, with proceeds going to the purchase of a bench (“Micky’s bit wid”) in the Ninewells grounds, just off the Ward 32 dayroom. Surplus funds will go to cancer research.
Tickets are on sale at The Marquee.
ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL FOOTBALLERS 1928-29
DAVE TAYLOR, OF Foggyley Gardens, Dundee, came across this photo (below) of a ST JOSEPH’S school football team.
“I found this photo while cleaning out my parents’ house recently,” said Dave.
“It’s the St Joseph’s team of 1928-29.
“I don’t know too much about the photo other than the team had just won three cups in a nine-day spell, and that the captain holding the ball is my uncle John McCann.”
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