FRANNIE MUNRO AND THE VINCIES

Dundonian WILLIE COUPAR, now living abroad (he didn’t say where), confesses to having just discovered BwB after looking up the Tele on the world wide web.

“I left the city in the late 1960s and I remember the A. C. Little Cup,” he says.

“This was the top cup competition for primary schools in the city when I was a lad in the 1950s and 1960s attending St Vincent’s Primary School in Linlathen.

“At the time, it was a huge school — with probably over 1000 pupils — and had a crack football team run by Mr Tom Kirkwood.

“The team won the A. C. Little Cup three times in a row in 1960, 1961 and 1962. In the first final, played at Dundee United’s Tannadice Park, St Vincent’s saw off SS Peter and Paul.

“The following year, they won a very tight final against Fintry Primary at Craigie Park and, in 1962, beat Liff Road at North End Park.

“The 1960 final was played as a curtain-raiser to the final for the “big lads” — the much-coveted Dundee United Cup, played for by U/15 teams.

“The winners that day were Grove Academy — and they had a talented youngster called Peter Lorimer in their line-up.

“Just one player turned out in all three finals — a youngster called Francis Munro. Frannie went on to have an illustrious professional career at Dundee United, Aberdeen, Wolves and Celtic.

“He could have only been nine-years-old when he turned out in his first final and it was already clear to all that this was a boy with outstanding talent, dominating every match he played in. He scored a cracking goal at North End Park from the halfway line, powering the ball into the Liff Road net.

“I cannot remember the scorelines, but those were great seasons for the Vincies.

“As well as the A. C. Little Cup, they also won the First Division of the primary school league a couple of times.

“Further silverware included the Rock Cup and the Meikleham Cup.

“The Rock Cup was played for by the Catholic schools in the city and had been donated many years before by a local dignitary Peter Rock. It was a monster of a trophy, nearly as big as the wee lad sent forward to pick it up.

“The A. C. Little Cup was donated by A. C. Little, who had a ladies’ outfitters in the Nethergate between Crighton Street and Whitehall Street. The shop has long since gone and the cup itself went out of existence back in the 1960s.

“Instead, three new cup competitions were introduced, including one called the Linton Cup after our deputy head at St Vincent’s, who was very active in schools football at the time.

“Schools were graded by size to ensure that smaller schools were able to avoid being bulldozed out of the way by the big ones.

“Are the Rock Cup and Meikleham Cup competitions still in existence?

“If, like the A. C. Little Cup, they have fallen by the wayside, I wonder what happened to the actual trophies. They should be kept as a memory to some cracking footballers.”

Footnote: The Rock Cup is still in existence and, on Thursday, June 9, St Clement’s PS beat St Margaret’s 5-1 in the final at Elliot Road, Dundee.

The previous Monday, Ancrum Road PS beat Gowriehill PS 3-1 in the Linton Cup final at the same venue.

60TH BIRTHDAY AND OFF TO CANADA

Word reaches me from a couple of sources that former Lochee Harp stalwart (nay, legend) JIMMY ASHWOOD, who has featured regularly in this column — and as recently as last week — is soon to celebrate his “Big Six O”.

That happens this weekend and it will be celebrated initially by a small family gathering.

However, next week, his wife is whisking him off to Canada.

I have a couple of tales from Jimmy “in the can”, which will be used at a later date. However, he is a great supporter of this column, and I’ll share some wonderful words he wrote to me recently.

“If I have any complaints about BwB, it is that it is not big enough. You should be given more space.

“You always know a good column when you are thirsting to read more of the same and resigned to the fact that you have to wait until next week for more.”

Thank you, Jimmy — and happy birthday.

SHIPBUILDERS’ TREBLE

Reader WILLIAM GRIEVE (pictured below) sent in the top photo below — a team who had won three trophies in that particular season.

“This is one of the three teams which had connections with the DUNDEE SHIPYARD,” writes William.

“I first played for the team in the early 1940s.

“After the war, after demob from the forces, I took over as treasurer of the team.

“In the back row are committee members and ex-players.

“The season after we won this treble — the Angus AFA League, Fimister Cup and Challenge Cup — we won one of the cups again, and then the other cup the year after that.

“I am not sure, but I think that’s the second time they had won the League Shield.

“At the moment, that’s about all I can remember about the team.

“If I started to tell you all who were living and dead, I would give myself a fright.”

Back row (from left) — F. Hawkes, J. Tasker, J. Murray, A. Smith, N. Croen, L. Patterson, W. Taylor, W. Grieve, R. Whitton, J. Marshall.

Middle row — A. Smith, D. Low, L. Dryden, B. Wallace, R. McIntosh, G. Aimer.

Front row includes (with one name missing) — A. Campbell, J. McRae, G. Mackie, D. Campbell, E. Tasker, G. Whitton, R. Elder.

THE TEAM WERE VERY “PC”

Dundee’s ANN GUNNING sent in the photo placed at the foot of this column.

“I found this among old photographs belonging to my late uncle Pat O’Brien,” she said.

“Nobody in the family has a clue who it is, but the inscription on the ball is ‘PC League winners 1924-25’.

“Perhaps readers can shed some light.”