BETTER THAN BRAKKIN’ WINDIES

Old Shed Boy's comments (BwB, May 27) about Dundee United Supporters’ Club boys teams’ clubrooms at the old Wellgate, prompted regular correspondent P. A., of Angus, to write.

Old Shed Boy wrote, ‘They were in a really old tenement and it was quite spooky going along the dark lane then up a few flights of gas-lit stairs. It was like something out of Dickens’.

P.A. commented, “I have vivid memories of similar clubrooms — that of the Dundee Amateur Boxing Club’s gym in Dudhope Castle in the early 1960s.

“I was a member there and trained with the boxers, although I never fought competitively.

“To get to the gym, you had to clamber up a seemingly-endless series of steps on a pitch-black spiral staircase, feeling the wall for guidance all the way.

“Somewhere off in the stygian gloom could be heard the bell-like notes of the St Margaret’s Silver Band at rehearsal. You see, chambers of the grim old castle were the HQs of a variety of organisations.

“The DABC was a grand club. The leading official, I think, was Jimmy Gill, while the redoubtable Jimmy Isard presided over the training with a rod of iron, but always with a twinkle in the eye.

“His son Jimmy, Jun., was a first-class lightweight who boxed for Scotland. Another internationalist was Ally Nicol, a powerful middleweight from Birkhill, who was a blacksmith with Dundee Corporation Transport.

“The gym’s facilities were Spartan to say the least. The ablutions consisted of a marble sink of scalding water from an old-fashioned burner — and a single shower from which shot the coldest water this side of the North Pole.

“Isard, Sen., insisted you had to take the frigid deluge ‘to close the pores’.

“I recall one night Jim stood guard at the shower door with his right fist enclosed in one of those huge, pillow gloves and he would threaten to wallop any boxer who tried to make an early exit from the freezing downpour.

“Jimmy Isard’s motto for boxing training was, ‘It’s better than brakkin’ windies’.

“Ah, happy days.”

My own encounter with Jimmy Isard, Sen., had nothing to do with boxing or sport as, in the early 1970s, I went out with his daughter Alfreda, having met her at a Love Affair concert in the city.

Jimmy and his wife and family always made me very welcome at their Downfield home — and I’ve come across them only very briefly since.

PS — For those not up on the 60s/70s pop scene, Love Affair, with lead singer Steve Ellis, were a top group at the time with one big hit, in particular, called Everlasting Love.

GUSSIE PARK BOXING

This column’s friend ANDY WALKER, of Lochee, posts the query, “When did the boxing booths at the Gussie Park carnival cease to exist?”

I’m sure some readers will be able to assist.

DENS JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL

BERNARD ROBERTSON, of Turriff Street, Dundee, seeks a photo and information of the Scotland v. Ireland junior international match played at Dens Park around 1956.

“Scotland won that game 4-1,” said Bernard.

“On a recent visit to Dublin, I met a member of the Irish team called Tom Moran. He was very interested when I told him about your page and said he would be pleased to read any information you can find.

“Scotland were the only team to beat Ireland on that tour.”

TAXI CONNECTION

NAN McLEISH, of Hilltown, Dundee, recognised her grandfather William Inglis in the Dundee Celtic photo (BwB, June 24).

"He had a brother called Alan who played at the same time," she recalled.

"I remember him saying many times he was the first non-Catholic to sign for Lochee Harp. Alan's son was also named Alan and he played, too.

"The younger Alan was well known as a local taxi driver and former director of Tele-Taxis."

Indeed, Alan, a former Dundee councillor, is the father of my buddy Dougie, who is now also a director with the Balgray Street-based taxi firm.

RENTON RULED THE ROOST

NED CLARK reverts back to the March 18 article about Westgrove Albion.

“My brother Peter Clark (listed as ‘unknown’ in that picture) and Eddie McAuley both previously won two Scottish Juvenile Cup winners’ medals from their days with Lochee Renton in the 1960s.

“Peter went on to win further honours with another great side, Fairfield.

“The trophies in the 1960s Lochee Renton photo (top of the two at the foot of this column) are (from left) — D&D Challenge Cup, Scottish Juvenile Cup, Kelty Challenge Shield, Forfarshire Cup, Samuel Cup, JM Trophy runners-up.

Back row (from left) — Jack Pacione, Billy Barrie, Billy McKenzie, Brian Duggan, Pat Higgins, Billy Black, Brian Kelly. Middle row — Tam Kelly, Herbie Armstrong, John O’Brien, George Dixon, Jim Sutherland, Frank Thompson, Tommy Carroll. Front row — Peter Clark, Eddie Thoms, Jim Callaghan, Eddie McAuley, Jimmy Jack.

Following that BwB piece, former Gillburn Rangers player PETER REILLY got in touch with old friend Willie MacDonald, a player with Westgrove.

“Willie reminded me that Westgrove Albion beat Gillburn Rangers 2-1 in what turned out to be a League decider in the mid-1960s, possibly 1965-66,” said Peter.

“Willie also recalled that Gillburn had a perfectly good goal disallowed when a Tam Stewart rocket hit the underside of the crossbar and came down well over the goalline. However, the referee disallowed the goal.

“Both Westgrove and Gillburn were well-matched teams. It would have been nice to have drawn that particular game so we could have had a replay.”

MEADOWSIDE CORINTHIANS

BRUCE RALSTON, of Broughty Ferry, Dundee, a former match secretary with the Midlands AFA, sends in this photo (bottom of the two below) from the old D. C. Thomson Tuesday night inter-departmental league of the 1960s.

It's of the Meadowside Corinthians, who, Bruce reckons, won the Meadowbank Trophy in the mid-1960s.

In addition to Bruce, it features other contributors to BwB over the years such as Ian Foggie and Alan Thirde.

Back (from left) — Ian Foggie, Tom Stewart, Bill Hannah, Bill Grant, Bruce Ralston, Alan Thirde.

Front — Murray Knight, Andy Campbell, Ally Arnott, Willie Christie, Doug McLaren.