GORDON’S IMPERIAL APPROACH
GORDON DEUCHARS, who does such sterling work as “El Supremo” of the well-known Douglas Lads Club in Dundee, harks back to the start of the Dundee Sunday Welfare League.
In particular, he highlights his own team at the time, Yorkshire Imperial Metals (YIM).
Indeed, Gordon points out that the early days of Douglas LC were funded mainly by raffles sold in the Dundee factory.
“YIM were one of the teams which started the Dundee Sunday Welfare League,” explains Gordon.
“We were a works team who could play only on a Sunday as most of us worked overtime on Saturdays.
“I remember eight teams playing in the initial league and I’m sure D. C. Thomson supplied three of them. Others were teams called Metal Box (Arbroath), Timex and NCR. One of the DCT sides, Kingsway, ran for years under the management of the late Jim Morrison.
“Some of the players included Billy “Tambo” Thomson, Davie McKenzie, Tam Skelly, Tam Burns (who was also a good singer) and Kenny Jones (father of the well-known junior footballer).
“My brother-in-law Tam Pennie, who supplied the photo (foot of column), approached the company in season 1968/69 and asked them to sponsor the team. Tam (pictured far left in the front row), now lives in Gonobie in South Africa.”
“We played until around 1973, when redundancies started and, obviously, players came and went because of this.”
A MAN AMONGST LADDIES
STUART OGILVIE, of Holly Road, Broughty Ferry, wonders if BwB readers can help regarding the career and whereabouts of Melville Neil, the son of George Neil (who was a famous Hawkhill Harrier for about 30 years).
“Melville and I both played for the Clepington Primary School team in season 1948/49 when aged just nine,” he said.
“Melville was a ‘Wayne Rooney strong man’ amongst boys and he told me there and then he would play for Scotland.
“He did, too.
“He played for the U/15 Scottish team at Wembley aged 14, then he captained them again when he was 15 years old at either Hampden or Wembley in front of a 60,000 crowd.
“He was snapped up by Preston North End (scouted by Jimmy Scott, father of your own Ronnie Scott of Sunday Post fame) at the age of 14 or 15.
“Melville came from Wolseley Street (off Dundonald Street) and was a mixture of Soapy Soutar and Wayne Rooney. He was 5 ft. 9 in. and weighed 11 st. at age 13-14 and he used to score around five goals per game for Stobswell Secondary School U/14 and U/15 teams.
“His shots used to sail over the head of the puny wee goalies. It wisnae fair at all!
“Melville was a man amongst laddies and I have often wondered if he had a successful senior football career in England or that the other players all caught up.
“Frank Mackay, a fellow-member of my golf club, told me he had also signed for Preston, but was a bit younger than Melville.
“Melville was really quite famous as a boy in Dundee and I feel sure that some of your readers or older players (or, indeed, Melville’s family) may be able to add some meat to the bones of my 55-year-old query.
“That’s how long ago it was when we parted to go to the big ‘skale’ — he to Stobbie and me to Morgan.”
SEVERAL CORONATION CUPS
Regular contributor ANDY WALKER, of Lochee, Dundee, reckons he can help Jim McCafferty with details of the Coronation Cup.
“There were several ‘Coronation Cups’ in 1953,” said Andy.
“Every association, such as amateurs, juveniles, juniors and seniors, had their own version of the competition.
“Lochee Hibs won the cup in 1953. The local juvenile association then decided to play for it annually, changing the name of the competition.
“Lochee Hibs felt it should have remained a one-off competition, and refused to take part in subsequent seasons.”
“WONDERFUL” RENTON
PETER QUINN, of Birkhill, gives 1965 as the year Lochee Renton won the Scottish Cup for the first time.
Our piece last week on Renton gave a vague 1960s.
“That team group in last week’s BwB was a wonderful Renton side,” he remarked.
“From 1964 to 1967 inclusive, Dundee teams contested the Scottish Juvenile Cup Final.
“Renton lost in the final in 1964 to Roseberry Juveniles from Glasgow,” he said.
“They won it the following year when they beat ASC (Arbroath) in the final. I think they chalked up a 10-6 aggregate score in that one.
“Maryfield United beat Renton the following season when they were drawn together in the first round. The trophy stayed in Dundee, though, as Maryfield went on to win the cup.
“However, 1967 saw Renton win the national trophy for the second time when they defeated Rutherglen Glencairn.”
ALLAN HAS THE MEDAL
Dundee readers ALLAN COOPER, ROBERT BARCLAY and FRANK FAGAN were all tickled to see relatives in the Dundee Celtic photo of the 1920s featured in BwB on June 24.
“I’ve actually got my grandfather’s medal from that year,” said Allan Cooper, well-known locally in his playing days with Windsor, Auchterhouse and Glendale.
“He played for that team and it’s a solid gold medal from the 1921 Consolation Cup.”
DENS ROAD PHOTO
DENNIS CRABB, of Dundee, is looking for a photo of Dens Road Primary School football team, “The one from around the year 1967 or 68,” he said.
“I played for the team in the Cameron Cup Final at North End Park, beating Balerno PS 4-3.
“I have been looking for quite some time and can’t find a copy. Maybe you or some BwB reader can help.”
CABALLERO FOR UNITED?
Football manager’s office desks are usually awash with faxes and letters from agents offering the services of their clients.
So, you can imagine my eyes popping out of my head when, sitting in Gordon Chisholm’s office at Tannadice last week, I noticed the name Fabien Caballero being “offered” to Dundee United.
However, as it turned out, this particular “Fabien” is not the “Fabian” so revered at Dens in recent years.
This near-namesake is currently a goalkeeper with Lyon.
However, the offer was politely declined by the United gaffer.
CUP “RAMMY’’
Eddie Duguid featured in the Lochee Harp photo (June 3) — and this prompted him to write from Australia to BwB.
“I saw the photo of Harp with all the long-haired ‘yobs’ and have to admit to being one of them,” he said.
“I’m scared to show my son the photo as his hair is as long as mine was, and I keep telling him to get a haircut.
“However, there’s not much of mine left after 23 years in Oz.
“I was also interested in the story a couple of months ago about a referee allegedly being assaulted in a North End v. Elmwood match.
“It reminded me of the year prior to joining Harp, when I was playing for Elmwood against Downfield in a cup game. It went to penalties and the legendary Junior Buchanan took one with a cigarette in his mouth and a big ‘rammy’ occurred.
“The referee was locked in his changing-room for his own safety, but, unfortunately, the Elmwood official forgot to let him out before locking up the ground. Elmwood got into a lot of trouble from the SFA about that.
“I look forward to reading your column every week and seeing old names mentioned.
“Pass on my regards to the Kelly family at Harp.”
BE PATIENT . . .
Once again, I have to ask BwB contributors to be patient.
The volume of contributions from readers has been immense and it may take a number of weeks before we get around to publishing YOUR particular piece.
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