GABRIEL HONOURED BY PELE

Ex-pat Martin Allan, of Vancouver, paid tribute to one of Dundee's famous sons - Jimmy Gabriel.

"Jimmy should take great credit for the current success the United States national team is enjoying," said Martin, who spoke to me recently when he was back in Scotland on holiday.

"When Jimmy was coaching at Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes, he spent a great deal of time teaching the local youngsters how to play the game.

"Many of the American teams at that time had foreign coaches, who had brought in many foreign players and they didn't show much interest in the home-grown lads.

"However, Jimmy realised he was there to help players, wherever they had came from, and that's exactly what he did.

"He was a very unassuming guy and I remember meeting him at a Downfield bus stop back in the early 60s and telling him I was emigrating to Canada.

"He said 'that's fantastic' and was genuinely excited for me. That's something I'll never forget, because he had just signed for Everton from Dundee for what I believe was then a record Scottish transfer fee.

"That says everything about Jimmy, because, although he was undoubtedly one of the game's stars at the time, it was still 'only a gemme o' fitba' to him."

Martin, who describes Jimmy as a "true gentleman" and "very well educated" has closely followed Jimmy's career since that Downfield meeting, and now regards him as a great friend.

"After Everton, he skippered Southampton, then went to Bournemouth," said Martin, who, during his recent holiday, stayed with Brian and Valerie Paterson in Westtown, near Errol.

"It was at Bournemouth he met John Best, who invited him over to America. From 1974-77, he captained and coached (assistant) Seattle Sounders in the NASL, and was also head coach from 1978.

"During that spell, they lost to the mega-rich and multi-starred New York Cosmos in the final in Portland, Oregon."

Martin also revealed he has the ball from that game.

He continued, "After the match, the great Brazilian Pele, who was in the Cosmos team, came into the Seattle dressing-room and handed Jimmy the ball. Jimmy said he had already signed it, but Pele said, 'The ball is for you as you are one of the best things to happen to this league'.

"In the early 1980s, he coached San Jose Earthquakes, who were owned then by the Yugoslavian millionaire Milan Mandaric, who now owns Portsmouth in the English Premiership.

"On returning to Britain in 1986, he spent three years as coach to Bournemouth, before going back to Goodison Park with Everton, where he stayed for seven years. He was actually interim manager when Howard Kendall was fired.

"His three daughters still lived in America and, despite being offered a great contract by Everton to continue his work there, a family illness dictated he returned to the USA in 1997.

"By that time, the NASL was no more, but he was appointed head coach of the University of Washington teams, and won two league titles each with both men's and women's sides. During his five years there, he also doubled up as national team coach of the USA U/16 side - and six players under him then are now in national team boss Bruce Arena's full squad for the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany."

Martin, who was brought up in the Clepington Road area of Dundee, and attended Morgan Academy, continued, "In 2002, he returned to Seattle where he stayed until retiring at the age of 65 this year.

"He won the United Soccer League Final, beating Richmond in the final in front of 18,000 spectators.

"Such is the high esteem in which he is held in Seattle, Paul Allan, who is a partner of Bill Gates in Microsoft, insisted the final was played at the impressive Seahawks Stadium, commenting it was fitting for Jimmy to lead a team in such an arena.

"Jimmy was back in Britain just recently to celebrate an anniversary of Everton beating Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup Final in the 1960s."

Martin left Dundee for Canada in 1962 and is still involved in football, coaching his local fire brigade footballers. Martin also stays in regular contact with Jimmy, who is based in Seattle.

PRIVILEGED TO BE WITH BOB

Manchester’s Dundee ex-pat TOM McGOVERN continues the boxing theme, with, of course, a Dundee connection.

“Floyd Patterson was not the first world champion to visit the city,” informs Tom, a regular contributor to the colum.

“Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, was made a Freemason in Dundee.

“He said at the time that Dundee had honoured him more than his homeland, America.

“The toughest bloodiest battle fought in a British ring was said to be between two Scots — Dundonian Bobby Boland and Glaswegian Peter Keenan.

“Jim Brady fought Benny Lynch on several occasions. Brady was a clever boxer, though, and Lynch could never knock him out.

“The boxing scene in Dundee was lively and entertaining.

“Apart from the club scene, that great servant to local football Bob Griffin ran boxing shows in the NCR canteen.

“Bob was — and still is — a great man on the sporting scene in Dundee.

“He went on to become president of the NCR football team which won the Scottish Amateur Cup at Hampden Park in 1966.

“He still helps to run the NCR football team in the Midlands AFA.”

Indeed, he does.

I popped into East End Park just a couple of Saturdays ago when the Cash were playing, and Bob, as ever, was on the home touchline.

However, Tom, now 71, continues, “I was privileged to be involved with Bob at NCR.

“I played for the team after I left the RAF in 1957, then served on the committee with Bob.

“The chairman of NCR, Nelson Carne, was a great football fan, and supported both of our teams regularly.

“We dominated the Midlands Amateurs for many years.

“These were happy days for me, but I left Dundee in 1971 when work became impossible to find.

“I joined a large Dundee contingent in Burnley, Lancs.

“Bobby Seith, a star of the Dundee FC team which won the league in 1961-62 and went to the European Cup semi-finals the following year, is remembered fondly as he played for Burnley at Turf Moor.

“My two grandsons were also in Burnley’s youth squad.

“Dundee folk got on well in Burnley as we identified with local working people.

“Their main product was cotton, while ours was jute, but the trades and skills were more or less the same.”

Not just for men!

TOM CAIRNS, chairman of the Dundee United Business Club, enjoyed the recent photo of Butterburn Youth Club (Nov. 11).

“As you said, BILL GREIG and JIM HOWIE, who featured in the photo, are part of our club and are, indeed, hard-working members. However, you, and many others, refer to us as a ‘man’s’ club. This is not the case as we have several lady members and are actively looking for more.

“Although we are stuck with the title of ‘Business Club’, we have members employed in many different jobs and are looking for more members to assist us in fund-raising and generally helping out Dundee United as required.”

Any interested Arabs should get in touch with Tom at Tannadice.

GARRY O’SHANASSY, a member of the Dandenong Club, in Melbourne, Australia, mentions that GEORGE GALL, featured in the ’Burn photo, is also a member of the club.

“George has been alerted that his photo appeared in the Tele in the Butterburn YC photo,” said Garry.

“George would have been 16 or 17 at the time.

“By the way, he is still a mad, keen supporter of Scottish football.”

NEIL BUTCHART also got in touch to say that his gran thinks that his granddad TOM McCONNACHIE may have also been in the photo.

ERIC DARGIE emailed to say, “The RALPH HENDERSON in the photo looks like the brother of a mate of mine, Nigel. I have not been in contact with him since the late 1950s.

“Also, BwB recently highlighted someone scoring 10 goals in a game. I also scored 10 on my debut for Birkhill in 1951 in a 14-1 win. I can’t remember the opposition, though.”