PARENTS URGED TO SMOKE

Photographs of football teams in cigarette packets were very popular in decades gone by.

However, we now live in a near-total anti-smoking environment, where, as the years go by, fewer and fewer venues, places and areas are becoming available to the puffers.

But not so, it seems, in the 1930s.

Indeed, it was deemed the right thing to do, and was considered “cool” — and that at a time when the word itself meant “slighty cold”.

And the cigarette companies, just as they do today (or did) in many sports, associated their product with sport.

Football cards were a popular insertion in packets of cigarettes and many a young schoolboy badgered their parents and relatives to buy more packets — thus smoking more — so that they could get photos of football teams, thus building up a collection.

ALAN ROBERTS got in touch to invite me to view his collection, which was initially built up by his cousin.

At his home in Byron Crescent, Dundee, Alan proudly showed off his collection of football team photos, which came out of packets of Senior Service, State Express and Ardath Cigarettes in the mid-1930s.

What intrigued me, though, about Alan’s collection was that the team groups seemed to cover every level of Scottish football, from top senior teams to half-holiday football.

It included seniors such as Dunfermline Athletic, Partick Thistle, Clyde and Queen’s Park, and also west-coast junior sides such as Rutherglen, St Roch’s, Shettleston, Petershill, Pollok and Cambuslang Rangers, with statistics about each club on the back.

In addition, there are local sides such as Newburgh Tayside Athletic and the Perth Half-Holiday Junior Select.

The photos I’ve highlighted at the top left of the page are of Dundee East Craigie juniors, who are Scotland’s oldest junior team, and Fairfield Juniors — both from the 1930s.

Now, my query about all this is, did the cigarette companies deliberately regionalise these photos, making sure local teams of all grades were in packets earmarked to be sold in certain areas?

Alan couldn’t answer that, so I’m throwing it open to BwB readers, and I welcome your input.

“The collection was first started by my cousin Jack Gillies, who was 11 years old at the time,” revealed Alan.

“Jack was, obviously, keen on football and was brought up in the Cowdenbeath/Crossgates area.

“He used to go and watch all the local teams, such as Cowden and Dunfermline, with the occasional trip to see Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy.

“In later years, he left home and joined the Navy and, as his mother was cleaning out his room, his collection of photos ended up with me.”

It wasn’t just football, though, which featured, as Alan’s collection also boasted photos of speedway, rugby teams, horse-racing, yachting, fishing and aviation.

Alan joined the RAF in his later years and settled in Tayport before moving to Dundee.

Most of his working life was spent as a plasterer, but he is now retired.

A plasterer? You just can’t get them these days.

UNITED CELEBRATE EUROPEAN ANNIVERSRY

Dundee United are holding a Sportsman’s Dinner on Sunday at the city’s Invercarse Hotel, which is in aid of youth development.

The main theme of the evening is to celebrate United’s 40 years in Europe, which, of course, started in 1966 with their staggering double win over Spanish giants Barcelona, who were the Fairs Cup holders at the time.

Bill Greig, who does such sterling work behind the scenes at Tanny, said, “These games will forever be remembered by United fans who were there.

“We’ve contacted skipper Doug Smith, Stewart Fraser and Jimmy Briggs, and they’ll all attend.

“We’re still trying to trace Billy Hainey, who scored that magnificent goal at Tannadice (see below).”

Speakers are John Rowbotham, Peter Mitchell and Peter Brown.

Some tickets are still available and all queries are directed to Ron McCabe on 01382 562443.