"It seems that United had three different managers in around a two-month spell in the 1950s," said Dave.
"Can you confirm and perhaps give some details why this came about?"
REG SMITH (actual name James Christopher Reginald Schmidt) left a coaching position with Dundee FC to become United manager from 1954 to 1957.
His only managerial experience prior to being appointed at Tannadice was with Corby Town.
He then left to take over Falkirk in January 1957 and won the Scottish Cup a few months later, beating Kilmarnock 2-1 in the replayed final after the first Hampden meeting finished 1-1.
George Merchant and Dougie Moran scored the Bairns' goals.
Smith's assistant at Tannadice was ALLY GALLACHER, a former manager of junior side Carnoustie Panmure, and he took over the reins.
In a seven-week spell in charge, United lost seven goals in a game on three occasions, so he was never really going to be the long-term replacement.
It was actually three in a row . . . a 7-0 Scottish Cup defeat at Raith Rovers on February 16, 1957, was followed by a 7-0 thumping by Morton at home on March 2 and a 7-1 reverse at Clyde on March 9.
Ally's resignation enabled him to concentrate on his other role as an employee of Taypools, which he had been instrumental in establishing.
He is the father of the late Glasgow-based journalist KEN, and also GORDON, who was my coach over 40 years ago at Butterburn Youth Club.
Ally's replacement in the hot seat was Arbroath manager TOMMY GRAY, who was appointed that same month.
Tommy was manager of Arbroath (he also played 173 games for them) when approached about the United position.
He accepted only on the undertaking that he would be part-time.
The arrangement was not a success and in October 1958, after 18 months, he resigned and later became part-time scout for Rangers.
So, three managers in an eight-week spell it was.
Harking back to that 1957 Scottish Cup Final, and there was a strong Dundee FC connection in Falkirk's cup-winning side.
In addition to former Dundee coach REG SMITH being manager of the Brockville side, ex-Dens Parker GEORGE MERCHANT scored one of the goals in the 2-1 replay win over Killie.
ANDY IRVINE also played in the final, along with future Dark Blues boss JOHN PRENTICE and goalkeeper BERT SLATER, who performed heroics between the sticks during the Dens Park side's European Cup sojourn in season 1962-63.
See photos at foot of column.
IT IS "PORKIES" - ACCORDING TO FORMER DUNDEE UNITED DIRECTOR
CHARLIE WALKER'S statement (BwB, November 16) that Dundee United are "owned" by Dundee - and that he was "not telling porkies" - has been well and truly blown out of the water by former Dundee United director DENYS CARNEGIE.
"I'm just one of five generations of Carnegies who have been on the Tannadice board at one time or another, the last being my son Scott in recent years," said Denys.
"How Mr Walker came to his conclusions is beyond me. There has never been any record of Dundee FC owning any shares in United."
Denys revealed that John Carnegie, Sen., started the family connection around 1923 and served for five years until his death in 1928.
Boyd Carnegie, Denys' uncle, came on for a couple of years, during which time another director was Willie Hutchison, who had a bar in Broughty Ferry.
Then Denys' father John, Jun., was appointed to the United board until he died in 1951.
Denys continued, "I then came on board at that time until 1958 and that was also during Willie McIntosh's time. He served from around 1945 until his death 10 years later.
"During a lean spell at the club in the 1930s, and before they were on the board, Mr McIntosh and Baillie Greig agreed to cover the match guarantee of visiting teams, which was around £50 at the time.
"If you couldn't pay the match guarantee, you were threatened with being put out of the league.
"They would also cover any losses.
"Of course, if the club made a profit, then the club got to keep it."
Denys still retains a "small amount" of shares in the Tannadice club, as does Scott, who has son Glenn and daughter Sasha indoctrined into the Tangerine way.
So, don't bet against the Carnegie dynasty further cementing their connection with the club.
BOTH PLAYED IN HARP'S SCOTTISH CUP SEMI-FINAL
Dundee reader JOHN GALLACHER, of Granton Place, is a "lifelong" Harp supporter.
"I can confirm that both Jimmy Duncan and Bobby Cochrane played in the Scottish Cup semi-final team of 1954," said John, who revealed he was also Jimmy's cousin.
"You weren't too sure in your article (Dec. 14).
"I was at both the semi-final and the final and they both played in these games.
" That side was definitely Harp's best-ever team. I'm a lifelong Harp fan and still go to their games."
On the same subject, original contributor MARK ROBERTSON got back in touch.
"Thanks for the article about Harp on Friday night," said Mark.
"My Dad was delighted.
"A copy of the Evening Telegraph is in the post to Ireland as we speak and Blether with Brown continues to grow around the world!"
And ANDY MORRIS, of Menzieshill, Dundee, gave the actual date of the final as May 8, 1954.
"There was an attendance of 27,000, with gate receipts £18,000," offered Andy.
SANDY'S A WANTED MAN
Regular contributor SANDY HENDERSON, who featured in BwB on November 16, is a wanted man.
Cowdenbeath FC historian DAVID ALLAN is keen to get in touch with the former Central Park goalkeeper.
"I am a keen reader of Blether with Brown and often see letters from Sandy Henderson of Rankine Street, Dundee, in your column," said David, of Dunfermline.
"As well as playing for the four Angus clubs, he also was goalkeeper for Cowdenbeath in the 1950s.
"I am the historian of Cowdenbeath FC and, in each week's match programme, we feature an interview with a Cowden player of yesteryear.
"I am keen to contact Sandy in the hope he would agree to be interviewed about his career."
If you are up for it, Sandy, David can be contacted on 01383 724000 or daalan6754@aol.com
Sandy is featured in a St Joseph’s JFC team photo at the foot of this column.
NEWTONGRANGE WERE FUNDED FROM MINERS' WAGE PACKETS
SANDY HENDERSON'S piece about the first two Junior clubs to play for league points under floodlights (BwB, November 16) was picked up by current Lochee Harp president and secretary JIM KELLY.
"I was part of the Harp team which was invited through to Newtongrange Star in 1955 to open their new stadium, and the game was played under their state-of-the-art (at that time) floodlights," recalled Jim.
"It's remarkable that it took a further six years or so before official games were allowed to be played under the lights.
"We were asked to take part in the game through a mutual connection with both clubs and remember it as a great occasion, even having a meal in an Edinburgh hotel prior to the game.
"In the Newtongrange line-up that night was a young Dave Mackay, who would, of course, go on to play for Hearts, Tottenham Hotspur and Scotland, Tommy Preston, who would later join Hibs, and a goalkeeper called Marshall, who signed for Rangers.
"We beat them 3-1 and our defence included myself at right-half, George de Gernier at left-half, with Jack Duffy between us at centre-half.
"Our right-back was Willie Black, with John Fairfield in goal, the brother of Charlie, who would go on to become a legend of the local junior scene.
"One of our front men, Billy McLardy, later went down to Manchester City."
Jim also recalled how Newtongrange were funded.
"They were the hub of the mining community," continued Jim, who lives in Broughty Ferry.
"There were at least five major coal pits operating in a close radius, with over 5000 miners, and the mines were flourishing.
"Every one of those miners supported the junior team as they had one penny deducted from their wages (compulsory) every week by the National Coal Board, who then gave a nice cheque to Newtongrange Star at the end of every month.
"It wasn't too much to give individually, but it certainly mounted up big-time with over 5000 contributing weekly."
LACK OF IMAGINATION AND KNOWLEDGE
ROB BOAG, from Canada, showered BwB with compliments by saying, "Your column is a combination of humour, historic data and historic questions that have your readers waiting for someone to supply the information that answers the request.
"Then, there are the voices of readers that are totally frustrated with the current status and future of our game.
"Back in August, TOM McGOVERN expressed his frustration on the state of British football by saying there is a lack of imagination and football knowledge at the top level.
"This is true, as most of the managers focus only on winning and pay lip service to the club youth programmes.
"This was reinforced with SYE WEBSTER'S comments in September when he called for a reduced foreign rule.
"Both Tom and Sye are absolutely correct in lamenting the failure of the SFA, FA and the clubs in both countries in not recognising the crisis in our national game.
"The U/20 World Cup was held this summer in Canada and I was fortunate to see most of the games on TV and at the new Toronto FC stadium.
"Two of the weakest teams were Canada and Scotland - more so because of expectation. The most entertaining teams were South Americans - Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, then Japan, Austria, Poland and a few of the African countries.
"Scots and Canadian lads have the skills and talent to be playing at this level, but their coaches, teachers and training programmes are woefully and abysmally out of touch. They are from another time zone with today's game."
Rob (robboag@cogeco.ca) continued, "In Brazil, there is a football programme called Futebol De Salao. Brazil is undoubtedly teeming with footballing talent, but, regardless of how much talent you have, you need coaching and teaching to polish these skills, provide guidance and direction to mature that talent.
"Futebol De Salao has full-time coaches for children aged 5-11. The programme concentrates on playing on a small field - they could be 14 before they play 11 v. 11 - the focus is on passing in a tight space and finding an opening to receive a pass in a small space.
"The young South American teams in Toronto kept the ball on the ground at all times, rarely did you see that punt up the field hoping it would land near one of your own players.
"When Jock Stein went into coaching, he went over to Italy to study under the great Argentinean coach Helenio Herrera, who was coaching Inter Milan. Jock knew the Europeans played a different game than the Scots, and he wanted to learn the strategies and teaching methods of this game.
"Jock was a good student and, in 1967, he defeated his teacher in Lisbon.
"Until the SFA, and top clubs in Scotland - with support from government - get together and create coaching programmes similar to Futebol De Salao, then we are going to see more and more foreign players wear the Premier teams' jerseys."
Strong views, indeed, from Rob, but, by being on the other side of the Atlantic, he, perhaps, doesn't know that competitive football in Tayside and most of Scotland does not start until U/13 level.
Up to that age group, U/9 to U/12 teams play on small seven-a-side pitches, with no scores officially recorded.
But I do take Rob's point about young Brazilian's being naturally gifted. It must be something in the water!
Rob then turned his attention to boxing as he responded to the October 19 piece on Wullie Myles.
"Jackie Paterson's last fight was against Wullie at the Caird Hall Dundee in 1951, Wullie winning the fight in round eight," revealed Rob. "Paterson at this time had lost both the World flyweight and British bantamweight titles.
"Paterson started his boxing career at the age of 18 in 1938, and another Dundee lad to have a go with Jackie is Jim Brady - he lost two and won one against Paterson.
"Freddie Tennant also fought Jackie, and I think Jackie won that one. A good friend of our family back then was Danny O'Sullivan, who fought Jackie twice, lost one and won one. Jackie Paterson later emigrated to South Africa and, in 1966, was murdered in a pub fight."
MORE SPORTING POST FRONT-PAGE DITTIES
Here are some more front page ditties - from "KDR" - first published in the The Sporting Post.
Dundee claimed a penalty when Clark dispossessed Mackie, but the referee said the ball was untouched by human hand.
From then on, it was a duel between Saints and the Doonhamers' keeper Ball. The old warhorse showed, with some scintillating saves, that he isn't ready for the glue factory yet.
Sturrock, who, at times, had the Greenock defence running round like the contents of a spilled box of Maltesers, put United ahead with a neat flick in 70 minutes.
Kilgour got No. 4 for the Perth side in a scuffle when the ball was spinning around like a runaway peerie.
A brilliant brew from United. They're made of girders.
Right from the start at Love Street, it looked like being a Cecil B. De Sturrock spectacular.
The first half was as bad-tempered as a bag of hungry ferrets, and Duffy of Morton was sent off.
Rangers fans showed that, though booze is banned in football grounds, boos are still permitted.
Just on the half-hour, Queen's Park equalised with a blast from 15 yards which left the Saints keeper looking like the Venus de Milo.
With the Morton defence now running around like headless chickens, Dodds made it five
with a diving header just on the break.
A Scanlon cross left McDougall enough time to have grown a moustache before tapping the ball home to put St Mirren ahead.
The Dens crowd roared like a tiger with toothache and scored the linesman's name off their Christmas card list
Morton, of Saints, was sent for premature ablutions near the end after his second foul of the game.
