“I remember Tottenham and Chelsea coming to Dens within weeks of each other and I think we lost them both,” said Tommy.
“Did these London clubs field strong sides?”
Both games were during the 1966-67 season and both were part of the transfer deals which took Alan Gilzean (Spurs) and Charlie Cooke (Chelsea) south, although the Spurs game was about two years late in materialising due to the White Hart Lane club’s heavy commitments.
On August 8, Chelsea came to Dens and goals from George Graham and Peter Osgood gave them a 2-1 win.
Jim McLean scored for Dundee in front of 15,000 fans.
Both sides fielded near-full-strength teams.
Dundee — Donaldson; Hamilton, Cox; Murray, Easton, Stuart; Bryce, McLean, Penman, Houston, Rough.
Chelsea — Stepney; Kirkup, McCreadie; Hollins, Hinton, Harris; Houseman, Graham, Osgood, Cooke, Tambling.
Legendary Dundee official Bert Crockett (see photo at foot of column) refereed the game.
It was October 10 when Spurs came calling and strikes by Jimmy Greaves (2) and skipper Dave Mackay saw the Londoners edge home 3-2.
McLean and Alex Kinninmonth netted for the Dark Blues before a crowd of 12,000.
Again, the line-ups seemed to be very strong, although Gillie missed out on a return to Dens.
Dundee — Donaldson; Hamilton, Cox; Kinninmonth, Easton, Houston; Campbell, Penman, Cameron, McLean, McKay.
Tottenham — Brown; Clayton, Henry; Mullery, England, Mackay; Robertson, Greaves, Saul, Venables, Jones.
Again, it was a Dundee-based referee who officiated, this time Bob Henderson (see photo at foot of column).
BOBBY MET DUNDEE LEGEND AT AN AMERICAN COACHING SCHOOL
Canada resident BOBBY McMAHON, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, unashamedly shares the same love as myself . . . Charlie Cooke.
But Bobby has one up on me in recent times, as he explained in a recent email (mcmahonb@mts.net).
“I have just returned from the 61st NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) Convention that was held in Baltimore,” enthused Bobby.
“It is a huge organisation that represents 26,000 registered coaches in North America.
“Of the 6000-plus coaches that attended the event, there was more than a smattering of English, Irish, Welsh and, of course, Scottish accents.
“I bumped into HARRY LEITH, who attended Stobswell in the late 60s and early 70s before moving to the States.
“I was also lucky enough to meet Dundee legend Charlie Cooke. As many of your readers may already know, Charlie has been heavily involved in coaching in North America and is the Director of Coerver Coaching USA, based in Cincinnati.
“Charlie looks in fantastic shape and was kind enough to listen to my boyhood memories of watching him in Dark Blue. We talked about his Man-Of-The-Match display when we ‘thumped’ England 1-1 at Hampden in 1968.
“I also owned up to being part of a clutch of star-struck young footballers who regularly organised games in front of his house when he lived in Broughty Ferry.
“Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier and ex-England manager Steve McClaren were also in attendance, but neither came close to the thrill of meeting the great Charlie Cooke.”
WHEN BOYS CLUBS THRIVED IN DUNDEE
TOM McGOVERN, a Dundonian living in Manchester, sent in a photo of a LOCHEE BOYS CLUB team (see photo at foot of column), taken in Methven Street, Lochee, at a time (1948) when boys clubs thrived all over Dundee.
I remember using this team photo in BwB around six years ago, but, as we have new readers — especially abroad — it’s worth going with again.
“Ned Lynch was a great man on the local boys club scene,” said Tom, “And I knew several of the players in the photo.
“Arthur Connelly became a well-known butcher in Lochee High Street.
“I also knew Chick Gormley, Colin Attwood, Frank Smith and Tommy Kean.
“I was 14 when this picture was taken.
“I attended the Camperdown Boxing Club run by Dennis Gilfeather, Sen., in Methven Street, Lochee.
“The clubrooms were a part of Cox’s Mill, and they also had a thriving gymnastics section.
“Dan Gilfeather and I often played football under the floodlights at NCR’s Camperdown Factory drive.
“Junior football was also very well attended in those days.
“The highlight in Lochee was the derby between Harp and Violet at Beechwood Park or Glenesk.”
Back row (from left) — C. Gormley, R. Sharp, D. McDonald, G. Clark, C. Attwood, N. Burns.
Front — E. “Ned” Lynch, J. Reilly, F. Smith, T. Kean, A. Drummond, A. Connelly, J. Marshall.
As regular readers will be aware, Tom is a regular contributor to BwB, and the following is another of his offerings.
“My memories of the talented Charlie Cooke are scant, but I remember several other cultured and talented football players at Dens Park and Tannadice,” recalled Tom.
“I can recall the majestic Bobby Ancell and Reggie Smith.
“Doug Cowie was also a world-class player and Bobby Cox an outstanding captain and left-back who played by example and would give his all for Dundee FC.
“I remember when United signed several Scandinavian players including Finn Dossing, Mogens Berg and Lennart Wing.
“The Dundee team which accomplished so much in Europe under the guidance of Bob Shankly was also an outstanding example of a Scottish manager commanding football.
“Intelligent, with wit and motivational ability, Bob used the talent of the peerless Gordon Smith in his twilight years to form a deadly partnership with Alan Gilzean and company, which demolished some of Europe’s finest teams.
“Football knowledge is not enough in itself — a good manager needs also to instil self-belief in his players.
“Apart from Sir Alf Ramsey, some of the outstanding coaches in British football have been Scottish such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Bill Shankly.
“The English FA are ignorant of this fact. Their obsession with foreign managers continues and installing an expensive Italian will not solve their problems.
“If we are discussing the general progress of our British game, expensive appointments such as Sven Goran Errikson contribute nothing to its welfare.
“There were many humorous anecdotes from Bill Shankly.
“One was when Bill did not like a certain player’s ability.
“A colleague said, ‘But, Bill, he is very good in the air’.
“Bill replied, ‘So was Douglas Bader, but he couldna play fitba’.”
SO . . . WHO WOULD YOU ALSO HAVE IN DUNDEE UNITED’S HALL OF FAME
I’m no spring chicken when it comes to Sportsman’s Dinners, and have attended quite a number in my time.
But it has to be said that last Friday evening’s Dundee United Hall of Fame event in the Hilton Hotel, Dundee, was among the best.
From the moment I arrived — as guest of Mike Butler, of Dundee-based J. R. Power — the atmosphere was electric.
The anticipation of many to find out just who was being inducted at this inaugural event was tempered when they were greeted with a giant poster in the main hall featuring the “Magnificent Seven” inductees — the late Dennis Gillespie, Doug Smith, Jimmy Briggs, Finn Dossing (see photo at foot of column), Davie Narey, Maurice Malpas and Paul Hegarty.
And, one by one, they came in to the theme tune of Yul Brynner’s epic movie — and to rapturous applause from the Tannadice faithful in the 400-strong crowd (Dennis Gillespie being represented by his two sons). Maurice Malpas could not make it as he had commitments with his new club Swindon.
As the night wore on, though, comments such as “Whar wiz Luggy?” and “How’s Hamish no’ in there?” were heard.
However, I’m informed that other Tannadice legends will be inducted in future years (maybe just an excuse to have another great night out!).
Which Dundee United player would be your choice to next enter the DUFC Hall of Fame?
Let me know — and your reason why.
