“Over 50 years ago, I actually attended referee tuition classes with Bill and, after completing a 12-week course, we both sat the SFA Referee entrance exam,” said Bob, who is now chairman of the Scottish referees and a UEFA Referee Inspector.
“We were tutored by the legendary JOHN R. P. GORDON, from Newport-on-Tay.
“John was cashier with James Keillers in Albert Square and was well known for his walks down Reform Street, allegedly to visit the bank, but where he would stop and speak to every second person, usually giving them a small handful of butterscotch sweets taken from the bank bag.
“Bill, who had started life in Glenprosen Terrace, lived with his parents at the top of Mains Loan by the time he took up refereeing at the tender age of 14.
“He and I started our careers as men in the middle in the old Dundee Half-Holiday League — a tough baptism for young referees with only a 7s 6d fee (around 38p) at the end of it.
“The matches, many played at Fairmuir Park, would attract crowds of several hundred. This was especially true when the Police side were involved. The Police had STEWART DIXON, later doorman at Dens Park, and another was BARNEY SHERMAN, who played on well past his sell-by date.
“Other noteworthy teams included Tramways, Kenilworth (railway workers), Central (shopworkers) and Juventus (mainly Italian ice cream and chip shop owners). The League was full of characters.
“The match mentioned in BwB — with Peter Lorimer playing — was a semi-final tie in the Scottish Schools Cup.
“Played at Glenesk Park, it pitted Dundee against the cup favourites Edinburgh.
“This was a big match for 15 year-old Bill and it was decided that he should have two experienced linesmen. One of them was First Division referee BOB HENDERSON, who, at that time, was in the Dundee City Police, but later worked in Timex before emigrating to Australia to join his goalkeeping brother SANDY, a regular contributor to BwB.
“The match at Glenesk did not go according to plan for Edinburgh — they were beaten 7-3 with five of the goals coming from the said Peter Lorimer.”
Bob, who was a work colleague of mine before retiring and (still) a good friend, continued, “Bill was a very keen referee, but, after leaving Dundee High School, he was always juggling refereeing with his burgeoning broadcasting work.
“Eventually he left Dundee to work for the BBC in England. It was there that he joined up with another young broadcaster to flat-share — a certain JOHN MOTSON!
“It was to prove an enduring friendship, for it was John who arranged the recent dinner in St Albans, where Bill now lives, to celebrate his half-century as a referee.
“During the evening, DAVID ELLERAY, the recently-retired top English referee, who is a housemaster at Eton and also vice-chairman of the FA’s Referee Committee, made the presentation of an FA gold medal to mark his achievement.
“Bill, as he approaches his 65th birthday, is still refereeing every week in one of the FA contributory leagues in Hertfordshire.”
Bob, who lists legendary bald Italian whistler Pierluigi Collina as a good friend, concluded, “As a young referee, Bill was always full of enthusiasm and boundless energy.
“It is clear that hasn’t changed for, in Hertfordshire refereeing circles, he is known as the “Mad Scotsman”.
Bob is quite a globetrotter these days and his latest UEFA assignment was this week’s AS Roma v. Real Madrid Champions League encounter.
COLIN STEWART, a work colleague, also responded quickly to Bill’s piece.
“When I knew Willie (as he called him), he stayed in the Mains Loan area,” he offered.
“We were both members of the 4th BB, which was based in St Mark’s Church in the Perth Road.
“I can remember him, when he was training to be a reporter, sitting at the back of the church writing down the sermon in shorthand, such was his dedication to do well.
“As for his refereeing, he was, at the time, I believe, the youngest-ever to qualify as a referee.
“In fact, he was too young to take charge of official matches, but did referee initially at some select and friendly games. Indeed, he also refereed our magnetic football games.
“Doug Spence was correct when he said he attended Dundee High School. His father Hamish was an officer with the RNR.”
The story regarding the Dundee Half-Holiday League brought back memories for former player ANDY MORRIS.
“I enjoyed reading about ANDY CHRISTIE’S time in the Dundee Half-Holiday League (BwB, January 23),” said Andy, of Menzieshill, Dundee.
“I played for Dundee Postal (Posties) 58 years ago in that league. Two other teams I can remember are Dundee Police and Meadowside.
“The Meadowside team was made up of staff from D. C. Thomson and the manager’s name was Alex Watson, who I knew quite well.”
HOW DID HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN GET THEIR NAME?
Lochee’s CHARLIE WALKER wants to know how Heart of Midlothian came about their name.
Hearts, founded in 1874, were reputedly named after a popular local dance hall, which, in turn, took its name from the novel The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott.
In their early years, the Jambos played in various Edinburgh locations such as The Meadows, Powburn and Powderhall before moving to the Gorgie area in 1881.
They moved to their current Tynecastle site in 1886.
The earliest mention of Heart of Midlothian in a sporting context is in a newspaper report.
The Scotsman newspaper from July 20, 1864, tells of The Scotsman playing Heart of Mid-Lothian at cricket.
It is not known for sure if this was the same club who went on to form the football club.
However, it was common for football clubs in those days to play other sports as well.
For example, Clyde played cricket, while Vale of Leven put out a shinty team.
LISBON LIONS ALL BORN WITHIN 30-MILE RADIUS
BOB SHEPHERD, of Dundee’s west end, asks me to settle an argument.
“My mate says he heard on TalkSPORT that all of Celtic’s Lisbon Lions team were born in Glasgow,” he said.
“I don’t think this is true as I’m sure Billy McNeill was born in Dundee.”
The Lisbon Lions were not all born in Glasgow, but were all within a 30-mile radius of Celtic Park.
Coincidentally, I’m currently reading Bobby Lennox’s new book — “Thirty Miles From Paradise” — and he was born in Saltcoats in Ayrshire.
Billy McNeill was born in Bellshill, but I remember him mentioning at a Press conference after a match at Dens Park that his mother was originally from Dundee.
PAPER PLAYERS AT DENS
Dundee fan BRUCE RALSTON, of Broughty Ferry, said he wished Craig Tully still played for the Dark Blues.
“Then we’d have a Tully and a Curier in our team!” he quipped.
