I spoke to Sy as he was watching his son play in the Saturday Morning Matchandsports.com League at Riverside, Dundee.
He revealed he kept a detailed account of every game he has played, and continued, “There are a couple of players who scored six goals in games which I played in.”
Sandy, who played senior for Dundee United, Dunfermline, Brechin City and Alloa Athletic, went on, “KENNY McINTYRE scored six for East Craigie in an away game against Luncarty on October 4, 1969, in a Midlands League Division Two match, with the final score being 7-5.
“Ronnie Hughes got Craigie’s other goal.
“The Craigie team was — Sandy Thomson; John Leddie, Martin Breen; Davie Gow, Ian Mitchell, Sandy Pattie; Raymond Anderson, Bobby Campbell, Kenny McIntyre, Ian McGowan, Ronnie Hughes. Sub. — Stewart Lyon.
“It was lucky for me that Kenny was scoring more than I was throwing in at the other end!
“Another was IAN BROWN, who scored six for Alyth United against Stobswell on November 28, 1970, in an 8-1 win in a Scottish Cup second-round tie.
“Pat Rourke scored Alyth’s other two goals, with Tam Alexander scoring for Stobbie.
“The Alyth line-up was — Sandy Thomson; Ian Cook, Billy Doyle; Billy McLuskey, Dennis Hunter, Pat Rourke; Alan Duncan, Ian Brown, Ewan Kirkpatrick, Lindsay Kidd, Donnie McKay. Sub. — Ian McKay.
“I also have to confess I was the Alyth United keeper when Peter Gowans scored his five goals for Lochee United at Thomson Park on April 22, 1972.
“Also in the Alyth ‘defence’ that day were George Moir and Gordon Daly.
“I also recall NORRIE GALLAZZI scoring a hat-trick of penalties for Alyth against me when I played for Blairgowrie.
“Your column featured Ronnie Stark a couple of weeks ago, but Norrie, by the way, was another who talked his way through a game.
“I’m still turning out on occasion for Harris FP’s second team in the Midlands AFA (see photos), which is not bad considering I’ve just turned 56.
“I reckon I must also be the only player still playing who played in the old Dundee Junior League.
“I signed for East Craigie in March 1968.
“BILLY KERR was the manager and WILLIE HENNESEY was chairman. Both were great characters.”
Sy (aka “Have Gloves Will Travel”) played for several other junior teams such as Violet, Lochee Harp, North End, Downfield, Perth Celtic, Thornton Hibs, Glenrothes and Blairgowrie.
“At Blair, we had a great team in 1974-75, winning the Tayside League and the Currie Cup,” he continued.
“I was also manager of Blairgowrie before Billy Mackay.”
That aforementioned Tele (March 21) had no sooner arrived in Perth than ALAN SHEPHERD, scorer of over 400 goals in a goal-spattered junior career that took in Kinnoull, Blairgowrie, Jeanfield, Bankfoot, Balbeggie, Scone and Luncarty, phoned to say he once netted EIGHT times in a junior match.
“It was in a game for Blairgowrie against Forfar West End,” Alan, now a senior lab technician at Perth Grammar School, recalled.
Incidentally, Davie McCaw, a PE instructor at the same school, is now No. 2 at Forfar West End.
Alan is also still involved in football as he looks after the ballboys at McDiarmid Park on St Johnstone home match days.
And he’s part of one of Perth’s best known football families.
Brothers Charlie and Ian are both steeped in the game. Charlie played for a number of amateur teams and managed Jeanfield Swifts. He’s presently team boss of Perth’s St John’s amateurs.
Ian played for St Johnstone, Brechin City, Lochee United, Jeanfield and Bankfoot.
Their dad Willie is a familiar figure on the Perthshire junior and amateur scene and, in his playing days, was a fine half-back with Luncarty, Kinnoull and Crieff Earngrove.
Lochee’s ANDY WALKER also further contributed, saying, “A name glaringly missing from the players who have scored five or more is EDDIE INNES, who played for Elmwood, Downfield and Lochee United.
“Eddie scored five against Crieff Earngrove in the Scottish Cup for Elmwood, and also scored five for Downfield against Elmwood.
“His other nap hand came against Elmwood for Lochee United when the Bluebells won 18-0.
“He also scored five for Downfield in a pre-season friendly against Dundee United when the Spiders beat the Tannadice outfit.
“The midweek following that match saw him selected for the Dundee Juniors Select against United again — and he just scored a double that time.
“WILLIE CASWELL scored the other from the penalty spot in a 3-1 win — the same Caswell who once scored five penalties in a game for Lochee United!”
Carnoustie Panmure JFC official (and historian) DOUG MITCHELL remembers RONNIE KENNETH’S seven goals for the Gowfers against Forfar West End.
“That was on August 21, 1999, at Westfield, Park,” recalled Doug. “His first came in 33 minutes from the penalty spot after Paul Blair had been sent off. Then followed further counters in 36, 45, 56, 60, 78 and 84 minutes.
“Our first goal in the 8-3 win came from Barrie Gray in 19 minutes.
“BRYAN “BIRDIE” CRAIK’s six goals against Jeanfield Swifts was also at Westfield, but was on August 23, 1997, not 87 (several other readers queried that year) — and Birdie’s last three goals in 85, 88 and 90 minutes is the fastest Gowfers’ hat-trick in my records.
“A point that may be of interest to some of your readers is that big Lee Wilkie — currently starring as Dundee United’s captain — was in the Swifts’ line-up that day.
“Incidentally, Birdie also scored six for us in a 10-2 win in a preliminary round of the Taycars Trophy against Brechin Vics at Victoria Park on September 21, 1996.
“That day, his goals came in 21, 50, 63, 68, 82 and 89 minutes.
“Our other four came from Alan Cranston (2), Peter Feeney (57), Gary Christie (61) and Roddy Black (71).
“As we came off the pitch after the final whistle, the referee John Hayman (now retired) said, “You know, Dougie, I’m glad it was Brian who got that last one, because I’ve seen several players scoring five before, but that’s the first time I’ve seen a player scoring six.”
There was input, too, from BRIAN SMITH, the former Forfar West End, Arbroath Vics and Kirrie Thistle player.
“I was playing for Kirrie Thistle in a League Cup game in 1977-78 and we had to beat Montrose Roselea by eight clear goals to qualify out of our section,” he said.
“We managed to beat them 10-2 at Links Park and BRIAN REID, formerly of Brechin City, scored seven.
“We went on to win the cup at Davie Park, Blairgowrie, beating Violet 4-1 in the final. Arbroath FC legend JIMMY JACK was Violet’s manager that day.”
Finally, a reader who didn’t give his name wrote to say that JACKIE SMITH scored seven goals for Harp in the early 1950s. The game was at Beechwood Park and Elmwood were the opposition.
BLAIRGOWRIE’S WILLIE PERCIVAL LITERALLY STOLE THE HEADLINES
Davie Park legend DENNIS ELDER, who played for Blairgowrie Juniors for 16 years (1971-87), also got in touch re Alan Shepherd (see above story).
Dennis — a good friend of mine— also revealed that former Blairgowrie striker DAVIE DYE was in goal for West End that day.
“Davie often writes to BwB and, indeed, he was back in Scotland recently from his current home in Tenerife,” said Dennis.
“We met at the recent Blairgowrie v. Harp match, and Davie confirmed he was in goal that day as the West End keeper was injured.
“Coincidentally, also in our company at that match were former Blairgowrie team-mates IAN TAYLOR and WILLIE PERCIVAL.
“They can be added to your five-goal list, too.
“Ian scored five in the 1970s against Luncarty in a 7-2 win, while Willie’s nap hand came against Forfar West End in a match he thinks we won 7-1.”
But there’s an even better story regarding these two, as Dennis continued.
“We were playing Lochee United one evening at Thomson Park and Taylor was in great form, scoring a hat-trick.
“After the game, a young reporter from the local Press asked our sponge man JIMMY DICK for the hat-trickster’s name and Jimmy mischieviously replied, ‘Willie Percival’!
“The paper the next day carried a report on the match with the headline ‘Percival hat-trick’!.
“Ian was not amused at the time, but we had a good laugh about it later — and again when we recalled it recently.”
PAID IN PORK
JOHN GORDON, of Fintry, Dundee, had a query regarding the Dundee United photo (1937-38) featured last week.
“There is a player listed called Skelligan. Is he any relation to Bobby, who played for St Johnstone and East Fife in the 1990s, in addition to several junior clubs in the area?” asked John.
I spoke to Bobby’s father — also Bobby — and he replied, “Yes, and I also have an original copy of that photo.
“It’s David Skelligan, who is my uncle. He was my father’s brother.
“He also played for several junior clubs.
“A good family story — often recalled — is that his first ‘pay packet’ for Dundee United was a pound of pork sausages.”
TIME RIPE FOR ROTA?
Over the past few decades, football fans across Europe have demonstrated their willingness to travel abroad in great numbers to support their team.
The major drawback, though, seems to be finding stadia big enough to cater for the hordes.
Also, it’s very difficult to get into some countries.
Is it not time for UEFA to follow the lead from golf?
The R&A stipulate that only certain courses can host the Open. Why not for football also?
Stipulations would be simple — 60,000-plus stadia and easy access into the country with well-tested transport infrastructure.
Forget Russia, Poland and most of the rest of the former Eastern bloc countries. Until they get their house in order, don’t award them showpiece games or tournaments.
France, Spain, Germany, Italy, UK and Holland have the stadia — put them on an exclusive rota, with further entries accepted only after countries can prove they are up to coping with massive fan invasions.
STOBSWELL SCHOOL TEAM’S GOOD RUN IN SCOTTISH CUP
WALLACE FISHER, best known as part of the local bakers family in Dundee, was also a referee at one stage.
However, he played the game, too, and was part of a team which had some degree of success at schoolboy level.
He sent in this photo, commenting, “This is the Stobswell Boys U/15 team for season 1968-69.
“They reached the last eight of the Scottish Schools U/14 Cup the previous season and hopes were high for that particular season.
“Team members are (back from left) — John Ellingford, Peter Anderson, Bill McGill, Peter McGovern, Gerry Colston, David Kinsman.
Front (from left) — Joe Carr, Les Barr, James Cavin, Ian Hume, Doug Smith, Wallace Fisher, Graham Long.
“Other players not in picture made a big contribution to a good season for the team, such as Billy Cooper, Gordon Flynn, Ian Long, Alan Penhale and Graham Rodger.
“I thought it would be appropriate to mention these players because it was a good squad effort that term.”
