It was during one of the Paulies games at Fairmuir Park that he spoke to me about a “great” photo he had.
“I recently met Tommy Burns in one of our local watering-holes and we reminisced about a team we started in the 1960s,” recalled John, who forgot to give the name of the team.
“The team was supposed to play only one charity game, but we ended playing challenge games all over Scotland.
“One of our players was big John Cushnie and he got it all up and running by getting strips, balls, and the like.
“He is not in the photo I’ve enclosed as he, unfortunately, broke his leg prior to one of the games.
“We had great players from the senior game such as Bobby Waddell, Billy McGann and Gordon Wallace.
“However, one of the most talented players ever to come out of Dundee was Alex Sharp.
“Big Sharpie played some games for Rangers and he even scored a hat-trick at Ibrox.
“Billy McGann was a great goalkeeper with East Fife, but he played up front for us and scored plenty of goals. Wee Shug Reilly (Harp) was also a brilliant inside-forward.
“Tommy still goes around clubs in Dundee doing work for charity.
“Sadly, several of the team are no longer with us — Junior Buchanan, McGann, Sharp and Reilly.
“I’m hoping some of your readers can supply more information about the team.”
JOE BORROWED MONEY TO FIGHT BENNY LYNCH
ROB BOAG (robboag@cogeco.ca), of Canada, who is a regular supplier of anecdotes to BwB, asks, “Would you borrow money to fight Benny Lynch?”
The obvious answer would be ‘no’, but that wouldn’t make for a good tale, as Rob continues.
“In September 1931, sitting on the outside stairs of his house in Tipperary, JOE BOAG was asked by his next door neighbour Mrs Lamont why he looked so down.
“Joe showed her a telegram that offered him a fight at Glasgow Green for £1.
“Out of work, he had no money for the train fare.
“Mrs Lamont suggested she loan the train fare to Joe, and he pay her back from his purse money.
“Grabbing his bag, boots and trunks he was on the next train to Glasgow.
“At the weigh-in, they told Joe he was fighting Benny Lynch.
“Joe says when Benny came down the isle toward the ring, he had an entourage behind him that could have filled Hampden Park.
“It was a six-rounder that ended in a draw — a great decision for the Dundee boy, considering he was fighting Glasgow’s pride and joy in Glasgow.
“Joe paid back the loan to Mrs Lamont.
“In later years, stationed at Montrose, Joe was a boxing instructor with the RAF.
“One of his fighters was a London lad called Danny O’Sullivan.
“With Joe in his corner, Danny may be the only Englishman to have won the Scottish featherweight championship in 1942.
“After the war, Danny won the British bantamweight title, and fought Vic Toweel for the world title, losing in 15 rounds.
“In later years, he lost the British Championship to Peter Keenan from Glasgow.”
“THE TECH” CELEBRATE 40 YEARS
DUNDEE COLLEGE AFC are celebrating their 40th year as a member of the Midlands Amateur FA and have a series of events lined up to celebrate.
The club was formed in the 1968-69 season and played under the name of Kingsway Technical College AFC until 1986-87, then became Dundee College of Further Education AFC until 1997-98. They are now simply Dundee College AFC.
“Even after all these name changes, we are still referred to as the “The Tech” by the majority of teams in the association,” said club official CRAIG BARR.
“Within three short years after the club was formed, it moved from second bottom of the Midlands Division Two in 1968-69 to runners-up in Division Two in 1970/71 and promoted to Division One.
“Our other achievement was winning our first cup in the same season when a 5-2 win over Arbroath HSFP at the NCR Grounds gave us the Carne Trophy.
“Since then, the club has won over 30 trophies, including league titles and success in Bremner Cup, Marquee Trophy, Gray Trophy, Carne Trophy, Ferrari’s Shield, Mel Ross Trophy, Lunan Trophy and Alliance Cup competitions, and have also been beaten finalists in the North of Tay Cup.
“Some of the players who were with us then are still members of our club today.
“WILLIE CAMPBELL was the first player to represent the club in a Midlands Select XI. in the 1970-71 season and is still our secretary.
“We have been very fortunate during this time to have had a very robust foundation created initially by the first club president STEVE WEBSTER, ably supported by JOHN MOONEY, MARK LONG and the late STAN McGUIRE.
“We have also had the fortune of having many first-class coaches and trainers in WALTER SMITH, ARCHIE KNOX, KENNY CAMERON and, most importantly, the late Ian Campbell, who was forever an inspiration.”
Craig would like past and present players and officials to know the club will be hosting a Charity/Sportsman Dinner at the Invercarse Hotel on Sunday, November 2.
Further information about other events and the purchase of tickets for the dinner can be found at www.tech40.net/dcafc or by emailing craigbarr@tech40.net
COVERED IN RUST WHEN BALL HIT ROOF
JACK STEWART, of Bridgend, Perth, watched the recent match at Tannadice between Dundee United and Celtic, and nostalgically offered, “The change at Tanadice is utterly amazing with seated stands all around the ground.
“I first started going to Tannadice in 1942 where you had a rusted covered enclosure, next to the players’ entrance.
“Every time the ball hit the roof, you got covered in rust!
“Many players of that time were in the forces and stationed near Dundee.
“I remember a player named SHUFFLEBOTTOM from Nottingham, a Norwegian named BOYE KARLESON, ALBERT JULLIESEN, CHARLIE McGILLVERY, BROWNLEE in goal, and many more I cannot remember.
“I wonder if any of your readers remember Tannadice at that time and the players?”
DUO WERE HARRY’S TEACHERS
HARRY ROSE (hprose@telus.net) came on briefly in response to a previous BwB line — “well-known former Lawside Academy teacher Alec Kiddie”.
“Along with Gerry Follon, both were my teachers at Lawside (tough on them, I bet!),” said Harry.
“They were, indeed, two great teachers and two genuine guys.
“Still awaiting the book launch of ‘Best of Blether with Brown’!”
MAGNIFICENT TEAM PHOTO
This photo below (top) is featured for no other reason than it is magnificent.
It was one of a collection sent in by former Arctic Bar (Dundee) mine host GORDON BRUCE and it is the GLASGOW RANGERS team from around 1900.
Back row (from left) — N. Smith, James Miller (half-back), James Miller (forward), D. Crawford, J. Wilkie, M. Dickie, J. Wilson (trainer). Front row — J. Campbell, J. McPherson, A. Sharp, R. C. Hamilton, A. Smith, N. Gibson, R. Neil, D. Mitchell.
