“It’s a long time since I have heard their name mentioned, but I played for the team in the late 1950s.
“I now live in Canada and there are quite a few Dundee boys here.
“Can you help us with a query?
“Who were the team who played against Lochee United at the end of the 1957/58 season and who they had to beat to win the league?
“Lochee went junior the following season.
“I can’t remember all the names, but ones which spring to mind are Big Billy Lees, Billy McCulloch, Kenny Clark and I think the goalie was Billy Mac.
“It would be great someone could come up with a photo of that team.”
On a lighter note, John continued, “If Kenny Clark is reading this, is there any chance of getting my photo back. It doesn’t take 50 years to get a copy made!”
FRANK SCORED FIVE AGAINST BUILDERS
Dundee’s international amateur boxing supremo FRANK HENDRY also remembers the Builders team — because he scored five goals against them!
“I remember playing against most of the players in the recent Builders photo in a cup-tie in the 1950s on North End Park,” recalled Frank, of Fountainbleau Drive.
“I was playing for MAITLAND THISTLE and scored five in a 6-2 win. Bobby Anderson scored the other.
“We went on to win that particular cup that season and also went to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, only to be beaten 2-1 away to Kirkmuirhill.
“Other players in the Maitland team included Jim Louden, Sandy Smith, Ernie Clark, John Middleton, Jackie Burns, Jim Lobban, Jim Sandeman, Billy Ritchie and Harry McConnell.
“We also won the league that year, finishing in front of teams such as Builders, Lochee United and Lochee Hibs.”
Frank also enjoyed a healthy junior career and fondly lists names he played with at several clubs.
“At Osborne, there were some great players, which included Jimmy Dorward, Jim Webster, Dave McDonald, Jimmy Murphy, Tommy Dunlop, Tom McGouldrick, Willie and Johnny Green, Jimmy Keenan, Wattie Selway and D. Keenan.
“I then went to Coupar Angus and played alongside Alan Turner, Ian Steen, Sandy Pirie, Tommy Smith, Alan Hynds, Jim Kidd, Jack Martin, Norrie Milne, Doug Bannerman and Doug Sneddon.
“At least six of those players went senior.
“Along with Norrie, Tommy and Jim, I then returned to Dundee juniors with Broughty Athletic to join the likes of Norman Davies and company.
“I may have missed out some names and apologise in advance. Perhaps they can also get in touch with BwB.”
Perusing our files, I couldn’t find any photos with Frank in the above teams, but this OSBORNE snap (top photo at foot of column) from September 1949 shows some of the players he mentioned.
Back row (from left) — Trainer J. McGinnis, A. Gourley, J. Thoms, J. Fairfield, T. McGouldrick, T. Dunlop, W. Baxter. Front row — A. Clark, W. Green, B. Fox, W. Phin, J. Smith.
ANGUS AFA UNDER-AGE SELECT SIDES DEBATES
DAVY GOLLAN came on from Wellington, New Zealand, in reply to recent stories.
“I’ve enjoyed reading about Sy Thomson and Billy Boyle in recent weeks, and they were old team-mates and adversaries,” said Davy.
“I then looked out my old photo album and, lo and behold, there is a newspaper clipping of that side before we had beaten Perthshire in the first round of the Black Trophy in 1969-70.
“I’m the goalkeeper and Billy Boyle is in the front row and you at the end of the back row.
“You may have the original somewhere and it would be good to see it in your column.”
The photo surfaced in BwB in February 2007, but, if it will cause a stir in Wellington, there’s no harm showing it again (middle photo below) — (and also the fact it features a slimline yours truly!).
The game was played around autumn of 69 and was played on the pitch which used to be situated around the roundabout at the Old Glamis Road/Gillburn Road.
Back row (from left) — Charlie Gardiner, Alan Sutherland, Davie Gollan, Bobby Mann, Peter Castle, John Brown. Front — Charlie Brown, Kenny Payne, Billy Christison, Billy Stevens, Jimmy Cooper, Billy Boyle.
I hadn’t seen wee Alan Sutherland for quite some time, but bumped into him recently on two occasions.
Charlie Brown works upstairs from me in D. C. Thomson, while Kenny Payne fancies himself as a football mastermind and is a regular at local football quiz nights as part of the Monifieth Maulers team.
I don’t know the whereabouts of Charlie Gardiner and Bobby Mann, but I know Jimmy Cooper is still on the scene around the Ardler/St Mary’s way, and Peter Castle and Billy Stevens are often spied at local football games.
Billy Christison is in Sweden and I mentioned his dad George (pictured below) in a recent article.
In a reponse to that article, I was informed that, sadly, George had passed away in June this year, which I didn’t know.
I was on holiday for a couple of weeks in June, so that may explain why.
HAWKHILL TAVERN - A “CULTURAL OASIS”
Meanwhile, Lochee’s ANDY WALKER also has a Black Trophy tale and, again, it is Angus v. Perthshire.
“Recently, in a well-known public house, the Hawkhill Tavern — ‘a cultural oasis’ — a debate arose about ages of certain local players,” said Andy, of Lochee, Dundee.
“As always, I was dismissed and lampooned, so here, in my defence, is proof who were still eligible for U/18 football in 1969.
“The Black Trophy U/18 first-round tie between Angus Amateurs and Perthshire Amateurs went ahead on Saturday, January 11, 1969, at Claypotts (now Whitton Park).
“The Angus team was — Gyles (Arbroath LC), Milne (ALC), Beer (Butterburn Youth Club), Walker (ALC), Martin (ALC), Mollison (ALC), Cooper (ALC), Watt (Lochee Boys Club), McNicoll (Butterburn), Hunt (St Columba), Ogilvie (St Columba).
“Reserves were Duke (St Joseph’s YC), Jamieson (Butterburn), Massari (St Columba), Muirhead (St Columba), Hackney (Lochee). The trainer was Mr Kelly.
“The referee Mr Blair abandoned the match after 30 minutes due to fog, with Angus 3-0 up through Walker (9 min.), Morrison (18) and McNicoll (23).
“In the replayed match on Saturday, January 25, 1969, the same starting XI. won 13-0 with goals by Watt (4), Ogilvie (3), McNicol (2), Hunt (2), Cooper and Walker.
“I hope this wee bit of history rekindles memories and I will receive untold apologies from the doubters.”
Don’t hold your breath, Andy!
