Jimmy’s initial words were to acknowledge his son BARRY was in the BROUGHTY UNITED AFC team which featured in this column on December 19.
However, he was hit with a double-whammy as he looked through the accompanying article on that page titled “When Eisenhower presented cup”, as sent in by Lochee’s CHARLIE WALKER.
Jimmy, of Malcolm Crescent, Monifieth, takes up the story.
“Reading through that article, I came across the name CHRIS DUFFY,” recalled Jimmy.
“In 1947, I had already signed for Dundee, but was in the RAF and stationed just outside London.
“Dundee manager George Anderson sent me down tickets for an international and also the FA Cup Final.
“I remember Chris Duffy was a Scotsman and he played at outstide-left in that Wembley final when Charlton beat Burnley 1-0 after extra time.
“Indeed, he scored the only goal of the game.
“I have vivid memories of that game and, indeed, still have the programmes from that final and also the international.”
Some six years on, Jimmy, a raiding right-winger, would be the proud owner of two Scottish League Cup medals, both gained with Dundee in final wins over Rangers (3-2, in 1951) and a year later against Kilmarnock (2-0) when they retained the trophy.
Dundee’s teams in these finals were:
1951 — Brown; Follon, Cowan; Gallacher, Cowie, Boyd; Toner, Pattillo, Flavell, Steel, Christie.
1952 — B. Henderson; Follon, Frew; Ziesing, Boyd, Cowie; Toner, A. Henderson, Flavell, Steel, Christie.
See photos at foot of column.
when LOCHEE harp’s photo was on the front page of the sporting post
ANDY MURRAY, of Apedaile Way, Coupar Angus, has sent in a cutting of a very rare event.
Certainly, in my time in football — and working for this newspaper spanning five decades — I can never remember a junior team group photo being on the front page of The Sporting Post.
However, in his initial conversation with me, Andy told me he had a cutting of such an event.
“My pal DAVIE GRAY played for Harp before he went to Rangers,” said Andy.
“On another Rangers’ theme, George Niven was goalkeeper for Coupar Angus juniors when I played for them.
“I also played with NELSON BLACK for Harp, then against him with Coupar Angus.”
On another query, Andy remembers beating Carnoustie in the final of the Forfarshire Cup around 1943, but didn’t say whether he was playing for Coupar Angus or Harp at the time.
“Were Forfarshire Cup medals awarded during the war?” he asks, which leads me to think he didn’t get one after his victory over the Gowfers.
The photo featured in the cutting (see foot of column) was taken as Harp beat Elmwood 3-0 in a league game the previous Saturday (April 3, 1943).
Back row (from left) — Garrigan, Connor, McMahon, Kidd, McNaughton, Smith, P. Baird (trainer). Front row — Pacione, Duncan, Cochrane, Murray, Garden.
“scrag” was St Johnstone doorman
Staying on the Coupar Angus theme, Sunday Post football writer RON SCOTT has input regarding the photo of the Foxhall Park side from 1957, which featured in BwB (Jan. 9).
“Willie Forbes was in the front row, first left, of the photo and he was actually Alan Gilzean’s cousin,” remembered Ron.
“He was an old-fashioned flying machine of an outside-right.
“Sadly, he died a few years ago.
“He was known to everyone as ‘Scrag’ and he became the doorman at the official entrance to St Johnstone’s old Muirton Park ground after he stopped playing around the time Willie Ormond was Saints’ boss.
“Willie knew everyone involved in football.
“It was often claimed you could almost double the official attendance given out by Saints if you included the number of people he allowed in through the front door.
“He was certainly quick to spot English scouts — and he was never slow to let the attending Press know which player they were running the rule over.”
dundee FC lost a game, so down came the blinds
“As it’s Scottish Cup time, I thought it would be time to tell you of a real diehard Dundee football supporter called JAMES GEORGE SMITH,” said Lochee’s ANDY WALKER.
“He owned the ‘world-famous’ Smith’s Bar, which was at 110 High Street, Lochee.
“Jim had his own peculiar habit when the Dark Blues were defeated — he pulled down one of the window blinds halfway as a show of mourning.
“The blind remained like that until the following Saturday morning or unless Dundee won a midweek fixture.
“However, when Dundee FC were defeated by Fraserburgh, he pulled the blind down fully — never to be raised again!
“It remained so until the day the bar closed for the last time.
“I would like know if his son, James ‘Biff’ Smith, Jun., played for the Dens Park club.”
st andrews swifts’ reunion
HAMISH HERMISTON (hamishh@fsmail.net) is looking to arrange a 50th anniversary reunion of a cup-winning ST ANDREWS SWIFTS team from the late 50s.
“Back in 1959, St Andrews Swifts won the Scottish Juvenile Cup,” said Hamish.
“This team are not to be confused with United, who won the Scottish Junior Cup about a year later.
“We are intending to hold a wee gathering with as many ex-players as we can find to commemorate this great occasion.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the St Andrews Citizen being on strike at the time, it did not receive the credit it was due.
“I have made contact with one of the team, BOBBY WADDELL, who lives in Tayport.
“Bobby, of course, went on to play for Dundee FC and was part of the squad which won the First Division title in season 1961-62.
“He also had a brother, ANDY, who played for East Fife.
“Bobby has assured me there are quite a lot of the team still around, which cheered me up no end.
“I asked him if he still had his winners’ medal, to which he proudly replied ‘You better believe it, son, you better believe it’.”
big jock myles . . . big man with a big heart
The year may just be a few months old, but, already, the “Big-Hearted Couple Of The Year Award” must go to Carnoustie’s JOCK and VIOLET MYLES.
Of course, I’ve known Jock for decades through his sterling work with the local juniors as match secretary, and what follows just does not surprise me.
My former team-mate JOHN SMITH relays the tale.
“A few weeks ago, big Jock got in touch with DOUG TOSH and myself to tell us about our Carnoustie team-mate FREDDIE DAVIDSON, who was to have an operation due to cancer of the mouth.
“Freddie was our right-winger and had the heart of a lion.”
John, who teamed up with me for a spell at Broughty Athletic, continued, “He was due to get out of hospital, but only if he had someone to look after him.
“Without hesitation, Jock volunteered to take him into his home for the two-week recovery period. Toshie and I visited Freddie in hospital and also at Jock’s house in Carnoustie.
“Freddie was looking and feeling good.
“Big Jock and his wife Violet were doing a great job and Freddie is now home.
“Big Jock had just acted as we all would expect . . . big man, big heart.”
See bottom photo below.
