With BwB now being read around the world via the internet, he responded from his home in Brisbane, Australia, and revealed he has only just returned from an extended stay in the UK.
“Bill Littlejohn, ex-director of Dundee United, contacted me about your article,” said Joe, who joined the Dens Parkers from Fulham for £15,000 in October 1968, and who also played for Clyde.
“I certainly enjoyed it and it brought back great memories. Where have these 40 years gone?
“My wife Sandra and I have actually just recently returned from seven weeks in the UK.
“Usually, we stay with JIM and BETTY MACKAY in Monifieth, and catch up with former team-mate DOUGIE HOUSTON and other old faces where possible.
“This year, however, we were looking after Sandra’s 90-year-old mother, so travelling around was curtailed.
“I have fond memories of playing for Dundee and living in Monifieth.
“Our two children, who are now here in Brissie with their own families, were born in Arbroath.
“There were such great fans at Dens and I remember being greeted as we ran out the dressing-room at the start of the game with ‘Get aff, Gilroy!’.
“So affectionate!”
Joe, of course, will forever be linked with the Bilsland Bread advert on TV, which showed him expertly scoring with an overhead kick.
I asked him how he managed to get the part.
“Ah . . . the Bilsland Bread story, like a bad penny, it keeps turning up,” was his initial response.
“I still get asked about it — even here in Brissie.
“Anyway, I was playing with Fulham at the time and we had some great players at the club such as the legendary Johnny Haynes, George Cohen and Allan Clark.
“The chairman was the great comedian Tommy Trinder and also on the board was Chappie D’Amato, a well-known band leader.
“Sound Of Music actress Julie Andrews was the club patron.
“So, with all the showbiz connections — and London in the swinging 60s, I was in heaven.
“Bobby Robson was manager at the time and he encouraged any promotion of the players.
“As a result, we were always asked — along with the Chelsea players — to do adverts such as Watney’s Draft Red Barrel and other beer ads.
“One day after training, Bobby asked for some players to do an ad for bread.
“John Dempsey, Barry Salvage, Stan Brown, Donny Kerrigan, John Ryan and I put our hands up.
“Off we went to a training ground near Putney Bridge and, lights, camera action, there were hundreds of artisans all over the place.
“Among them were the dancing girls from the London Palladium. That gave us instant attention and the boredom was gone.
“However, there was a delay and we were fed up hanging around, so John Ryan and I jumped into his new E-Type Jaguar and nipped into The George in Fulham for a couple of cases of beer and some other drinks for the girls.
“We were having a good time when the director came up to inform us the delay was caused by the acrobat hired for the big finale being unable to do the overhead-kick.
“Wee Donny piped up, ‘Nae bother, Joe does it every day in training’.”
“Fortified with the bevvy — and unwilling to let the bonnie lassies down — I gave it a go.
“Unbelieveably, over came the balls and every attempt flew into the net.
“We had a fantastic day.
“The following day at Craven Cottage, Johnny Haynes asked, “By the way, what is Bilsland Bread?’
“No-one knew, not even me, as it was only sold in Scotland.
“I actually didn’t see it on the telly until two years later when I was transferred to Dundee.
“I have to say it was a cracker and looked fantastic.
“However, I don’t think we were even paid for the advert — not even a slice of bread.
“My father-in-law Harold Cordiner was a director of Liptons and received a letter from Bilslands.
“Fair proud I was.”
The aforementioned BwB article also mentioned George “Dandy” McLean and Joe is keen to know his current whereabouts.
“Have you any idea what happened to George?” he continued.
“I heard he, too, is in Oz, probably chasing ’roos in the outback.
“We stayed with them when I arrived at Dundee and his model wife Liz would bring us tea in bed — in full make-up and designer gear — at 7 am.
“Sandra just stuck her head under the covers — nae comparison!”
Joe played 61 league and cup games for Dundee in his three years at Dens, scoring 16 goals.
He also played for Dumbarton and Montrose and emigrated to South Africa to turn out for Highlands Park. He was also a coach with Queen’s Park and Falkirk, managed Morton and had a spell coaching in Iceland as boss of Valur.
