“Joe laughed and relayed the following tale,” said Andy.
“Joe was stationed near Nottingham during his national service and played for the battalion football team.
“As usual, on a Friday the team-sheet went up on the notice board in the mess hall. Assemble 10 am, venue, &c.
“The following morning Joe was sitting in the truck with his team-mates and the captain was in the middle checking all were present and correct.
“All the kit was in order and he asked about any call-offs.
“Out of the corner of his eye, Joe spotted a corporal sprinting and waving his arms shouting at the top of his voice like a banshee. Joe thought there must be another war.
“Arriving at the truck out of breath and gasping, he said, ‘Captain, captain, there’s a message from HQ.’
“The captain read the message and shouted, ‘Private Carr, front and centre.’
“Joe was out of the truck in split seconds and was met with the words, ‘Carr, you won’t be playing today — you are sine die’.
“Joe was totally dumbfounded and pleaded that it couldn’t be him, asking the captain if he was joking.
“The captain asked Joe if he was a signed player with the Lochee Hibs juvenile club, to which Joe replied ‘yes’.
“He was then informed that ‘under the Army FA’s rules, which are under the rules of the FA, you cannot play’.
“Joe asked the captain for a special dispensation, asking the captain to say he only received the information after the game.”
“Curtly, the captain answered, “A small lie, Carr. Is this not what caused your team’s bother in the first place?”
“Joe was never picked for the battalion team again.
“400 miles away — it’s amazing that Lochee Hibs were so well known.”
JOE HANGING IN
Word reaches me through Dundee’s DAVE JOHNSTON that Dundee ex-pat JOE TRONT (ex-Lawside Academy), a friend of this column and now resident in Australia, has undergone surgery for a malignant brain tumour.
“He is to start treatment shortly, but seems to be hanging in there,” said Dave.
“I know he reads your column and also know that a lot of his football friends would want to wish him well.”
MUST BE STRUGGLING
Last week’s piece on Jack Johnston received favourable comment from some, but not, it seems, from THOMAS STEVENSON.
Thomas emailed, “You must be struggling for material when your article is about freemasonry.
“How sad in the week when a young Bathgate player tragically died, you fill your article with this.”
CLEP BAR REUNION IS PLANNED FOR VINCIES
The latest contribution from MICKEY DUTHIE, of Douglas, Dundee, is a photocopy (below) of his primary school football team ST VINCENT’S.
“The ‘Vincies’ were a very successful team in 1967-1968, going through the league undefeated that season.
“In addition, we also won the Sports Cup, Burgess Cup and were beaten finalist in the Rock Cup.
“Sadly, three of the winning team are no longer with us — Billy McConnachie, Jimmy McDonald and John Cord.
“However, we will definitely remember them at the planned reunion in Jimmy Ferrie’s pub — The Clep Bar — on Saturday, September 26, at 7.30.”
Pictured in the photo are (back row, from left) — Jim Ferrie, Jackie Butchart, Teddy Rice, Kevin Mullady, Mick Duthie, Billy McWilliams.
Front row — Kenny Thompson, Jimmy MacDonnell, Jimmy Lynch, Jimmy McDonald, Billy McConnachie, John Cord.
