“Knowing Joe as I do, I’m sure he wouldn’t have been upset about it for too long,” laughed Willie, of Law Road.
“It did, however, prompt the question about our primary school team — ST MARY’S LOCHEE — and if anyone had a photograph of said team.
“My younger brother Ronnie and myself (I was known as Billy then) played in the 1949 team alongside Joe, a bustling centre-forward called JOHN McCUBBIN, LAWRENCE BOYLE and a lad called JIM McLEAN (but I won’t hold that against him, me being a Dark Blue supporter).
“Jim may, in fact, have played the year before us, as indicated by a classmate and team-mate PETER QUINN.
“I met Peter at the funeral of the late Peter Walker (aka Murray Walker, well-known Dundee entertainer and all-round good guy).
“I did my National Service with Peter, who is, of course, the brother of Andy Walker, a regular contributor to your column.
“In conversation with Peter, I mentioned I had seen a photo of a St Mary’s Lochee football team in BwB and noticed the boys sported what seemed a black and green strip.
“Peter agreed, and when I said I thought we, the 1949 team, were the first to wear the new emerald green shirts and white shorts, he wasn’t so sure.
“He then brought up another familiar name to me, JIM ANDERSON, who allegedly had a photo of the 1948 team which won the A. C. Little and Meikleham Cups and were apparently wearing the green-and-white strip for the first time!
“Now, as luck would have it, I ran into Jim and his missus a matter of days later and he confirmed that his team, which included his cousin (either JIMMY or TOMMY McANEARNEY, I can’t remember which one) and several others who went on to play senior football, were, indeed, the first to hansel the green-and-white kit.
“Notwithstanding all that, it still leaves my brother Ronnie and me wondering if any BwB reader has a photograph of some of our old school teams of the aforementioned era.
“It would be great to see them published in BwB.”
PENALTY GOAL WAS A KNOCKOUT BLOW
Lochee’s CHARLIE WALKER offers some unusual anecdotes from the football world.
n “The 1938 FA Cup Final between Preston and Huddersfield was tied at 0-0 with only seconds on the clock when George Mutch was upended clearly outside the penalty box, but the referee awarded a penalty,” said Charlie.
“Mutch was feeling groggy from the tackle, but still took the penalty and scored for Preston after his shot hit the underside of the bar, bounced down on to the line and crossed over into the net. The next day, he said he did not remember anything about the penalty due to being knocked out.
n “On September 25, 1943, England beat Wales at Wembley and, during the game, Ivor Powell was injured. England allowed their player Stan Mortensen to go on as a sub for Wales.
n “In the very first FA Cup competition, Queen’s Park drew with Wanderers 0-0 in the semi-final, but couldn’t stay on for a replay as they didn’t have the money to stay any longer in London.
“In the final, on March 16, 1872, a crowd of 2000 saw Wanderers beat Royal Engineers 1-0 at the Kennington Oval.”
TOM GETS BY WITH TATTIES AND MINCE AND JIMMY SHAND
“Listening to Jimmy Shand brings back Dundee memories,” says TOM McGOVERN, a resident of Manchester, but brought up in Dundee.
Tom reminisces about old friends and their connections.
“Growing up, I ran about with Jimmy’s son ERSKINE.
“They lived next door to my school pal LES ANDERSON at Sutherland Place. We all frequented Lochee Park.
“Another neighbour GORDON TOSH, played centre-half at Dens Park, and his father was a famous Dundee bobby, BIG TOSHY.
“Dundee FC’s two full-backs were GERRY FOLLON and BOBBY ANCELL.
“Gerry was also a local schoolteacher.
“Dundee had a great defence at that time — Lynch; Follon and Ancell; Gallagher, Cowie and Boyd. Alfie Boyd was a very stylish and cultured player and Doug Cowie was also brilliant.
“Another neighbour in the Gardner Street area was BOB WYLIE, who played in goal for Dundee United. Bob lived opposite the Lawside Convent.
“WILLIE CAMERON served as trainer at Dens Park, and I attended Scottish country-dancing with Willie’s daughter ELIZABETH at the St Francis Friary.
“Away from Dens, Celtic’s Bobby Lennox remains the fastest winger I have seen, while fellow-Parkhead player Pat Crerand was the finest passer of the ball I’ve seen to date.
“Football may be a bit faster today, but I don’t believe it is better.
“Currently, excitement is high in Burnley, my adopted home town in 1971.
“Burnley have now achieved promotion to the Premiership and are managed by a Scot, Owen Coyle.
“I believe he has the ability to succeed.
“Meantime, I continue to survive on that Dundee speciality tatties and mince and a musical salvo of the aforementioned Jimmy Shand.”
FAMOUS FACE IN TAYPORT LINE-UP
My son JOHN, who is currently the TAYPORT JUNIOR FC commercial manager, came across this photo from The Canniepairt team’s archives — with one individual now of particular interest.
It’s a ’Port line-up (full caption below) from their amateur days and the team posed on the East Common, Tayport, before a Midlands AFA league encounter against Grove on Saturday, February 1, 1975 — a game the Fife side won 3-0.
Ronnie Fleming was a team regular, but was injured that day.
There are several players I recognise who have been team-mates or opponents.
BOBBY WADDELL, formerly of Dundee, Blackpool and East Fife, was a team-mate at East Fife when I first signed on at Bayview.
Current Tayport Juniors supremo ABBY OSWALD is there, too, and two further on is PETER WILSON, who also gave great service to Windsor AFC. GRAHAM “SPIDER” McLAREN has been associated with Clubsport for many years and is also well-known in local cricket circles.
In the front row is DAVIE HENDERSON, a one-time Dundee FC signing, and a team-mate at Broughty Athletic.
Finally, on the far right, BOB BRANNAN is, of course, currently Dundee FC chairman.
