By Jim Hislop

Footballing legend Bert Slater, stalwart ‘keeper with Dundee FC during the club’s great run in the European Cup in 1962-63, died yesterday after collapsing during a round of golf at Brechin Golf and Squash Club, Trinity.

He was 70.

His wife Jean said last night, “He died peacefully doing something he loved.”

Bert attended Musselburgh Grammar School and joined Falkirk FC at the age of 17. He had been playing for Edinburgh juvenile team Broughton Star when they reached the final of the Scottish Under-17 Cup.

Although Broughton didn’t win the cup, Bert and six others were picked up by senior clubs.

Bert was signed for Falkirk by Bob Shankly, later to be his manager at Dens Park.

Although Falkirk were a full-time club, Bert was a part-timer, which allowed him to finish his apprenticeship as an electrician before turning full-time.

He also had the good fortune to be with Falkirk when they beat Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup final of 1957 at Hampden.

Like every other young man Bert had to do his National Service and went into the Royal Signals.

However, although at one point it looked like he was to be sent to Cyprus he was instead posted to his native Edinburgh and as a consequence was able to play more football than ever, turning out regularly for both Falkirk and the Army.

It was during that time he was capped for Scotland at under-23 level against Wales and also played for Scotland against Denmark.

In 1959 Bert moved to Bill Shankly’s Liverpool as a swap for the Anfield club’s Tommy Younger.

Liverpool were in the second division at the time but achieved promotion in Bert’s third season with them.

Then in 1962, Bert was called into the manager’s office and found both the Shankly brothers there.

Bob told him he wanted him to sign for Dundee, and as the Dens Club had just won the Scottish League Championship and qualified for Europe, Bert signed the contract even before Bob could fill in the wages and conditions.

Bert spent three seasons with Dundee and was then with Watford from 1965 to 1973, latterly becoming assistant manager. Unfortunately a boardroom battle ended with a change of directors and Bert, and the rest of the backroom staff, were sacked.

For several years after that Bert turned his attention to golf and got a job in the administration of a new course in Enfield.

Bert, his wife and their two daughters then emigrated to Spain, where they spent six years running a bar in Fuengirola. He also found time to be assistant manager and coach with Fuengirola FC and also ran the pub team.

On the family’s return to Scotland he became a part-time coach with Hibs and in summer coached at the Ian St John Soccer Camps in Aberdeen and Musselburgh.

Then in 1987 Bert was asked to return to Dens again, this time as chief scout with coaching responsibilities, and he immediately set up a network of scouts covering the country.

Bert is survived by his wife, his two daughters and a son.