Some weeks ago, a BwB reader sent in a question, which was very interesting.
It was the one which centred on Dundee amateur sides YMCA and YM Anchorage.
He preferred to remain anonymous then – and still does.
However, he has sent in another email, this time concerning the much-loved North End Fives.
He offered: “At the end of the football season in the Dundee area, North End Junior Football Club hosted a five-a-side competition, which was played every weekday night and Saturday afternoons.
“The competition ran for two weeks and there were three sections- Junior, Juvenile and Amateur/Works.
“Each team paid a participation fee and spectators paid entry money.
“All monies raised went to North End JFC.”
The reader explained the set-up, continuing: “The games lasted a total of 15 minutes – seven-and-a-half minutes each way with no break.
“While two teams played, another two teams were stripped and ready to go on immediately.
“Referees stayed on for six games and the competition was knockout. In the finals of each section, the winners received a canteen of cutlery in a lovely polished wooden box.
“The losers got clocks in boxes.”
Continuing, he enthused: “The early rounds of the Amateur and Works teams were fun, with guys who had not played for years, and who thought they could still play in the Works teams. Many of their mates, who did not get picked to play, would come and give them stick for any mistakes.
“The crowds were pretty good, as tele-vision at that time had not become popular.
“After the games, most of the guys just headed for a pint in Whytes on Provost Road.
“Happy days, indeed.”
In our archives, I came across this North End Fives photo (above) which was sent in by Danny Brady and features his dad, also Danny.
There were words from Danny, too, which read: “This a photo I found recently.
“My dad is Danny Brady (second from left) and he told me they were runners-up in the North End Fives.
“I think it must have been the late 1940s or early 1950s as my dad was born in 1926.
“The prize they have in hand is a Westclox alarm clock, which we had in the house for years.
In search of North End Fives memories
“I think the goalie (third from left) is John Carlin.
“I also remember the names such as Wright and Provost (or Prevost) mentioned in the past.
“Also, the person staring from the crowd (between Danny and John) is definitely Alec Cowlie from the Coldside area.”
Do you have any memories and/or photos of the North End Fives? If you do, please get in touch.
Over the past few months, we’ve featured the former Dundee police officer Jim Melville.
Jim sadly passed away and his wife Nan shared some of his football stories and photos with BwB.
The latest photo shows Jim as the goalkeeper in this 1950 photo of Ashdale Boys Club, taken at East End Park in Dundee.
Can anyone put names to the other players?
Billy Gowans recalled a very amusing story from the world of Dundee juniors.
Billy, of course, is a well-known former junior player himself with teams such as Alyth United, Brechin Vics, North End and St Joseph’s.
He recalled: “As a young lad growing up in the Beechwood housing estate in Dundee, I recall attending a match in the 1950s just along the road at Glenesk Park, home of Dundee Violet JFC.
“It was a league decider between Lochee Harp and North End.
“The decider was taking place because goal average did not come into the calculations that season.
“A huge crowd attended the match to watch a ding-dong battle, with Harp winning by the odd goal after at least one period of extra time.”
The Menzieshill resident, whose brothers Jimmy and Peter, were also well-known footballers, went on: “One or two of the North End players had different ideas on how the game should end and they approached the referee, who was the ‘famous’ Albert Pryde.
“The Dokens players claimed a draw and Albert was surrounded by players of both sides, in addition to spectators.
“Albert, being Albert, took the easy way out and ‘fainted’.
“Finally, order was restored and Harp were declared champions.
“I wonder if any of your older readers have a take on this.”
Billy, now 78, started off his working life as a plumber, but for the final 20 years of employment was the local trade union convener for the Dundee Public Works.
He also enjoyed spells playing football in the amateurs and juveniles with YM Anchorage, Stirling Albion Juveniles and Logie Thistle.
Current Broughty Athletic JFC president Jim Finlayson was in the photo of Morgan Academy U/14 footballers which appeared on October 17.
As a former Morgan pupil who left in 1967, I commented that, in my time at the school, there was no competitive football until third year, ie U/15 level.
Jim confirmed that by the time of his photo in 1968-69, all that had changed.
He said: “When I attended Morgan Academy, there was no football in the first year.
“It was just rugby, hockey and cricket.”
Modesty forbade Jim, but I can reveal he represented the school in all three of these aforementioned sports.
If you then add football, it is a grand slam (all four) for Jim.
Football players, managers and staff are always sought for quotes by the media. I’m continuing to share some of them with you.
Former Dundee and Aberdeen midfielder Robert Connor, in 2004, speaking about his former Pittodrie manager Alex Ferguson.
He said: “There was no pleasing Alex Ferguson and he would have ridiculous fines for players.
“One time, he fined John Hewitt because he overtook him in his car on the way to training.”
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/george-galloway-bobby-linn-blether-with-brown-dundee/
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.