Andy Walker’s latest contribution to Blether with Brown highlights a single Dundee housing scheme’s contribution to senior football in Scotland.
Andy opened: “Three very well-known Dundee-born players – Cammy Fraser, Charlie Adam and Derek Johnstone – all came from Fintry housing scheme in the City of Discovery.
“However, I put forward the Charleston housing scheme as an oasis of football ability.
“In Balgarthno Road, there was Scotland’s ‘hottest night spot’ – The Gaiety.
“If you take that bar as the central point and have a radius of half-a-mile around it, it will be hard to believe, but this area produced a team of 11 players who played in the top level of Scottish football, including cup finals, European ties and internationals.
“Right outside that ‘plaza of entertainment’ within 10 yards of the cellar door lived Derek ‘Des’ Spalding, who turned out for Hibernian FC. Across the road approximately 30 yards is the former home of Dundee United’s David Narey, then, along to Balgarthno Terrace, you would find George McKimmie, a striker with Dunfermline Athletic.
“A few paces down the road was the home of Bryan Scrimgeour (Dundee FC). Again a short walk, and you had Steve Petrie, a Dundee United player, and there is also ex-Dundee and Dundee United man Andy Cargill.
“If we double back past the Gaiety and head up Brownhill Road past the shops in to Brownhill Place, we come to the residence of the ‘world-famous’ Albert Kidd (Dundee FC).”
Andy, a Celtic fan, continued: “A short stroll up a path and into view in Liff Terrace gives you the abode of Gary Ogilvie, also Dundee FC.
“Through the scheme to Craigmount Road and you find the building in which Jimmy Henry, Dundee United, once stayed.”
Andy chuckled as he continued: “I might cause a bit of controversy here, but I am adding John Ruddy, of St Johnstone FC ahead of Dundee United’s Ged Leslie.
“The reason being John played in The Dewar Shield Final, scored the winner and was released.
“Ged played in the Forfarshire Cup – but can this be included as real football?
“This is the predicament I am in.
“I know many players have played in these tournaments in representing their clubs as first-team member.
“If I were to include these competitions, then the list of players from the same scheme playing at the top level of football in Scotland would jump to 19.”
Duncan Fenwick has contributed to BwB over the past while.
He stayed in Dundee in his early school years, but now resides in Haddington, and remembers when he was part of a record-breaking sprint team.
He said: “I was a member of the Lawside senior 4×100-yard relay sprint team which broke a 40-year-old record for that event in June 1968 at the Dundee school sports at Caird Park.
“The other members of the squad were Craig Goodman, Iain Macrae and Dave Johnstone.
“We have tried to find a report of the event in DCT publications (Tele and Courier) without success.
“We reckon our record still stands to this day only by the fact that the next year saw the event go metric.
“That could be wishful thinking, though.”
Duncan concluded: “I always enjoy reminiscing with your column every time it is printed. Keep up the good work.”
SOME football stories are legend. The following, I’m assured, is true . . .
Marius Cioara was sold in Romanian football from UT Arad to Regal Hornia in 2006 for 15 kilograms of sausage meat.
However, Cioara left his new side after just one day at the club because he was relentlessly abused by team-mates in relation to the circumstances surrounding his move.
Football players, managers and staff are always sought for quotes by the media.
I’m continuing to share some of them with you, which are associated with the Scotland international team.
Scotland and Manchester United striker Denis Law recalls the afternoon of July 30, 1966, when he went for a game of golf rather than watch the England v West Germany World Cup Final:
“As we came around the corner from the 18th green, a crowd of members at the clubhouse were at the clubhouse window.
“They were cheering and waiting to tell me that England had won the World Cup.
“It was the blackest day of my life.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.