When you are celebrating your 70th birthday, and you have taken your good lady to the other side of the world, the least you can hope for is a break from local football tales.
However, the global game, with its local touch, always seems to crop up for Davie Bruce.
The former Butterburn YC, Dundee FC and Lochee United junior explained:
“Maureen and I were away on holiday to Australia and New Zealand during November and December to celebrate my 70th birthday.
“We had lots of stops in Australia, but, when we flew into Sydney from Melbourne, we were picked up at the airport by a taxi driven by an Italian gentleman.
“As usual, the chat got around to football and he recognised the Scottish accent.
“The driver said he had played senior football when he was younger and, when we mentioned Dundee, he said ‘Do you know Jimmy Rooney?’.
“It turns out he played with him and was coached by him.
“I have never seen a more excited taxi driver as Jimmy was obviously his hero as well.”
Davie laughed: “I still had to pay the taxi fare, though!”
When he returned from abroad, Davie caught up with editions of BwB he missed.
He continued: “I just had to go to see the murals on the wall at Thomson Park, home of Lochee United.
“It was easy to recognise Davie Mitchell, Napper Thomson, George Young and the Traynor family as, in my early years, I lived in Napier Place, just around the corner from Thomson Park.”
He went on: “The Boag family, so often mentioned in your column, lived there also as it turns out.
“I think Joe Boag would be about my age.
“My pals and I used to climb the old garages to get over the fence into Thomson Park to run about on the pitch and play shootie-in in the goalmouth.
“We were often chased away by Davie Mitchell with none-too-complimentary language ringing in our ears.
“Davie must have forgiven me because he signed me when I was older and played for many years with some great players and some great teams. Those were great days.
“Keep the stories coming.”
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