Celtic’s 3-0 Champions League victory this season over Anderlecht in Brussells in September last year was, rightly, lauded from all sides.
However, in this city, there was a feeling that we had seen and heard it all before.
In 1979, Dundee United drew 0-0 with the Belgian giants at Tannadice, and a Frank Kopel screamer gave them an equaliser in the 1-1 away leg, ensuring they progressed on away goals.
However, in season 1962-63, street neighbours Dundee journeyed to Belgium to take on an Anderlecht side which had eliminated five-times winners Real Madrid.
Not many gave Dundee a chance in this quarter-final first-leg tie.
But, just as they had done to German champions Cologne and Portuguese cracks Sporting Lisbon in previous rounds, the Dark Blues put their hosts to the sword.
A 4-1 victory was recorded, but, by all accounts, it could have been a much more emphatic scoreline, such was the dominance of the Dens men.
My real reason for bringing this up relates to an incident after the match.
For a number of years before he passed away, I was friendly with Dundee’s captain of that era, Bobby Cox — as were many residents of Broughty Ferry.
Bobby’s eyes always lit up when he relayed tales of these legendary seasons.
“We absolutely murdered them,” he told me.
“They couldn’t handle Gillie (Alan Gilzean), and Gordon Smith was just crossing ball after ball into their penalty-box.
“Gillie would get on the end of most of them, and scored two early on in the game.
“However, it was after the game that we realised just how much we had humiliated the Belgians.
“After these types of games, the players and officials of both clubs would normally attend a banquet in a local hotel.
“As we approached the venue, their Hungarian goalkeeper Arpad Fazekas was sitting outside all by himself crying his heart out.
“Hammy (Alex Hamilton) approached him and was told he was being blamed by his team-mates and manager for the defeat. Hammy assured him it was not his fault and that other players in his side didn’t look like they played well.
“He also added that Dundee would have beaten anybody on that night.
“The upshot was that the Anderlecht goalie then joined our party for the meal — amid scowling stares from his own team-mates.”
Anderlecht tightened up somewhat in the second leg at Dens, with Dundee winning 2-1 for a 6-2 aggregate.
Dundee were then beaten 5-2 on aggregate by eventual winners AC Milan in the semi-finals.
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