Over the coming weeks, I’ll share some of the information unearthed when perusing through our cuttings files.
Dundee fans will know Ray Farningham served Dundee well in his four years at Dens Park.
However, he could have been wearing the tangerine of city neighbours Dundee United quite a number of years earlier.
A cutting, dated July 6, 1977, read:
Dundee United manager Jim McLean is bringing in 11 youngsters for full-time training when United start training on Monday.
They are 16-year-olds Ray Farningham, Gerard Leslie, Ralph Milne, Alfred McBride (all Celtic Boys Club), Jackie Myles (Edina Hearts), Colin Craig (Hillside BC), Raymond Lorimer (Scottish Schoolboy internationalist and Celtic BC, Glasgow), and Derek Murray (provisional signing from Oakley United).
Seventeen-year-olds are Jackie Millican (Tobago BC, Glasgow), Geoff Stevenson (Riddrie HS) and David O’Neill (Duncraig BC). Six or seven of them may be called up on a full-time basis.
Brechin Vics goalkeeper Gordon Archibald (19) will be called up full-time.
History now tells us that Milne emerged the top player in that particular pile.
Farningham never actually signed forms for United but that didn’t stop him having a healthy career with a number of clubs.
A year on, he signed for Forfar Athletic and has legendary status at Station Park, courtesy of playing around 240 games for the Loons.
After seven years at Station Park, full-time football was offered from Motherwell and he signed for the Steelmen for £12,000.
He spent three years at Fir Park before a similar spell at East End Park with Dunfermline Athletic.
In 1992, he started another three-year spell with another club, this time Partick Thistle, before returning to his home town to join Dundee.
Two years after signing, Farningham began to combine playing duties with coaching the youngsters at Dens Park.
At the end of his career, Ray returned to first club Forfar on loan, scoring once during his temporary stay.
Following his retirement from playing, Farningham continued as a coach at Dundee, and was assistant to Jim Duffy.
He also had spells as manager with first love Forfar and also Montrose.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.