Brian Smyth was a team-mate of Ian Dickson in Kirrie Thistle teams of the 1970s.
However, his first line tells me he is not a reader of this column.
“A neighbour has given me a copy of the photo in a September edition of the Tele,” said Brian, who stays in Fowlis.
“I played for Kirrie for five seasons, leaving at the end of season 76-77 as I moved to Kirkcaldy.
“I played with Ian Dickson at that time and he was a fantastic player.
“I would be interested to see the article you wrote.
“I played with most of the guys in the photo (above). The back row reads (from left) D Dye, G Carnegie, G Small, B Smyth, C Miller, A Nicoll, A Taylor, G Rodgers and F Phillip. The front row is as stated.”
Brian is pictured in this other photo (top of page) of Thistle from February 1974.
Back row (from left) — Sturrock, A Taylor, Kerr, Seaton, Smyth, Robertson, Downie.
Front row — Robbie, Dickson, Reid, G Taylor, Orrick.
The great man himself — Ian Dickson — also phoned to say thanks for the original article but he did point out a couple of mistakes.
He explained: “When I scored a hat-trick on my debut for Montrose at Third Lanark in 1966, we were beaten 7-4 in that game and not a 4-1 win as you wrote.
“Also, you mentioned the youngest-ever player prior to me to score a hat-trick on their debut was Jim Baxter for Raith Rovers.
“I’ve actually spoken to a Raith historian and he says Baxter did not score a hat-trick on his debut.”
That Baxter stat was echoed by Billy Martin, of Strathmartine Road, Dundee.
“Jim Baxter was my late father William’s hero and he had a couple of scrapbooks on Rangers which contains many, many pages of Baxter,” said Billy.
“Baxter did not score on his debut for Raith Rovers and was transferred to Rangers in June 1960 for a fee of £17,500.
“He made his debut for Rangers against Partick Thistle in the League Cup in August.
“Coincidentally, his first league match was also against the Jags.
“It was not until November that year that he scored in the league and that was against Clyde in a 3-1 win.”
Billy continued: “Baxter’s time at Ibrox saw the Gers win trophy after trophy.
“In the five or so years in his first spell at Ibrox, he won three championship medals (1961, 1963, 1964).
“He also won the Scottish Cup three years in a row from 1962-64.
“Four times he was in the Rangers side which picked up the League Cup (1960, 61, 63, 64).”
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