The two Dundee/United derbies earlier this season certainly caught the imagination of the City of Discovery footballing public.
Both games at Dens were sell-out affairs.
Monifieth’s Peter Shearer was another who tried to catch me out with the query: “I bet you don’t know the time Dundee and Dundee United drew 7-7?”
I sincerely hope Peter did not put a bet on as he would have lost his stake, because I remember this encounter very well.
The game was not an official fixture but was a testimonial for United winger Iain McDonald, who was forced to give up the game due to injury.
The match was on October 11, 1976, and the teams did, indeed, share 14 goals.
Gordon Strachan and then-Aberdeen player Jocky Scott netted hat-tricks (one a penalty from Jocky), with Derek Laing making up the Dark Blues tally.
Paul Hegarty hit a double, with United’s other goals coming from guest John Greig (Rangers), guest Ronnie Glavin (Celtic), Graeme Payne, Tom McAdam and a Bobby Ford own goal.
Dundee’s other guest player was former Dark Blue Doug Houston, who was a registered United player.
Dundee — Donaldson (Allan); Ford (Martin), Houston; Robinson, MacPhail (Gemmell), Phillip; Hoggan (Laing), Strachan, Pirie (Hutchinson), Scott, Purdie.
Dundee United — McKellar; Rolland, Kopel; Rennie, Forsyth, Fleming; Payne, Glavin, Hegarty (Kirkwood), Greig, McAdam.
The crabbie football version saw teams slide on their backsides
Maureen Bisset sent in the photo above of a team who were about to play in a cup final.
Maureen said: “I found this photo of my uncle James Scott, with his two cousins Owen Rodgers and Pat Casciani, from 1928-29.
“It’s not in the best condition, so I hope it will be OK for you to use.”
Maureen’s photo shows the St Joseph’s JFC team which won the Forfarshire Cup against Lochee Harp at Dens Park.
However, I don’t have the scoreline (can anyone assist?).
Other players mentioned on the photo are Brownlee, Mulholland, Robertson, Kinsella, Mathieson, Doull, Murray, Leggatt, Watson, Graham and Devine.
I’m very interested in the mention of Pat Casciani.
Could this be the same Mr Casciani who ran the youth club out of Balerno Primary School in Douglas, Dundee, in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
He was assisted by another fine gentleman called Mick Cogan (although this spelling of his surname may not be correct).
I’m sure Pat stayed around the Balbeggie Street area, while Mick resided down near the Ballindean Road shops.
The club was well attended and football was the order of the day two nights a week.
However, you weren’t allowed to stand up or run with the football.
Instead, the main game was ‘crabbie football’, where all the players involved were scampering around the hall on your backside.
Believe me, you did develop a rhythm and the football (crabbie version) was very competitive.
I can’t remember whether it was called the Balerno club or Douglas club.
Does any other reader have memories of this club?
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