The transfer window, which features twice in a season, brings with it the usual array of rumours.
And it is on that theme that Andy Walker recalls being in the company of one of Celtic’s greatest ever players.
He said: “The last time I was in the presence of the late, great Jimmy Johnstone was when I was present for a cheque presentation in The Black Bull pub in Uddingston.
“The cause was the Motor Neurone Disease, which, sadly, Jimmy suffered from.
“Two cheques totalling over £10,000 were handed to his ‘minders’ John Fallon and Dixie Deans, both, of course, former Celtic players, too.
“The money was raised through the efforts of former Lochee man Jimmy Blackwood.
“Jimmy ran the Wimbledon Celtic Supporters Club and got all the other London-based clubs to take part in a fundraising event and this was the total Glasgow bubble in overdrive, with a Jimmy Greaves to Celtic rumour raised. From then on, the banter was fast-flowing.”
Andy, a regular contributor to BwB, knew the former Scottish international right-winger had a wicked sense of humour, and he went on: “Jimmy, with a twinkle in his eye, then told a story.
“He said that, one day, after a Celtic training session, the players as usual all went their separate ways.
“Jimmy was late leaving the ground and, as he headed out, he recognised a group of well-known players getting off a bus.
“It was the England international team.
Jimmy Greaves in a Celtic kit for a 1961 select game. #celtic pic.twitter.com/B2CBk9qwe8
— Beyond The Last Man (@BeyondTLM) January 22, 2015
“Celtic had granted the English team the Parkhead facilities, but they had a problem as their full training kit had been left in London.
“Celtic offered them the use of strips and this was immediately accepted.
“Jimmy’s eyes lit up, as he saw what was in front of him as a gem banter-wise.
“Soon after, he met a few friends in a popular local hostelry.
“Jimmy told all in attendance that he had a real scoop for them – that Jimmy Greaves was currently at Celtic Park, and told all present that the player could be about to sign.
“Nobody initially believed Jinky – and he was being ridiculed and verbally slaughtered by his friends.”
Andy, from Lochee, continued: “Jimmy stuck to his story though, and proceeded to tell them, at that moment, the Tottenham legend was getting a fitness test, doing sprints, lapping the park and taking part in other exercises.
“The manager of the pub, trying to get verification, then phoned the ground to ask if Greaves was at a Celtic Park – and was informed he was!
“Glasgow being the bubble that it is, the story soon gathered pace over the next few hours before the real facts emerged.
“Wee Jimmy just smirked and insisted he wasn’t telling lies as Greaves was at the ground.”
This is a wonderful photo of fans queuing at Dens Park for the Dundee v Rangers league game on January 3, 1949.
The Dark Blues won the game 3-1, with goals by Ernie Ewan (2) and Alec Stott.
The official attendance was given out as 39,975, but it was reckoned at least another 5000 fans gained entry by illegal means.
In a very eventful, to say the least, season, Dundee would finish runners-up behind Rangers, one point adrift, by disastrously losing their final game of the season 4-1 at Falkirk.
All in all, though, it could be regarded as a reasonably successful season for the Dens men.
They reached the semi-final of the League Cup, losing 4-1 to Rangers at Hampden.
They also contested the last four of the Scottish Cup.
However, after a 2-2 draw with Clyde at Easter Road, the Bully Wee triumphed 2-1 in the replay at Hampden Park.
This is a truly amazing photo from the mid-1980s.
It shows Dundee Sunday Welfare AFA match secretary Jim Don with array of trophies and medals.
This was an annual order to satisfy the demand for member clubs who are league champions and taking part in cup finals.
The camera shot actually was not big or wide enough to get all the trophies in the photo.
Jim spent many years as a player and official with the Sunday afternoon association, and watched it quickly grow from just a solitary division to an amazing five in a matter of a few years.
I’ve been speaking to Jim and will share his tales over the coming weeks.
If you have a photo or a memory of the Welfare League, send it to jbrown@dctmedia.co.uk or get in touch on Twitter.
Footballers, managers and staff are always sought for quotes by the media. I’m continuing to share some with you.
Former Rangers owner and chairman David Murray, in November 2008, speaking about his club’s online critics.
He said: “I identified some of those guys. I then met them – and they were like mice!”
Continuing our look back at some of the old Sporting Queries, which were so popular in the Sporting Post.
SP Query – In July 1997, “Downfield Club” asked:
What were Teddy Sheringham’s previous clubs before he joined Manchester United? Also, did he ever play for Aldershot?
SP Answer – His first club was Millwall, who he joined in 1984, before moving to Nottingham Forest seven years later.
In 1982, he signed for Tottenham Hotspur for £2.1 million. Sheringham went on loan to Aldershot in 1985, scoring one goal in four games.
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-united-dundee-fc-claudio-caniggia-bob-valentine-walter-smith-blether-with-brown/
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.