Andy Walker’s assessment in early October about the high level of football talent in Charleston, Dundee, proved popular.
Kevin Carr sent in this photo (above) of a very ultra-successful St Clement’s Primary School football team of 1971, a school based in Balgarthno Road in the housing scheme.
The team features Kevin’s brother Dennis.
Back row (from left) – Brian ‘Ham’ Rice, Danny Turner, Gerry Lesslie, Adrian Cashley, Michael Feeney, George Gallacher, Allan Brown, Steven Sidowra.
Front row – Jimmy Carlin, John Ruddie, Dennis Carr, Frankie Feeney, Colin McGaulin, Graham Traynor.
The trophies are the League Shield, Linton Cup, Rock Cup and Sports Cup.
Another St Clement’s successful outfit a few decades on materialised as father and son Michael and Darren Rennie combined to give me details of this side (above) from 1996.
Michael said: “The team were coached by Frank Wilkie (pictured).
“The trophies on display are Rock Cup, Linton Cup, Mieklham Cup and an unnamed indoor football trophy.
“I’d heard that what they accomplished that year was last done when Dave Narey was in the team as a pupil many years before.”
Back row (from left) – Alan McGowan, Bobby Linn, Martin Gormley, John Blackwood, George Stark.
Front row – Michael Bannon, Lloyd Young, Darren Ferguson, Darren Rennie, Zander Haggert.
Another of the players in the team, Michael Bannon, commented: “I remember it being a clean sweep of trophies that season.
“One of the finals was at Lochee United’s ground, Thomson Park.
“The photo (above) is from one of these finals, which was played across the park in the short-game format.”
Michael Rennie also mentioned his dad having a football connection.
He revealed: “My dad was David Wilfred Rennie, known as ‘Spike’ to everyone.
“He refereed locally for 37 years. He was very well known and must have even refereed some games you played in.
“Dad was also involved with Lochee United juniors from the outset.
“He helped around, like clearing the pitch and other duties.
“He is featured in the Thomson Park mural in Liff Road.
“He also drove buses and lorries for Napper Thomson for many years.”
Some football stories are legend. The following, I’m assured, is true . . .
Arsenal played a friendly against Moscow Dynamo in very heavy fog in 1945 at White Hart Lane.
Despite the urging of players to suspend play due to the fog, the referee decided that play should continue.
The fog was so thick that the game turned into an absolute farce, with both sides playing by their own set of rules and suffering their own bad luck because of the inclement weather.
Moscow at one point made a substitution, but didn’t take a player off, with fans watching the match believing that the Russian club had up to 15 players on the pitch at the one time.
Spurs also made the best of the conditions, with one of their players – who had earlier been sent off – sneaking back on to the pitch and playing the remainder of the game.
However, they did suffer some bad luck, with their goalkeeper knocking himself out cold after running into the goalpost, which of course, he could not see due to the fog.
A spectator reportedly took his place in goal and the match continued.
Football players, managers and staff are always sought for quotes by the media.
I’m continuing to share some of them with you.
Paul Sturrock, speaking in February 2002 on his September 1998 decision to leave St Johnstone to take over as manager at Dundee United, said: “My wife’s recommendation was not to go.
“My assistant said not to go. Anybody I phoned said not to.
“So what happened? I went!”
The legendary Jim Baxter is the subject of queries from Thomas (Tam) Cockburn.
Tam, of Dalclaverhouse, Dundee, asked: “When Rangers left-half Jim Baxter broke his leg in the 1960s in a European Cup tie, was it at Ibrox or in the away leg?
“Also, was that the same year they were beaten 7-0 by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium?”
Tragicially, Slim Jim broke his leg in the final minutes of a second-round European Cup tie against Rapide Vienna in Austria on December 8, 1964.
His team-mate on the night Ronnie McKinnon recalled the incident: “Baxter was in sensational form that night in Vienna and all he had to show for it was a broken leg.
“It was sad and we all lamented the fact he was carried off the field injured.
“He was taking the mickey out of the guy Skocik, who was one of Rapid’s star players. Baxter could do that to anybody.
“Skocik got annoyed and frustrated. Baxter put the ball through the guy’s legs for the umpteenth time and walked round him and the player chased him and kicked him and broke his leg.”
Jim Forrest and Davie Wilson had Rangers 2-0 up at the time, with Rangers going through on a 3-0 aggregate score.
The “7-0” defeat to Spanish giants Real came the previous season.
It was a preliminary round tie – a 6-0 defeat in Spain and a 1-0 defeat in Glasgow for a 7-0 aggregate reverse.
Continuing our look back at some of the old Sporting Queries, which were so popular in the Sporting Post.
SP Query – In August 1989, “PRT” asked: Which clubs has Bruce Rioch been involved with as a player and manager/coach?
SP Answer – Luton Town, Aston Villa, Derby, Everton, Derby, Birmingham (on loan), Sheffield United (on loan), Seattle Sounders, Torquay (player-manager), Middlesbrough (manager), Millwall (manager), Bolton Wanderers (manager), Arsenal (manager), QPR (assistant manager).
https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-united-jim-mclean-walter-smith-blether-with-brown/
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