Football
Football Anecdotes
My namesake – Freddie Pirie played for Clyde and Accrington Stanley.
Mark Fertacz- St Johnstone and Scotland.
The late Jimmy Lennon ex Jeanfield and Stanley Juveniles Manager was well respected and a major influence in developing football in Stanley
Dave Allan Senior always helped youth football in Stanley.
Others who made a great impact were all the great Stanley Juvenile side of the sixties and seventies. Remember printing posters for the Scottish Cup Final v Inverurie (I think) anyone any further details? Still watch them occasionally (now Amateurs) Ronnie Northcott and family still involved. Amazingly they play at Dunkeld cannot get use of the school pitch, surely Stanley with their history should be playing in Stanley?
Special thanks to Fred McKerchar
Around 1962 or 1963, in May month, the usual “motley” crew went into Willie Clark’s papershop on the High Street in the morning on the way to their work – Wellsie, Camsie (Peter Cameron), big Ronnie Craik and a few others. At the time, Willie was a director of St Johnstone FC and he asked if anyone was available that evening for a game of football – the cruncher was that it was to play for St Johnstone reserves against St Mirren reserves. The last first team game of the season had taken place on the previous Saturday and as was the custom, Bobby Brown had issued his list of free transfers whilst forgetting that there was still a reserve game to be played that had been cancelled earlier in the season – he was short of players!
Step forward Pete Cameron and Bob Campbell who played as Newman and Trialist against a St Mirren team that included Thorensen (Tottie) Beck (who would go on to play for Rangers), and George (Dandy) McLean who went on to Dundee and Rangers. From memory, SJFC lost but that is the day that Peter played for St Johnstone. Pete worked in the GA at the time but went on to join the police and starred for their football team – winning the Scottish Police Cup – or was that a dream?
Special thanks to Alan Wells – 6th April 2006
Apart from the game itself – a memorable day – and the match programme which is too large to scan to show on the website here are my mementoes of the Cup Final. Perhaps in around 50 years time my Grandson may make a few bob from the ticket on e-bay or whatever follows that.
Special thanks to Jim Donaldson
Football Trivia
Freddie McKerchar refers to Ian Ferguson (Girky) from Luncarty in the Memories Section. Ian went To Stanley School as Freddie rightly states and he still frequents Stanley regularly being a member of the Strathord Inn’s Luncarty Battalion. Ian was a very accomplished footballer, playing for Luncarty Juniors & Jeanfield Swifts, and played a few professional trials. One of his trials was for St Johnstone and it was in a reserve game at Ibrox against Rangers reserves. If I mind right the game ended in a draw with Ian playing at right-half for Saints. His opposite number, at inside-left for Rangers, was none other than the most successful managers ever in British football – Sir Alex Ferguson. Needless to say, (unbiased of course) that Ian, being an ex-Stanley Schoolboy, played Fergie out of the game, and sent him to an early start to his managerial career. Well done Ian!
Another piece of trivia about Sir Alex. The man who signed Sir Alex for his first professional club was a Stanley man, Bobby Brown, (Duchess Street) who was the St Johnstone manager at the time and signed Fergie as a professional from Queen’s Park, who were an amateur club. Bobby went on to be manager of the Scotland team and was manager when they beat the reigning world champions (that team from across the border) 3 – 2 at Wembley Stadium in 1967. Bobby was a good friend of Roy McGregor’s. He now resides in Helensburgh.
Gus Williamson played for Brechin City and Portadown
Arthur Williamson Clyde and Southend United
Jimmy (Snooks) Williamson Dunfermline Athletic to read more
Sandy Wann Man City, St Mirren, Oldam Athletic and Forfar Athletic
Bobby Campbell Forfar Athletic
Jack Tobit St Johnstone.
Special thanks to Peter Cameron – 14th January 2006
St Johnstone
On the eve of St Johnstone’s heroic Scottish Cup Final win against Dundee United…
For what is worth, as St Johnstone approach another Final, I thought that I would pass on my memories of the previous time that the Saints were last in the final. It was the League Cup Final in 1969, October 25th to be accurate, 2 days after our son’s birth. I was living in Dundee at the time and after driving through to Perth on the morning of the game (my wife was still in DRI), I joined Doug Gourlay, Big Bob (Robertson), Ollie Hannah, Brian Scotland (and others that I cannot be sure of) on the train to Hampden. Lost all my cash playing ‘Shoot Pontoon’ and borrowed some money for a half-time pie. Lost the game 1-0 in the 2nd minute to a Bertie Auld goal, won all my cash back (and more) on the way back. Incidentally, I have memories of John Hughes being close enough to touch and shown below is a photo which I believe shows Big Bob complete with beard (bottom centre). Perth pubs had a late licence that night – open till 11pm – wow!
A note from Jim: PS After showing the email to my wife Issy she went further than I had remembered because on leaving DRI on the Thursday I said “See you Saturday.” She said “Are you not going to to the Cup Final? After all they’ll never reach another in your lifetime!”
Thinks: Ye of little faith. (Mind you they have taken their time about it).
Special thanks to Alan Wells
Gallery
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