I would say that I had nothing against John Brown. As a fellow human being I am sorry that he has been eased out of his job as manager of Dundee FC. I never saw him when he played for Dundee. It was at a time when I couldn't get to Dens to see the team. What I was upset about and ashamed of was what had happened before John Brown was appointed, in particular the way his predecessor was dismissed.
I remember that at one of the his first engagements with the media after his appointment as manager to our great club John Brown said, "Scot Gardiner. and I go back a long way." I didn't quite understand what he meant. Quite fancifully, what came to mind was that they were distantly related or that they had belonged to a male society whose members identified each other by the nature of their handshaking. It turns out that I am completely wrong, or, if either was the case, none of those things helped Mr. Brown keep his job but you've got to admit that Mr Gardiner is a very powerful man. He's the sort of champion who has the wherewithal to run a side like Rangers. Of course a man right enough for Rangers may not be right for Dundee.
As an aside I was sorry not to be at Dens Park last Saturday to see again that good man and good football coach, Barry Smith.
This particular blog carries with it the warning that my views on matters of football are in all probability - actually in all certainty - worthless and most would rightly count me a football naif even though I played at outside left for Liff Road School on three occasions during the season 1956-57. Firstly I played against our local rivals St Mary's School, Lochee, who then had a great team which that year had vanquished all before them. The result of the match was 1-1 or "one's up" as we used to say. I was kept in the team for the next game against St. Mary's School, Forebank, which we lost 2-0, and finally I played for the side in another local derby against Ancrum Road School at Lochee Park. We lost 5-0 or as we would say at the time, "five nothing." After this disaster, our manager, coach and school heidie, Mr Dalgleish, dropped me forever. I was so distraught that next season I went to the Harris Academy and took up rugby.
Mind you I'm a person who always enjoys shining in the reflected glory of others. So, let me tell you, our goalie in the Liff Road side was a boy named Sandy Davie who went on to have an illustrious career in football, even if he did play for that other unmentionable middle eastern team. Unfortunately this fact did not turn me into a good player.
Still, despite all my disappointments in life and football, I'll be taking an early train from Totnes to be at Dens for the Hamilton Accies match on Saturday. A good match to win ! What a club I support !
I remember that at one of the his first engagements with the media after his appointment as manager to our great club John Brown said, "Scot Gardiner. and I go back a long way." I didn't quite understand what he meant. Quite fancifully, what came to mind was that they were distantly related or that they had belonged to a male society whose members identified each other by the nature of their handshaking. It turns out that I am completely wrong, or, if either was the case, none of those things helped Mr. Brown keep his job but you've got to admit that Mr Gardiner is a very powerful man. He's the sort of champion who has the wherewithal to run a side like Rangers. Of course a man right enough for Rangers may not be right for Dundee.
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| At Raith Rovers : New Year, 2014 |
As an aside I was sorry not to be at Dens Park last Saturday to see again that good man and good football coach, Barry Smith.
This particular blog carries with it the warning that my views on matters of football are in all probability - actually in all certainty - worthless and most would rightly count me a football naif even though I played at outside left for Liff Road School on three occasions during the season 1956-57. Firstly I played against our local rivals St Mary's School, Lochee, who then had a great team which that year had vanquished all before them. The result of the match was 1-1 or "one's up" as we used to say. I was kept in the team for the next game against St. Mary's School, Forebank, which we lost 2-0, and finally I played for the side in another local derby against Ancrum Road School at Lochee Park. We lost 5-0 or as we would say at the time, "five nothing." After this disaster, our manager, coach and school heidie, Mr Dalgleish, dropped me forever. I was so distraught that next season I went to the Harris Academy and took up rugby.
Mind you I'm a person who always enjoys shining in the reflected glory of others. So, let me tell you, our goalie in the Liff Road side was a boy named Sandy Davie who went on to have an illustrious career in football, even if he did play for that other unmentionable middle eastern team. Unfortunately this fact did not turn me into a good player.
Still, despite all my disappointments in life and football, I'll be taking an early train from Totnes to be at Dens for the Hamilton Accies match on Saturday. A good match to win ! What a club I support !
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