We replied to Doug and last night recieved another email which we'd like to share, some of us never tire of hearing of the good old days.
Dougs email:-
" Thanks for reply. Was surprised to say the least.
Well I hope the game reports will continue like
this last one. It used to be great to get the Post
on Saturday night and read about the game. The
reporter just about reported every kick of the ball.
Nice to see a relative of the great Tammy Gallagher
uses the Net. I spoke to Tammy on the Phone when
I was back around 1995 or so. Also spoke to
Dougie Cowie. You should have seen that Half-
back line in those days. Wow. Tammy had the dirty
done on him. He only had a couple of Scotland "B"
caps to his name, but what a braw wee ball player
he was.. Dougie Cowie had 22 Full caps and he was
without doubt the best Centre half in Scotland at that
time, but of course the Scottish selectors could not
see further than the Rangers or the Celtic or Hibs.
Tammy said he used to report games for the United
when I was back there on holiday, and Dougie said
he was a scout for the United. Apparently Dundee FC
did the dirty on them both. Dougie never even got
a testimonial game. Maybe Tammy's grandson has some
old newspapers which would show a line up something
like.....
BROWN
FOLLON IRVIN
GALLAGHER COWIE BOYD
GUNN PATTULLO STOTT EWEN HILL.
This was around 1947 or so, then there were changes made.
Geordie Anderson from Aberdeen was the manager and he
stood for no nonsense apparently. A story went around that
because Tammy Gallagher was so slight, Anderson told
him he had to drink glass of Stout every day to put weight
on. !!!!
Billy Brown used to have Al Jolson records played before
the game and at half time. He was a great goalie.
Allie Gunn used to wear the old type of contact Lenses, and
every now and then he would go to the touch line and do
something to his eyes. I guess they bothered him.
Some of the other players who were in the Line up before I
came to Canada in 1951 included, RUEBEN BENNET (goal),
FREW, ZEISING, (both from South Africa), JACKIE COWEN
from Canada. I have spoken to him a couple of times and
apparently he visits Dundee at times. Then there was, Geordie
Merchant, Jimmy Fraser, Sid Gerrie, Jimmy Andrews, and
of course the GREAT BILLY STEEL. In case you don't know
it, but in 1947 (I think it was), Billy was transferred from an
English team for 23,500 pounds, which was the HIGHEST
transfer fee ever in Britain at the time. OH, what a player.
He left for San Francisco in the early Fifties I think and he
died at an early age. He wrote a book on football when he
was about 17 years old. I have read it.
Here's a wee tit-bit for you. Back in '49 when Dundee was
in the running for the League Title, four of the players went
on strike for more money. But Geordie Anderson refused to
give in and he dropped them for the next game which was
against the great Hibs team. Dundee won 2-0 I think, and
Geordie kept the rebels out for another week or so, and they
finally gave in and didn't ask for another raise....Boy oh Boy,
we could use managers like that nowadays. In those days
the full time pro's were getting 12 quid a week, then it went
up to 15. Another wee story, in the same year. The Rangers
came to Dundee around Xmas challenging for the League again.
It had snowed badly, and only the lines on the field were
cleared of the snow. The game was only 15 minutes old or
so, and the Gers came up and scored. 1-0 at half time if
I remember correctly. This goal was scored at the Dens Road
end. At half time, Dundee came out and they were wearing
what we used to call "sannies", (sandshoes), instead of boots.
This gave them a better footing and I think Geordie Merchant
who was a real sprinter scored the first goal. We beat the
Gers 3-1 that day. GREAT. On the last day of that season
Dundee had to go to Brockville to play Falkirk. Rueben Bennet
was in goal and he let in some real shockers. We got beat 4-1
and lost the title to the Gers by one point. Even if we had drawn
the game we would have won the title. I blamed Bennet, but
Dougie Cowie blamed Alex Stott, I think it was because he
missed a penalty early on. Falkirk had Jerry Dawson in Goal
that day, if you remember the name. My old Uncle up in Hill St.
had kept a wee notebook of Dundee's games from 1911 up to
1948 or so and it used to hurt me to look at some of the results
we had against the Celtic and Rangers..!!!!
By the way, that wee story about Dundee beating the Hibs with
four Reserves in the team came from Dundee's second team
trainer, who used to drink in Gourleys Pub across the road from
our tenement and where my Uncle drank !!! He told my Uncle...
I missed a lot of Dundees games from the time I came out of
the army till 1951 because I worked shifts But used to get the
Sporting Post every Saturday. A friend used to send it to me
when I came to Canada, but I was always on the move so I
really lost touch with the games.
I think it was in 1995 when I went back to Dundee for a holiday
I stayed with an old school friend and we went up to Dens one
night. This was the night they started the Greyhound racing there.
Big fireworks, etc. The dogs we backed were very slow. !!!
I think it was Partick Thistle I saw on a Saturday, and Dundee
were pathetic. Then in 1997 when I was back I think it was
Clydebank they played and as my old Uncle used to say......
"fitba' nane". Our favourite place used to be in line with
the 18 yard line at the Dens Road end, and it was standing room
only in those days. Seemed strange to be sitting in the same
place back in 1997. I just hope that the Boys will do better and
come on strong again and be a real challenge. It was good to
read the team line-up and not see Foreign names. It's about
time we gave our own lads a chance. I say this is one of the
reasons the Scottish National team is not as good as it should
be. Of course this all stems from Managers and Directors, etc
wanting winning teams, so they will bring in OLD foreigners
who have had experience, instead of taking a chance on our
own youngsters...MONEY, MONEY, MONEY....
By jings, I have surely rambled on, haven't I. Anyway, I just
had to get this off my chest. Thanks for reading this..
Cheerio the noo
Doug Brabner
Pender Island, B.C.
Canada "