Osborne junior legend Billy Cooper was the first to respond to Andy Walker’s plea to find the owner of a junior football medal, which he had in his possession.
The medal was awarded to the top scorer each season in the Dundee Junior League.
Billy, who scored goals for fun, with the Bourners, said: “I was second-highest scorer in 1965-66 and 1966-67, and the highest scorer 1967-68. Therefore, the medal is not mine.
“I think the medal might belong to John Markie or Eddie Innes.”
Colleague Steve Finan, who works for the Sunday Post, put me on to his friend, Craig Murray, who owns the Angus Trophy Centre in Carnoustie.
Craig also helps run the Football Action Group in Monifieth and Carnoustie.
One person who attends the group is the aforementioned John Markie.
Said Craig: “Mr Markie lost his medal from the 1966-67 season, and reckons he was top scorer that year.”
Craig gave some info regarding the group.
He continued: “The group is basically a memories type group for guys living with dementia.
“John is part of that group and, when your article was brought to his attention, he immediately said he lost his. He had no idea when or where.
“John’s condition mainly affects his recent to mid-range memory.
“However, his long-term memory and power of recollection from the old days is phenomenal.”
The group enjoyed a Christmas Dinner at Forbes of Kingennie, and Craig handed over the medal to John (see picture, top).
John’s son also got in touch.
John Jr said: “I knew that medal belonged to my dad for scoring 58 goals in a season.
“He gave it to me as a keepsake, but I returned it to him years later, along with his Scottish junior cap, so he could reminisce what times he had with great spells at Dundee North End, Lochee Harp, East Craigie and Jeanfield Swifts before returning to Harp, where injury cut his playing career short at the age of 34.
“I often asked him who was his most difficult opponent.
“He said they all were, but two names kept coming out just ahead of the rest.
“Broughty Athletic’s Ian Johnstone, brother of Derek, in dad’s words never gave a him a kick of the ball.
“Keith Donnelly, of Blairgowrie, was another.
“In fact, later on, Keith signed for Jeanfield to be on same side as dad, along with Peter Urquhart, another accomplished defender.”
John Jr now resides in London just a couple of minutes’ walk from Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
However, he is a Chelsea fan, and continued: “Other players who were brilliant in the junior league at that period were Billy Cooper (Osborne), Eddie Innes (Elmwood), Dennis Elder (Blairgowrie), Charlie Connaghan (Jeanfield), Harry Grieve (Harp), the legendary Jimmy Ashwood (Harp and Elmwood), Carnoustie duo Billy McLardy and Dave Edmunds, and Ian Beatson of East Craigie.”
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