The sad passing of George ‘Beef’ McKimmie was highlighted in this column a few months ago.
His close friend Andy Walker remembers George with great affection and admiration.
Andy opened: “George McKimmie and I were friends from primary school, and remained so into secondary school and on to U/18 football with Lochee Boys Club.
“At school, l gave him the nickname ‘Herman’ as I reckoned he was the double of Peter Noone, lead singer with Herman’s Hermits.”
Returning to the football side of things, Andy recalled: “I remember the time one of the older Lochee Boys Club teams were in a cup final and found themselves a man short leading up to the kick-off.
“Beef volunteered to play for them.
“He said he was there anyway as he would have been watching the game. They let him play in the game and LBC won their first-ever trophy.
“And who was the person who put in a brilliant performance to win the match for his team? Of course, Beef.
“He had a faultless game and gave a display that stunned people watching as, remember, he was two years younger than his team-mates.
“The even more remarkable thing is that Beef was not playing up front — he was the goalkeeper!
“Time and again he saved shots, some full-blooded from in the six-yard box, and headers destined for goal.
“He punched, tipped or caught — but kept them all out.”
Andy, a fierce champion of all things Lochee, continued: “Recently, I was talking to Pat Healy, a player of great experience in the juniors, and he brought up this match as he also played in that game.
“Pat recalled that he never witnessed Beef’s display equalled in the years he played since.”
Andy concluded: “At a time when Beef was with Dunfermline Athletic, we were sitting in the Gaiety Lounge in Charleston one Saturday night and he gave me a scoop.
“He told me that Dunfermline were going to sign former Celtic hero Joe McBride, then with Hibs — and that, indeed, happened!
“Beef never forgot his friends and match tickets were always left for us on request.”