This column has contained many references to Lochee Boys Club over the years.
And they have all been good.
As a community club, they have served their patrons excellently over the decades since being founded in 1946.
I am delighted — nay privileged — to have been a (very) small part of that. Of course, my involvement was football but there is a lot more to this organisation than many outwith Lochee know.
What follows is a brief history of the club, which has just celebrated its 70th anniversary.
Brothers Andy, Ned and John Lynch started the club up from premises in Weavers Hall, Lochee.
This came about, when, after demob, Ned heard noises coming from the hall and it turned out to be a priest having a game of football with several youngsters aged around seven.
Ned was persuaded to lend a hand — and that was just the start of an incredible journey.
Soon, he was joined by brothers Andy and John, and took the name Lochee Boys Club, with the three brothers filling all the necessary positions such as chairman, treasurer, club leader, &c. Early members who went on to make a noted impact in the city include MP Ernie Ross and Lord Provost Charlie Farquhar.
Boxing and gymnastics were soon added to the curriculum and, as things progressed, the club moved around different premises such as Feenie’s Hall (Star Ballroom), Salvation Army Hall and the YWCA.
The final move was to Wellbank Lane, where the club sits today.
LBC gained a reputation for producing great boxers and these included Jimmy Frazer and Alec Elder, along with several sets of brothers. In the 70s, there was Gordon, Alec and Robert Burns, then the 80s produced Albert and Billy Buchanan, with Andy and Jerry Howett coming to the fore in the 90s.
Andy Lynch Jr won the British Trampoline Championship and also represented Scotland at water polo.
The football side was ultra successful with all domestic trophies at U/18 level lifted, in addition to many players sampling senior football after leaving the club.
Billy, George and Lewis Grier were instrumental in many of these successes — including winning the British Five-A-Side title — with other managers like Bobby Scott, John McPake and Paul Wallace taking that success on in later years.
The club continue to recognise the contribution these (and other) individuals made, and special mention also goes to gentlemen such as R Ogilvie Smith, Angus Gourlay and Jim Scott. Also in this group is Derek Lynch, whose involvement exceeds 60 years.
Lochee Boys Club continues to thrive under the guidance of a hard-working committee and training staff, whose sole purpose is to improve lives of youngsters.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.