Graham Rennie featured in the photo of Blackness Primary School football team which Bobby Walker sent in (BwB, September 8).
Graham reckons Bobby’s dates are possibly a wee bit out.
“Bobby, who was a good friend of mine, says the photo is from 1951-52,” said Graham, of Broughty Ferry.
“That would make me seven years old at that time and I certainly didn’t make the school team at that age.
“I can name some players who Bobby couldn’t (new names are in capitals).
“That would make the line-up (see below)… (back row, from left) — Bobby Walker, Ewan Cameron, Billy Walker, SANDY KNOX, Graham Rennie, ALAN LOWSON. Front row — Still unknown, Bill Dalziel, Roger ‘Pogie’ Smith, TOMMY RAE, Sidney Blair.
“Unfortunately, Roger and Sidney have now passed away.”
Graham’s football career continued after primary school and, after several years with Butterburn Youth Club, he signed for St Johnstone. He later came back to play for Lochee United.
He continued: “One of my team-mates at St Johnstone was Bobby Connolly.
“Bobby was a Glaswegian who had a spell with Liverpool.
“Let’s just say he was more street-wise than me.
“We were both part-time as we had day jobs (I was an apprentice printer with Pellow’s in Lintrathen Street, Dundee).
“We found out that some of the other part-timers were on £8 a week when we were being paid £7.
“Bobby was having none of it and marched into the manager’s office and got it all sorted out in our favour.
“Believe me, £1 went a long way in those days.”
Graham, who was also a foreman in Low and Bonar in Morgan Street, in addition to spending nine years in Dumfries, was tickled at Bobby Walker’s description of
his early years in the Blackness area of the city.
“My daughter is absolutely flabbergasted that we didn’t have a bath in the house in those days,” revealed Graham.
“She just can’t fathom us having to go down to the washie to clean ourselves up.”
The Blackness PS photo also allowed Graham some claim to fame.
He concluded: “I’m a member of Barnhill Bowling Club and two different members came up to me with a copy of the Tele, saying ‘You are in the Tully tonight!’
“When I went home the same evening, another friend had stuck a copy through my letterbox.
“So I ended up with quite a few photos.”
Graham and Bob Connolly are featured in the St Johnstone team photo (top of page) from August 1963.
Again, this has been used before in BwB in a totally different story and theme but, again, it is worth another look.
Modestly, Graham omitted to mention he was once a team-mate of Alex Ferguson.
Back row (from left) — McCarry, Renton, Roe, Coburn, Lachlan, Harrower.
Second back row — Frank Christie (trainer/coach), Booth, Taylor, Cadenhead, Fallon, Jackson, W Miller (assistant trainer).
Second front row — Ferguson, Newman, Bobby Brown (manager), Connolly, McFadyen, Garden, Kemp.
Front row — McIntyre, Kay, Townsend, O’Brien, Young, Rennie.
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