The Dundee FC team group taken in Sandeman Street outside Dens Park in season 1946-47 continues to attract interest.
The photo was first brought to my attention by Dave Ewen, son of former Dens favourite Ernie, and featured initially at the start of May.
Bob Blyth, a former teacher at Morgan Academy, noted that Gerry Follon was missing from the team photo.
“The reason Gerry was missing from the photo was that it was taken during the day and that he was effectively only part-time with the club.
“I know that as I was a young aspiring goalkeeper who had been asked to train with Dundee.
“These training sessions and trials took place in the evening — on a Tuesday and a Thursday — and Gerry used to train with us.
“He was at college studying a degree in history. Even when he graduated, he still remained mainly part-time and joined the teaching staff at Lawside Academy, eventually rising to the post of deputy rector.
“The only time he would have ever trained full-time with the rest of the first-team players would have been during the college and school holidays.
“Bobby Ancell was captain of the team around that time and he was usually at the evening sessions.
“He put me under the wing of goalkeeper Johnny Lynch.
“Johnny was a great teacher of the art of goalkeeping. He was tremendous and well ahead of his time regarding training.
“He would show me stretching exercises, work with the medicine ball, how to make your angles and so on.
“Johnny always said to face the ball, and laughed when he added ‘especially when Julie (Albert Juliussen) is shooting!’.”
Bob, who lives in Broughty Ferry, continued: “Two of that Dundee team were former Grove Academy pupils — Alex Stott and Ally Gunn.
“Another former Grove pupil who went on to serve Dundee well was Bobby Seith, who was right-half during their championship season of 61-62 and the European Cup run the following season. Bobby, of course, went to Burnley straight from school but ended up back at Dens a few years later.
“Bobby Ancell obviously never forgot how local schools could supply talent when he became manager at Dens.
“When I was at Morgan Academy as a teacher in the mid-60s, and looking after some of the football teams, he signed John Duncan, George Hill Jr and Dave McNicoll.
“After Ancell left Dens, John Prentice was appointed manager and I was very surprised when McNicoll was released as I felt he had what it took to go far in the game.
“I had dealings with then Dunfermline manager George Farm over the years and he was a good friend. I alerted him to Dave’s availability and told him he could even be a future captain of Dunfermline.
“George signed him and Dave did, indeed, go on to skipper the Pars.”
Dave, of course, also played for Hearts and Montrose.
He is a well-known face in Carnoustie, where he lives and works.
He’s the proprietor of the town’s Carnoustie Golf Shop on the main road running through the town.
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