Dundee’s recent 5-0 trouncing at Parkhead against Celtic didn’t go down too well with many of the Dark Blues supporters.
Some, on social media, even suggested that the Dens Parkers lay down all too easy against the Hoops.
Now, before I go on, there is absolutely no suspicion of anything dodgy emerging from that game as Celtic were just — by far — the better team, a fact acknowledged post-match by Dee boss Paul Hartley.
There was a time, though, where a Dundee v Celtic encounter did raise suspicion of ‘jiggery-pokery’.
Rob Boag has come in with what he describes as “a Jock Weir story”.
“Saturday, April 17, in the 1947-48 Scottish First Division was the date an important game took place against Dundee FC at Dens Park,” opened Rob, a Dundonian living in Canada.
“Glasgow Celtic FC, a powerhouse in Scottish football, was teetering for the first time in their history on the cliffs of relegation.
“The thought of a downward plunge into the obscurity of Scottish Second Division football had Celtic supporters in a state of catatonic shock . . . and Rangers FC supporters in a condition of delirious ecstasy.
“Celtic were on their way that day to play Dundee at Dens in a game they just had to win.
“With 30 minutes left in the game, Dundee were leading 2-1 and then Jock Weir (above) scored to equalise. Then, with minutes to go, Weir scored again to make it a hat-trick and a 3-2 victory.
“It was a Houdini escape for Celtic from relegation.
“The post-game comments on Dundee FC’s defensive performance that day were written with suspicion, cynicism and, in some cases, outrage that Celtic had escaped humiliation.”
Rob continued: “Fast forward to 1959, and I occasionally travelled through to Glasgow for weekend visits to family friends Jimmy Munday and Billy White, who lived on Steel Street in the Saltmarket area.
“To get to their local pub, you headed north on Saltmarket, crossed over the Trongate and continued on the High Street, then turned west on Blackfriars Street.
“The first pub on the left was Jock Weir’s hostelry.
“This was a popular busy spot, rich with characters and patter.
“On one visit to Weir’s, Benny Lynch’s son, also called Benny, joined us at the bar for a pint.
“No one in that company mentioned boxing or Benny’s famous father — the talk was strictly ‘fitba’.
“On my first visit to Jock Weir’s pub, Jimmy Munday introduced me to Jock, who was behind the bar regaling customers with Celtic stories.
“When Jimmy mentioned that I was a friend visiting from Dundee, Jock picked up a glass and poured a pint.
“He placed it in front of me, and said: ‘This is on the house, son, with a thank you to Dundee for helping us stay up that year’.
“I still wonder if Jock would have said any more if I had asked him to qualify what he meant with ‘helping us stay up that year’.”
Jock Weir joined Celtic in 1948 from Blackburn Rovers and left Parkhead in October 1952 when he joined Falkirk.
He left Brockville the following year.
Have you got a story or memory to share with John? Email jbrown@dcthomson.co.uk
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