Martin Howie, of Menzieshill, Dundee, says reading recently about Andy Rolland brought back memories of an extraordinary game at Tannadice.
“It was a game against Hearts in the 1960s and we were beaten 6-5,” he recalled.
“The goals seemed to be raining in all through the match.
“The bit I remember about Andy Rolland was that he wasn’t in his usual full-back position but was pushed up front.
“I’m sure he scored that day.
“As I remember it, United threw away a big lead.”
It was a Scottish Cup second-round tie at Tannadice, played on Saturday, February 17, 1968.
Hearts came from 4-2 down to win 6-5 and it was former Tannadice man Jim Irvine who hit the winner.
Donald Ford and Rene Moller had the Jam Tarts 2-0 up after 15 minutes but, by the half-hour, United were 3-2 in front with goals from former Rangers and Scotland winger Davie Wilson, the aforementioned Andy Rolland and Ian Mitchell.
Mitchell scored again seven minutes later for a 4-2 lead but Eddie Thomson pulled one back for the Edinburgh side just before the break.
United then missed a penalty as Finn Seeman’s effort was saved by visiting goalkeeper Kenny Garland.
This seem to give Hearts new momentum and Rene Moller levelled matters at 4-4 five minutes after the break. But United, to their credit went ahead again in 70 minutes through Billy Hainey.
George Miller showed how a penalty should be taken in the 75th minute to restore parity once more, before Irvine popped up with four minutes to go with the winner.
Hearts lined up Kenny Garland; Ian Sneddon, Arthur Mann; Eddie Thomson, Arthur Thomson, George Miller; Donald Ford, Jim Townsend (George Fleming), Rene Moller, Jim Irvine, Tommy Traynor.
Playing for United were Donald Mackay; Jimmy Millar, Jim Cameron (Wilson Wood); Tommy Neilson, Doug Smith, Dennis Gillespie; Finn Seeman, Billy Hainey, Ian Mitchell, Andy Rolland, Davie Wilson.
Over 10,000 watched this thrilling cup-tie but, just yards across the road, 33,000 were in Dens Park as Dundee and Rangers drew 1-1 in their Scottish Cup encounter.
The United-Hearts tie, if I remember correctly, started an hour earlier at 2pm.
Billy Campbell scored for Dundee, with an own goal by home central defender George Stewart giving the Ibrox side a replay, which they won 4-1 the following midweek in front of 54,000 in Govan.
Dundee started both games with Ally Donaldson; Bobby Wilson, Bobby Cox; Steve Murray, Jim Easton, George Stewart; Billy Campbell, Jim McLean, Sammy Wilson, George McLean, Jocky Scott.
Alec Kinninmonth came on as a sub for Scott in the replay, with Sammy Wilson netting for Dundee.
Rangers lined up at Dens thus Eric Sorenson; Kai Johansen, Willie Mathieson; John Greig, Roger Hynd, Dave Smith; Willie Henderson, Andy Penman, Alex Ferguson, Willie Johnston, Orjan Persson.
For the replay, Sandy Jardine, Ron McKinnon and Bobby Watson came in for Greig, Hynd and Penman.
It proved a good switch as Watson hit a double, with the other goals coming from Persson and a Jim Easton own goal.
Hearts then eliminated Rangers in the next round after a replay (1-1, 1-0), and went all the way to the final before losing 3-1 to George Farm’s Dunfermline Athletic at Hampden Park.
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