Following his comment on Bill Brown’s part-time job at Dens as pigeon shooter, Mark Robertson reckons there is also an interesting tale behind Johhny Pattillo’s chauffeur role to manager George Anderson.
“Johnny was from Aberdeen and did drive for the manager,” said Mark.
“However, the player-manager relationship went on well before their time at Dundee.
“Anderson had taken over the caretaker-manager role at Aberdeen when their boss (and former Dee favourite) Davie Halliday was called up to World War Two and, during that time, Johnny Pattillo was a regular in the Dons first team.
“As well as being caretaker-boss, Anderson owned a very successful ice cream and confectionery business in Aberdeen.
“However, in September 1945, and after he had moved to Dundee as manager-director, his ice-cream factory went on fire, causing 10,000 worth of damage a considerable sum in post-war Britain.
“That damage may have been more if it was not for the prompt actions of a neighbour, who prevented the blaze from spreading to his adjacent oatcake and confectionery operations by using stirrup pumps before the fire brigade arrived.
“That neighbour was Pattillo.
“Nevertheless, local newspapers reported that, despite the player’s heroic actions, the fire still caused an ice cream shortage in the north-east as Anderson’s business supplied 50 local retailers.
“Anderson didn’t forget that kind deed and, at the end of the 1945-46 season, he signed Johnny for the Dark Blues, where he would go on and give six years’ great service playing in almost every outfield position.
“He was part of the team which won the League Cup in 1951, scoring in the 3-2 win over Rangers.”
Have you got a story to share with John? Email: jbrown@dcthomson.co.uk
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