At the tail end of my piece on Brechin United on August 4, I asked if any reader could take this tale further.
“What?” was the opening reply from an Easthaven resident, who is none other than my former editor Alan Proctor.
Alan (74), now retired, was always a great champion of all causes Brechin but I always thought he was a Vics or Matrix man.
“I could write a book on this team,” he continued.
“I played for Brechin United in the late 1950s but, by July 1959, I had to quit.
“Why? Because I joined DC Thomson on that date and had to work every Saturday afternoon.
“The team was formed by Jackie Love, who was in the photo listed as manager, and Miller Young.”
These were two Brechin men steeped in sport, as Alan continued: “Jackie’s family had run Brechin Thistle and were also involved in the local boxing club.
“Jackie and his late brother Tommy were both pugilists.
“Miller Young was also a well-known junior footballer. Indeed, for a while in the early 1970s, he wrote the Junicus column in the Tele.
“Sadly, both Jackie and Miller have departed to that fabled pitch in the sky.”
Alan explained how the United team came into being.
“At first, the team were formed as the youth wing of Brechin Vics juniors.
“They played, in what I recall, was the then Angus Under-23 Juvenile League, which, unfortunately, is long gone.
“But (like Alex Salmond!) the committee wanted independence and broke away from Vics.
“They raised cash via jumble sales and raffles, and eventually built their own clubrooms down by the River South Esk, at the Inch.”
Despite well over 50 years ago, Alan can remember his United debut.
He recalled: “My first game for them was in a friendly against a village team at the Fettercairn Show, in which I scored.”
By 1960-61, Alan was “labouring in other vineyards” but he knew every member of that United line-up featured in BwB.
“Goalkeeper Stan Morrison was my cousin, and he emigrated to Canada,” continued Alan, who is the sole main man responsible for the BwB format the readers enjoy today.
“Alex McCourty was my geography teacher at Brechin High School. Davie Kay played for St Johnstone at the same time as Alex Ferguson but his football career was prematurely ended by a knee injury.
“Alan McKinney went on to play full-back for Brechin City.”
Alan, forever complimentary, concluded: “Keep up the good work, and you just can’t imagine the pleasure I get from Blether with Brown.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.