It seems the (BwB) world loves a question… judging by the amazing response to Bobby Glennie’s football poser on April 8.
I revealed last week that The Vault public-house in Monifieth were so stumped that mine host Eric Thomson a long-time chum phoned to ask for the answer as it ‘was driving his regulars mad’!
Another publican friend (do you reckon I have a drink problem?) to phone was Ronnie Bissell of the The Occidental in Broughty Ferry. At least Ronnie got it half-right before he, too, gave up and got in touch.
To remind you, the former Dundee FC skipper’s question was… ‘Which two professional players were brought up in the same closie (tenement) in Dundee, went to the same school, signed for the same professional team, and were capped for different countries’.
The Occi boys were correct with Allan Boath but wrong with Dave Narey.
The correct answer is Allan and legendary Dundee United striker Davie Dodds.
Allan left Tannadice as a young player and, after a brief spell with Forfar Athletic, moved to New Zealand to play football.
He quickly blossomed and eventually worked his way into the All Whites’ international side and, at age 24, played against Scotland in the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain, wearing No 17 a group match Scotland won 5-2 in Malaga.
I don’t think this column has any need to highlight Davie Dodds’ fine career, in which he represented Scotland twice and scored one goal.
Broughty Ferry’s Ronnie Clark (52), a former player with Riverside Athletic in the amateurs and East Craigie in the juniors, also got it right. Ronnie works as a firefighter at Dyce Airport, just outside Aberdeen.
If the Courier sports pages weren’t as spick and span as they usually are on the morning of Wednesday, April 9, it’s because some of their staff were also hooked on this teaser.
Sub-editor Gary Neave commented: “The Courier’s sports pages endured a late finish as colleague Derek Watt and I deliberated over Bobby Glennie’s teaser in your column.
“Being a long-time Forfar fan, I recall Dundee-born Allan Boath playing for New Zealand at the 1982 World Cup four years after spending a season at Station Park.
“A quick check on Wiki confirms his birthdate as December 1958, meaning he’s a few months younger than Davie Dodds, the former United striker who gained a few caps for Scotland.
“We think they were both brought up through Celtic Boys Club system in the city and, hopefully, enjoyed kicking a ba’ aboot the same closie and at the same school (we have no idea what it was!) since they were of similar age,” said Gary, who signed off stating that he and Derek were ‘football anoraks!’
Dave Ellis didn’t beat around the bush and was straight to the point when he said:” I think the two players to play for different countries may be Allan Boath and Davie Dodds.”
Ian Dye said: “The answer to the Bobby Glennie question is Davie Dodds and Allan Boath.
“The street is Provost Road.”
Sy Thomson, Jonathan Duncan, Tom Harrison, Mick Smith, Billy Smith, Joe Thomson, Fred Robertson, Bruce Ralston, Tom Malecki, Gus McGregor, Joe McGuire and Robert Blackley were among others who tried their luck and most came in with the correct answer.
For Robert and his chums, it took them a while as they first of all were convinced one of the players was Jimmy Rooney.
As most BwB readers are aware, Jimmy left Dundee for Australia and eventually turned out over 100 times for the Aussie national team and is a cult hero Down Under.
No such luck, though, for Christopher McKiddie.
“Not having anything better to do, we struggled to find the answer all day,” he opened.
“My friend Tom Brogan (Clydebank fan) came up with the following:“Kenny Murphy and Dave Narey, born two days apart, played for St Columba’s Boys Club in Dundee. Both signed for Dundee United in 1973.
“Narey was capped for Scotland, of course, while Murphy emigrated to Australia and won 15 caps two against Scotland.
“He isn’t sure if they lived in the same closie, though?”
Good bit of research by Christopher and Tom but wrong, I’m afraid.
Finally, Alexander Monks tried to catch me out with the old favourite… “Which member of the ‘Royal Family’ scored in an FA Cup Final at Wembley?”
Haha… the old ones are the best but, just in case there is a rare BwB reader out there who has not heard that one, the answer is Joe ‘Royle’, of Everton.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.