Kenny Swan saw the recent article on young Aberdeen school footballers Denis Law and Tubby Ogston, and remembers playing for Dundee Schoolboys against their Aberdeen counterparts.
“I played in the final of the U/15 National Schools Trophy and remembered coming up against Aberdeen on the way,” said Kenny, who grew up in the Clement Park area of Dundee.
“We had a very good team and I remember we beat Sutherland and Northern Counties, Aberdeen and Angus and Kincardineshire on the way to the final.
“However, we were beaten over a two-legged final by Stirling and Clackmannanshire.
“I can’t for sure remember the scores but I think it was 3-1 in each game, with the first leg being played at Dundee FC’s Dens Park and the other at Brockville Park, home of Falkirk.
“I also played for Butterburn Youth Club for a few years on Saturday afternoons.
“I was lucky also to play at times alongside Jimmy Gabriel, who signed for Dundee and then went south to Everton.
“He was a class player and you could see that at an early age.”
Kenny, who attended Rockwell High School, met his wife Kathleen Spink when he was just 18 and moved to Arbroath, where he still lives in the Cliffburn area of the town.
He worked with Alexander Northern buses for 15 years, based in Arbroath.
Kenny suggested there may be a photo of his Dundee Schoolboys line-up in our files and, sure enough, one emerged when I delved into them. It’s from December 1954, so I don’t reckon he came up against Law and Ogston as they seemed to be a few years earlier.Real cute wee photoPeter Muir, from Leuchars, was delighted to see Denis Law feature in BwB.
“That was a real cute wee photo of a ‘specky’ Denis Law,” he opened.
“Looking at that picture, no one could have foreseen just how great a player he was and that he would go on to terrorise defences around the world playing for Manchester United and Scotland.
“My favourite Lawman goal came against England in the mid-1960s (I think it was 1966) when he headed home from a corner-kick.
“To this day and I’ve watched it many, many times since, I can’t fathom how he could have turned his body in such a fashion and head a ball into the net with such ferocity.
“England goalkeeper Gordon Banks never saw it and I don’t think he expected it.
“Only Kenny Dalglish has ever come anywhere near the level of Denis Law for Scotland over the years.
“I don’t think we will ever see the likes of him again in a dark blue jersey.”Aberdeen-born Alex DawsonRory McLeod emailed to say he “was interested in the article on Denis Law in the centre page spread of the first issue of The Sporting Post”.
He continued: “Yes, Tubby Ogsten is recognisable but the one who jumped out at me was the player Alex Dawson, holding the trophy, in the centre of the front row.
“Surely this is Alex Dawson, born in Aberdeen in 1940, who went to Manchester United as a trainee in the mid-50s and who went on to play for United and Preston North End in the late 1950s and 60s.
“Alex played and scored for Preston in the 1964 FA Cup Final against West Ham, losing 3-2.
“I am a couple of years younger than the Aberdeen group pictured
“I attended Morgan Academy and played in the same school 1st XI as Kenny Dick, Neil Falconer, Jim Tipping, Charlie Beattie and Bruce Martin, among others.
“Tom Hermiston was our PE teacher.”
Rory was also very complimentary towards the new Sporting Post.
“Congrats for resurrecting the late, lamented Sporting Post,” he continued.
“Good to see some minority sports featuring in the issue, so more power to your elbow.”
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