There were a number of replies to the Bobby Glennie story when the former Dundee FC skipper told of lofting the ball over the south enclosure and into Dens Road.
Tom Black, of Lawside Road, said: “Regarding a footballer kicking a ball out of Dens Park into Dens Road or Provost Road, there was a reason.
“In years gone by, when the referee blew his whistle to start a match, the same ball had to be used throughout the game.
“So, if a team was hanging on for the final whistle, it made sense to kick the ball out of the ground.
“Sometimes, spectators would delay returning the ball back into play.
“I don’t know when the rules changed but now there are spare balls all around the pitch.
“Another point about balls.
“When I started watching Dundee FC just after the war, the match ball could be used over and over again.
“Nobody could know how old a ball was.
“Then a new rule was brought in that every game had to start with a new ball.
“This must have been a real worry for many teams as to whether they could afford new balls every home game.”
Jim Gordon, of Clepington Road, had the same take on matters.
“Bobby Glennie was a great player for Dundee,” he opened.
“He would know what he was doing when he lofted the ball over now is what is known to fans as ‘The Derry’ and into Dens Road.
“In Bobby’s time, you often had to wait a wee while for the original ball to come back from being out of play before a new one would be thrown on.
“Many players Bobby included knew this and used it as a time-wasting tactic in the final stages of games when their team was ahead.
“Very rarely did referees in these days add on the correct amount of time wasted at the end of a game.
“Aberdeen duo Willie Miller and Alex McLeish were great exponents of this tactic.”
B Smith, of Coupar Angus, responded: “I had a right good laugh when I read of Bobby’s massive punt into Dens Road.
“I played centre-half for a junior team many years ago in a cup final at Dens and lofted the ball well over the south enclosure when we were winning with just a few minutes remaining.
“I don’t think I reached Dens Road, though, as committee men were sent to rummage through the bushes and trees behind the enclosure.
“However, the ball was never found and a new ball was thrown on after what seemed like an eternity.
“However, we held on to win, so ‘job done!’.
“Bobby Glennie would have been thinking along the same lines.”
Jim Stewart reckons Dundee FC need the ‘Glennie Factor’ right now.
“Bobby Glennie was a winner and we could do with him now in the centre of our defence at Dens,” said Jim, of Carnoustie. “He was a great captain and a winner.
“The ‘Glennie Factor’ at Dens is, sadly, missing.”
Bill Park was short and sweet when replying to Glennie’s massive punt from the Dens pitch to Dens Road.
“Did Wes Saunders not do the same on his debut? he asked.
‘Derry Boy’, tongue-in-cheek, suggested Bobby, even at the age he is now, be given a shirt by current Dens boss Paul Hartley.
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