Kenneth Brannan’s story in BwB on the “Boy’s from the Burn” (November 8) hit a nostalgia nerve with Rob Boag.
“Tainted with sadness in reading about Albert Brannan’s health,” wrote Dundonian Rob from his home in Canada.
“Hailing from Lochee, I was never a full-fledged member of the ‘Boys from the Burn’ but, through cousins and family, I knew all of them very well.
“The attached photo taken in 1967 is of my auntie Becky and uncle Josie, who, in his generation, was a well-recognised Dundee sportsman and raconteur.
“Josie has been mentioned several times in BwB.
“Looking at the photo, kneeling to the left of Josie, is Eddie Greenan mentioned by Kenneth Brannan in his anecdote.
“Eddie was ‘Mr Burn,’ any escapades or shenanigans that the Burn lads were involved with, it was a safe bet that Eddie was at the epicentre.
“On the right of the photo is another ‘Burn Lad’, Andy Galligan, goalkeeper for the Lawrence Street team that Frank Jordon wrote about.
“Andy played in goal for Dundee junior and juvenile teams.
“In 1959, I had a motorbike.
“One evening, I stopped at the Burn Bar, around the corner from Daniel’s Brae on Brook Street.
“I just made it for a pint as the pubs back then closed at 9.30pm.
“I offered Jackie Brannan a lift home as I was heading toward Lochee and knew Jackie lived off City Road I think it was Pitfour Street.
“I was invited into Jackie’s home for a cup of tea and introduced to a young Brannan by the name of Kenneth.
“Jackie was a well-respected player who turned out for Arnot FC. On Sundays, when the ‘Boys from the Burn’ got together, folks from my generation will remember during the 1950s that Dundee on a Sunday was a ghost town not a shop or pub was open as nothing stirred in downtown Sunday Dundee.
“There was, however, British Railway’s social clubs, and one of them was on Guthrie Street, at the foot of Session Street.
“The building had a classical facade, and to enter on Sunday for a refreshment you had to be an employee of British Railway, or a guest signed in by a member.
“At the club’s entrance, there was always a doorman who oversaw that guests were officially signed in.
“When the Boys from the Burn arrived, they trooped in and Eddie Greenan would growl to the doorman, ‘We’re wi Albert Brannan’.
“There were no questions asked and the doorman would give a nod ‘In you go, lads,’ he would say, and the Burn Boys would settle down for their Sunday afternoon aperitif, and to recap Saturday night’s events.
“Looking and thinking back at the 1930s, early 1940s pre World War II generation those born at that time peaked and matured in their sports careers during the 1950s and 60s.
“Was this the last great sports generation out of Dundee?
“With the Baby Boomer generation from the 1970s on, did we witness a dilution, a decline of sports talent in Dundee or just lack of interest?”
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