Cowdenbeath FC director David Allan recalls a BwB article from times gone by.
He also sent in a photo and proceeded to tell tales of the four Central Park players.
“A few years back, you helped me get in touch with Sandy Henderson, from Rankine Street in Dundee, who had often featured in your column,” opened David.
“Sandy played for Cowden between 1957 and 1959.
“He also kept goal for Dundee St Joseph’s, Montrose, Brechin, Forfar and Arbroath before playing Down Under with Hakoah.
“The referee Bob Henderson was Sandy’s brother.
“One of his rivals for the Cowdenbeath goalie’s jersey was Bob Barrie.
“Bob came to Cowdenbeath in January 1957 and was one of four keepers Cowden used that year when they just missed out on promotion.
“He was a popular character a typical larger-than-life goalkeeper, who had earlier played for Dunfermline and Brechin City.
“Bob had played juvenile at one stage with St Johnstone YM and was in their team that lost to Cowie Juveniles in the 1954 Scottish Juvenile Cup final.
“In 1958, he went south with Cowden captain Les Murray to join the Grimsby Borough Police force.
“Grimsby Police then had a penchant for attracting former pro footballers, not least so they could then represent the Grimsby Police football team.
“Bob was in the force for 30 years before working for the local authority as a housing liaison officer. He died in his adopted home town of Grimsby in 2006.
David continued with his take on a third player in the photo.
“Albert Craig hailed from Coupar Angus and joined Forfar in 1953 from Coupar Angus.
“Albert was a clever, hard-hitting forward but his career progression was slowed up when he was required to do his two years’ National Service in the RAF.
“He was a regular goalscorer for the Loons and attracted Cowden’s attention when he scored an opportunist hat-trick against them in Forfar’s 4-0 win in the penultimate game of season 1956-57.
“In the following close season, Cowden came in to sign the 23-year-old striker for a then club record fee of £1,500.
“He quickly settled at Central Park and formed a free-scoring partnership with Bobby Gilfillan. In 1957/58, he scored 21 league goals for Cowden and he went on to claim 35 league goals in his time at Central Park.
“He scored against Celtic in 1958 when Cowden appeared for the first time on STV’s Scotsport.
“In January 1960, he moved to East Fife and later had spells back at Forfar and at Arbroath.”
David concluded with an amazing family resemblance.
“The fourth man in the picture is Roy Erskine,” he stated.
“Have a look at him, does he remind you of anyone?
“Roy is a Bridge of Allan native, and who, at one time, had been with Hibs.
“He joined Cowden from Stirling Albion in 1956.
“Roy was our regular centre-half in season 1956/57 when Cowden lost out on promotion at the death to Clyde and Third Lanark. He hardly featured, though, in 1957/58.
“Did you spot the resemblance? . . . Roy is the grandfather of Wimbledon champion and Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray.
“His daughter is Judy Murray (nee Erskine).
“Cowden had actually tried to sign Roy before he went to Hibs when he was playing with Fife junior side Valleyfield Colliery aged just 18 in 1950.
“The Evening Telegraph reported back then:
Nearly everybody loves football but how much are they prepared to do for a game.
Not many would undergo the experience of Roy Erskine, centre-half of Valleyfield Colliery.
Roy lives at Bridge of Allan, where his father has a chemist’s business.
Last Saturday, Valleyfield were at home to Rosyth Recreation, one of the homesters’ toughest assignments of the season.
Roy had important business in Edinburgh, but he also wanted to play for his club.
So he (1) cycled from Bridge of Allan to Valleyfield (approximately 20 miles); (2) played a gruelling 90 minutes’ football; (3) cycled 15 miles from Valleyfield to Edinburgh, via ferry (and got a good soaking into the bargain). He stayed in Edinburgh overnight and cycled home to Bridge of Allan the following morning.
Eighteen-year-old Roy is regarded as a ‘good un’ by the Valleyfield officials.
He was signed from the juvenile team Whins of Milton, near Stirling.
On Wednesday, a bid to secure his signature was made by Cowdenbeath.
Messrs George Sweet and John Dougary, accompanied by Valleyfield secretary Mr Arthur Daly, travelled to Bridge of Allan, where they interviewed him at his home.
Roy explained that, owing to his studies (he is studying optics at Glasgow University), he did not want to sign for a senior club in the meantime.
He gave the Cowdenbeath officials an assurance he would not do anything without letting them know about it.
Roy has plenty of stamina and a better all-round sportsman would be hard to find. A keen tennis and badminton player, he reached the semi-final of the Scottish Boys’ Tennis Championships last year.
He went on a cycling trip to Skye last year and intends going to Norway on a cycling holiday this summer.
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