Danny Callaghan came on with a glowing reference for Les Bell.
One reader, in our August 23, edition, said he often wondered what happened to the great NCR AFC players and officials who won the Scottish Amateur Cup in the 1960s.
Danny (64) remembered Les as a colleague, a very good footballer and a great all-round guy.
“Les worked with me on the buses and was always very modest about his football exploits,” he remembered. “He always used to say he was very lucky in that he had a lot of good footballers around him.
“He never ever saw himself as one of the top players but he was.”
Danny took up refereeing after he stopped playing football and so did Les.
“The Scottish Football Referees Association started up and Les was soon on the executive committee,” continued Danny, who lives in Douglas in Dundee.
“He was also very well respected on there.
“Guys like Dougie Fordyce, John Reilly, Eddie Whitton, Ian Fordyce, Alan Fordyce, Tommy Miller and John Ferrie would always talk highly of Les.”
Danny moved on to another subject but still, naturally, on football.
“Tayside Regional Transport had a very successful team in the Dundee Sunday Welfare AFA in season 1976-77,” he continued.
“We won the league, going through the season undefeated, with just two draws against our rivals at the time, Sidlaw.
“We also beat Sidlaw in the H Samuel Cup Final but they had already defeated us in the final of the League Cup.
“Sidlaw were a good up-and-coming young side and players I remember were Billy Webb, the Graham twins Stevie and Malcolm, and Billy Gallacher.
“Gallagher, of, course, went on to have a long senior career with Forfar Athletic.”
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