Blether with Brown: Eight programmes bought by family of first scorer Sandy

A more-than-interested spectator at Dundee’s recent friendly against Rangers at Dens Park was Dundonian Ron Milne.

The Govan side visited the Dark Blues to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the home club’s first league game, which was against Rangers in 1893.

The score at that time was 3-3, the same draw outcome as the recent game, which finished 1-1.

Ron’s interest centred around the fact that his grandfather Sandy Gilligan scored the Dee’s first-ever league goal in that game at West Craigie Park.

So much so that he purchased no few than eight match programmes on the night for distribution among other members of his family.

“I remember my grandfather well,” said Ron (77), of Hyndford Place in Dundee, who confesses to being a fan of the Dark Blues.

“He died in the late 1940s when I was a teenager.

“The family were always quite proud of the fact he played for Dundee.

“His brother Jim was also a decent player and played and captained East Craigie in the 1930s.”

Ron, who worked as a painter before joining the fire brigade, continued: “My football career was mainly in the amateurs with Broughty United, and my team-mates included Bob Blacklaws and Willie Young, both of whom have been mentioned many times in BwB.”