Football fans from Montrose have started a fundraising campaign for a monument celebrating two of the town’s heroes.
Locals are aiming to raise money for the monument next to the Bamse on the town’s Wharf Street in honour of Gordon Smith and John McGovern.
Both men were born in the town and were pupils at Southesk Primary School.
Having played for Montrose Roselea and Dundee North End, Smith was signed by Hibs when he was 17.
He is the only player to have won league titles with three teams that did not include Rangers or Celtic – Hibs, Hearts and Dundee.
He was capped by Scotland 19 times and was part of Hibs’ ‘Famous Five’ who have a stand named after them at Easter Road.
Meanwhile McGovern lived in the Angus town until his family moved to Hartlepool when he was 10.
European Cup winner
Brian Clough signed the then 16-year-old at Hartlepool United.
The pair then won the English league title with Derby County in 1972, but it was their spell together at Nottingham Forest that brought the most success.
With McGovern as captain, they won the league in 1978 and this was soon followed by European Cup wins in 1979 and 1980.
Now a club ambassador at Forest, McGovern was never capped by the Scottish national side.
Roy Gill is one of the online fundraising campaigners and told The Courier how the idea for the monument came around.
He said: “I’m an official at Montrose Roselea and we invited John up for a sportsman’s dinner a few years back.
“I drove him round the town so he could see his old school and we showed him the Bamse statue at the harbour.
John McGovern loves Montrose. He’s mentioned a few times about how his heart is always with the town.
“We spoke about how there was nothing in Montrose that highlighted the achievements both he and Gordon accomplished and it’s been an idea up until now.
“I went to Southesk Primary and when John lifted the European Cup, I was in primary six or seven.
“It was surprising knowing that he also went to Southesk, but at the time it didn’t feel like much was done to celebrate what he had just accomplished.
“John would usually come back up to visit and people noticed him and would get photos with him.
“He loves Montrose. He’s mentioned a few times about how his heart is always with the town and he still has family here.
“We’ve been down to Nottingham and have met him a number of times. He’s a humble guy and always says how lucky he was to have the career he had.”
How much would the monument cost?
Roy says tens of thousands of pounds would be needed to turn their dream into a reality.
He said: “We’ve had estimated costs sent to us. It will cost about £10,000 to build the structure and around £40,000 for the cladding and granite.
“A couple of people have said that we’re being a bit ambitious to be aiming for £75,000 but that’s because that’s how much it is going to cost.
“We’re going to be reaching out to people in Nottingham and Derby. Gordon Smith played for Hearts and Hibs so we’ll be aiming to raise awareness in Edinburgh and Dundee too.
“Any time I go on a Scottish football forum they’re warmly received by people all over the country.”
Any donations received in excess to the costs needed will be distributed to charities in the area.
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