Here’s what happened when Dundee FC’s footballers picked up the microphone and had a crack at pop stardom in 1964.
Scotland right-back Alex Hamilton became the frontman of Hammy & The Hamsters, a group formed entirely of Dundee players.
The pop group also performed locally and included Kenny Cameron, Alex Stuart, Hugh Robertson and future Scotland manager Craig Brown.
Hamilton cut a record as leader of Hammy and The Hamsters that was released in April 1964 before the Scottish Cup final against Rangers at Hampden.
The record was entitled My Dreams Came True and was a ditty with a catchy chorus that was recorded by the players at Craighall Studios in Edinburgh.
The single featured the B-side She Was Mine and both songs were written by Johnny Battersby, the band leader at the JM Ballroom in Dundee.
The single was released by owner Murdoch Wallace’s JM Records label and made the charts in Scotland after being sold mostly in Dundee and the surrounding area.
But despite their local appeal, the call from Top of The Pops was not forthcoming and neither did their dreams come true!
For there was to be no glory finale in the Scottish Cup final.
Dundee goalkeeper Bert Slater played heroically in defying one of the great Ibrox forward lines with a string of incredible saves.
But fatal lapses in concentration saw Rangers break Dundee hearts with two late goals before 120,000 fans at Hampden to take the treble.
The Scottish Cup turned into the Tracks Of My Tears and the beginning of the break-up of that great side, although Hamilton stayed at Dens Park until 1967.
Errol car boot sale discovery
In the decades which followed the vinyl offering from these Dens Park heroes has become something of a sought-after collector’s item.
They are often, however, found in fair-to-poor condition.
Radio DJ Shane Quentin from Carnoustie recently stumbled on a single in pristine condition in a cardboard box among a stash of vinyl at Errol car boot sale.
Shane has been collecting vinyl since he was a youngster and paid 50p for the single, which he has now added to his storied collection accumulated over 45 years.
He said: “The Hammy and The Hamsters 7-inch single, like many more I’ve found before, turned up at a car boot sale – Errol, to be precise.
“In fact, it was probably fate that I should find it, as it was sitting right at the front of a box on one of the busiest rows of cars and was late in the morning when I handed over my 50p in exchange for it without any idea who the band was or its local significance, at all.
“After 45 years of digging in boxes of old records, I have developed a knack of knowing what could be interesting or even of some value but sadly not always at the same time.
“I have a large collection of football-related records but I picked this one up with no idea who Hammy or indeed His Hamsters were, but their name intrigued me and the label JM Records on the disc was one I’d not come across before, either.
“I soon discovered the record was recorded at Craighall Studios in Edinburgh and it was released in April 1964 featuring members of the Dundee FC first team squad.
“There is very little other information to be found online about the recording but the band did play several shows in Dundee at the time, including the Gaumont Cinema in the Cowgate.
“I’ve discovered all sorts of curious Dundee-related vinyl since moving here a few years ago, including a handful of singles by both local teams.
“Also two celebrating the opening of the Tay Road Bridge and even one promoting the city as a hub for technological enterprise released in 1983.
“However the 7-inch by Hammy and The Hamsters is one of the oddest and possibly coolest football-related records I’ve discovered in all my years of collecting.”
Hammy and The Hamsters started life when Alex Hamilton – who was a talented pianist and singer as well as footballer – entertained the players during a winter break.
They decided to form a group and Johnny Battersby invited them to perform a few songs at the JM Ballroom and they started to perform locally in the 1960s.
The band supported American gospel group Deep River Boys at the Green’s Playhouse in front of 2,300 fans, which included Dundee manager Bob Shankly.
Impressive stats but how good were the band?
Shane decided to open up his vinyl room at his Carnoustie home to give us a listen to the two songs from Hammy and The Hamsters.
He thought both songs were up to the mark.
Especially the B-side!
“It’s a great example of that early 1960s beat sound,” said Shane.
“It’s what the kids would want to hear and it would have gone down very well and they wouldn’t have necessarily known it was a local football team performing.
“That’s the biggest compliment that I can give these guys!”
The best of the rest
So this might well be Shane’s coolest football record but what about his rarest?
It is an original one-sided 78rpm that features comedian Jock Whiteford describing the action from a Rangers versus Celtic match at Hampden in 1907.
It is now regarded as the oldest recording of a football game in the UK.
Shane won it for £6 in a box of old 78s and 7-inch singles at auction in Auchtermuchty!
Shane’s collection of football records includes rare gems such as 1972’s Simple Little Things by Jack Charlton and Farewell 3rd Division by Plymouth Argyle in 1975.
Footballers-turned-musicians were rarely in danger of being confused with The Beatles but Hammy and The Hamsters did meet the Fab Four back in 1964!
Hammy and The Hamsters never released another single.
Pop’s loss was football’s gain.
Conversation