Wealth – or lack of – matters not where sport is concerned.
And that was certainly the case in Dundee around 90 years ago.
Rob Boag, from Canada, commented: “1930s Dundee was a patchwork of communities, irregular in shape, but all connected through sport.
“Indeed, through football.
“From Logie to Blackness and Hawkhill, from the closes and labyrinths of the Burn, the Westport and Overgate, there was a wealth of football talent and an overwhelming passion for the game.
“And that passion was equalled in the layers of football neighbourhoods that ascended the Hilltown, to the east – and one could only nod in admiration towards other areas such as Craigie and Stobswell.
“This was a Dundee football utopia.
“Mills, foundries, shipyards, offices and pubs all had football teams.
“Teams with names such as Blackness United, Balgay, Caldrum, Dalfield, Dundee Fairfield, Dundee Roselea, Hilltown Celtic, Hilltown Hearts, Logie, and so on and so on.
“Everyone fancied themselves.”
The war came, as Rob continued: “However, this sporting life came to an abrupt halt in 1939 when World War 2 was declared.
“In 1945, when the war ended and communities settled back into old ways, leagues were again formed.
“There then came a social upheaval so emphatic that it disconnected neighbours and dismantled a football infrastructure that had been established for generations.
“It was the Dundee diaspora, a massive movement of families travelling to new-built colonies north of the Kingsway.
“Old football communities that were connected to each other by a fierce rivalry were soon to disappear.
“Traditional football communities were gone — all except for one.
“The one that stands guard on Dundee’s western flanks, the community BwB contributor Andy Walker reverently calls the Promised Land . . . Lochee!”
Rob continued: “When they levelled the hallowed ground of Maloney’s Park and razed Tipperary, Whorterbank and old tenements, there was no migration of families travelling north — just a casual flit to the sleepy Lochee suburbs of Clement Park, Dryburgh and Menzieshill.
“The community of Lochee had been disturbed.
“However, the social support and camaraderie among Lochee folks serves as a buffer against any adversity — and the neighbourhood and its football infrastructure remained intact.”
Finally, from Rob, a rallying call.
He concluded: “How does one honour a historic community, how does a city pay tribute to a geographic location that has such longevity and tradition and such a rich history of sports unequalled by any other Dundee neighbourhood?
“Surely there must be recognition, some acknowledgement of Lochee achievements.
“What if an expert in heraldry could design a coat of arms that illustrates Lochee’s community spirit and successful sports history.
“I know Lochee folks to be modest by nature, it’s a characteristic I admire.
“However, I am curious what form of recognition they think would be a fitting tribute to their historic town?”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.