A LIFELONG Dundee fan who died prematurely has left a legacy to help more local footballing talent grace Dens Park.
Bob Bruce died on December 21 at the age of 58, following a long illness.
The well-known sign-maker had asked that his vast collection of sporting memorabilia be put up for auction, with the proceeds going towards youth development at his beloved Dark Blues.
Bob’s collection of football memorabilia, amassed during five decades of watching Dundee FC, includes photographs, shirts, balls and pennants, many of them signed.
Among the items likely to be most sought-after in the auction is a Dundee FC sign made by Bob ahead of the 1995 Coca-Cola Cup final. It is signed by the team, who were beaten by Aberdeen on the day.
More unusual pieces include a seat from the old Hampden Park and a pair of signed Scotland rugby shorts from the 1999 World Cup.
Bob’s ex-wife Cressida (58), with whom he remained close friends, said he caught the collecting bug from his father Robert Snr, who took him to along to football games from an early age.
She said: “Bob collected autographs as a boy and continued his dad’s autograph collection. His dad always nurtured him in football.
“That progressed to shirts with autographs, football strips, scarves and lots of press pictures.”
Born in Aberdeen, Bob moved to Dundee in his teens and, apart from a brief period in Workington, Cumbria, lived in the city for the rest of his life, mostly in Strawberry Bank but latterly in Blackness Road.
He ran his own sign-making company, Bruce Signs, for many years and also had a spell working for DC Thomson in his youth.
A keen footballer himself, Bob played in goal for a number of teams before taking up running later in life.
Details of the auction will be released in due course.
Bob is survived by his son David (19) and sister Rowena.
His funeral will take place at 2pm today at Dundee Crematorium.
The service will be followed by a reception in the Legends Lounge at Dens Park, where Bob’s collection of memorabilia will be on show.
sgillespie@thecourier.co.uk