Ex-Dons

[Shetland Don]

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https://www.scotsman.com/sport/footb...mcgarr-3854785

Ernie McGarr, the former Aberdeen, East Fife and Scotland goalkeeper, pictured at the East Fife Community Hub in Methil. He's the groundsman at East Fife. Picture by George McCluskie.

McGarr, who attempted to stop the shots which used to bombard East Fife, is now the groundsman and Harry Waddell and Davie Cumming help him out. The former is known as the “third Waddell” around these parts and although he didn’t represent the Fifers like his brothers Bobby and Andy, he was a player too.

“Forfar Athletic,” Harry tells me. Very good, I say. “And also Juventus.” For a split-second I wonder if I’m interviewing the wrong person, that here at last is the missing link between Loon-town bridies and the Turin Shroud, when Davie says: “He means the Juventus in Australia.”

These three are part of a small army of OAPs who potter around the stadium, keeping it spic and span for the Methil community and the football team. Every now and again one of them will stop to listen as McGarr, sat in the stand with his tea, tells the story of his life, and possibly they’re hoping to hear something new. The yarn which most interests me comes from our man’s time at Aberdeen when, to paraphrase Benny Hill’s chart-topping novelty hit from the same era, his name was Ernie, and he drove the fastest snow-plough in the north. Myths of our football, when you dig a bit, have a habit of turning to slush. I hope this one won’t.
McGarr enjoys telling tales of his time as a player.

This era celebrated its participants by requesting that they squinted into bright, pre-season sunshine with wild hair flying and stylists absent so the resultant photos could be transferred onto collectable cards which these days turn up on Twitter and prompt much hilarity. Now 78 and no longer in possession of his flyaway strands, McGarr’s national duty was brief but he remains proud of having served.

The 1969 debut against the team he still calls Eire was a friendly as Scotland attempted to qualify for the Mexico World Cup. There were no international breaks back then either – today’s players are such indulged snowflakes in comparison – and all manager Bobby Brown could secure from the SFA as a warm-up for the qualifying group decider was a Sunday afternoon kick-off in Dublin, 24 hours after a full card of league games.

“Unfortunately I got a ‘Charlie horse’ playing for Aberdeen at St Johnstone on the Saturday – a dead leg,” explains McGarr, “but I hid it because I loved being around the Scotland guys at Largs and this was going to be my big chance.”

The team that September afternoon was: McGarr, John Greig, Tommy Gemmell, Billy Bremner, Ronnie McKinnon, Bobby Moncur, Willie Henderson, Pat Stanton, Colin Stein, Peter Cormack and John Hughes.
McGarr, centre, received a commemorative cap in a special ceremony at Hampden to mark two appearances he made for Scotland in 1969. Pictured with Scottish FA president Campbell Ogilvie, left, and performance director Mark Wotte. Picture from SFA.

“The thing I remember about Dalymount Park was all the nuns sat round the pitch. They got in free, along with the priests. The physio had worked all night on my leg but not long into the game I made a save and couldn’t get back up. I was angry, hadn’t done myself any favours. Jim Herriot took over.”

Herriot retained his place for the decider – away to West Germany, the game of the notorious boot up Helmut Haller’s backside, administered by Gemmell. “I was upset not to play in that one. Bobby Brown was an ex-goalie but I didn’t really rate him as a manager. I’m pretty sure the likes of Bremner, Gemmell and [Bobby] Murdoch picked the team. These guys were mad for games of cards up the back of the team bus. It was a fiver a time, a lot of money in those days. Bobby would say to [trainer] Tom McNiven: ‘Go tell them to cut that out.’ Tom would go: ‘You tell them.’”

McGarr’s second appearance in the meaningless group game away to Austria would be his last, although he continued to sit on the Scotland bench. The actual caps didn’t come into his possession for another 40 years, when a daft rule about only Home International players of the period receiving them was retrospectively scrapped. They remain his most treasured possessions.

Where’s the Aa button which I seemingly need to access the reader mode? I’m on an IPad, mostly, I should add.

[57vintage]

Gordon Strachan is two days older than me, and was slightly better at fitba than I was. His 21-year old grandson made his debut at left back for TMSTID yesterday. His FUUCKIN GRANDSON.

Some boy with a black hoodie and a scythe’s just rung the doorbell.

Laters.

Maybe.

https://youtu.be/C4WtzQw_LME

[Shetland Don]

I’m on an IPad, mostly, I should add.

[57vintage]

Tommy McMillan operating as an overlapping full-back

Error, Ernie.

Tam was the centre half.

Chalky Whyte and Ally Shewan, later Henning Boel and Jim Hermiston, would have been the full backs in them days.

[GASC1980]

That's a great article on Ernie.

[Nlodger]

Error, Ernie.

Tam was the centre half.

Chalky Whyte and Ally Shewan, later Henning Boel and Jim Hermiston, would have been the full backs in them days.

Another memory question mark among Ernie’s tales is raised by his recollection of Zoltan Varga’s supposed contribution of a fiver to bet on the horses. Ernie left Pittodrie two years before the Hungarian dancer arrived.

Top article though. Thank you for posting.

[57vintage]

McDougall: If I’d stayed fit I could have smashed Harper’ s scoring record
PAUL THIRD

Frank McDougall is convinced he could have eclipsed Joe Harper’s standing as Aberdeen’s all-time leading goalscorer had his career not been cut short due to injury.
The 64-year-old is the latest addition to Aberdeen’s 2022 Hall of Fame class and will join Duncan Shearer, Dougie Bell, Russell Anderson and the late Davie Robb in being inducted at the city’s Chester Hotel in November.
His time with the Dons may have been brief but it was certainly eventful as he scored 44 goals in 69 appearances before a back injury forced him to retire at the age of 29.
McDougall has no regrets but it is a measure of how prolific he was at the Dons that the forward believes he was on course to eclipse Harper’s 205 goals for the club before injury curtailed his career.
He said: “I am not one for looking back on my career too often and I’ve no regrets at how things turned out.
“But I would have smashed Joe’s record.
“Had I stayed fit, with the quality of players we had and the chances we created I would have bettered it, I’m sure of it, but that’s life.”
The former Don is humbled to be held in such high regard following the news he is to be inducted in November.
He said: “It’s brilliant. I got the news last week I was being inducted and it’s humbling. I’m very proud.
“I’m going in alongside some great company and honours don’t come much higher than being inducted into Aberdeen’s Hall of Fame alongside some fantastic players.”
McDougall, who moved to the Dons from St Mirren in 1984, made an instant impact at Pittodrie, scoring 24 goals in 30 appearances in his first season with the club as he finished the leading scorer in the Premier Division.
McDougall’s goals helped the Dons win the league championship with the highlight coming in his hat-trick to clinch the title in a 3-0 win against Hearts at Tynecastle.
The striker’s rich vein of form in front of goal continued in the 1985-86 season where he scored a further 20 goals in 38 appearances, including a remarkable four-goal haul in the 4-1 rout of Celtic at Pittodrie.
The Dons went on to win the Scottish Cup and League Cup that season ensuring McDougall secured all three domestic trophies in 24 months.
A back injury forced McDougall to retire during the 1986-87 campaign.
But with a piece of silverware collected on average every 23 games it is clear how big an impact McDougall made in his brief spell with the club.

Nicky Campbell on Nothsound's breakfast show in 1986: "Ian Botham being considered as the next James Bond? What about Frankie McDougall?"

It's a pity that these events are now beyond the affordability level for hunners of fans who remember Frankie from those magic two seasons.

[GASC1980]

Frank's a great guy. I meet him for a pint when he's in Glasgow. So down to earth, can remember all his goals and who set them up etc as if it was yesterday. Some great stories from the Fergie era as you can imagine. Not had an easy time of it recently health wise. Messaged him about his impending induction into the hall of fame. Fair chuffed.

[TheDeeDon]

I don't think much about the games I have missed for being born in the wrong era, but I do wish I was lucky enough to have seen Frank score four against Celtic at Pittodrie, that is a game I would really loved to have seen in the flesh.

[stewarty27]

I don't think much about the games I have missed for being born in the wrong era, but I do wish I was lucky enough to have seen Frank score four against Celtic at Pittodrie, that is a game I would really loved to have seen in the flesh.

Frank's hat trick against Hearts was superb ! there was one goal don't think the ball touched the ground. Dougie Bell to Weir to Frank blasted like a rocket into the net. "Fat" Frank was something else.