March 1963
Dundee Goes Fitba’ Daft
There was an electric atmosphere of expectancy in the city on Wednesday evening. A running commentary passed by word of mouth as Dundee fitba’ fans kept phoning the “Courier” office.
At home supporters leapt out of their chairs a-la-Gilzean when the great news came through that Dundee had beaten Anderlecht, pride of Brussels, by 4-1.
In pubs and clubs the victory was celebrated in wee haufs. And suddenly the city erupted into a tie-cup-fever. Total strangers stopped in the street to ask: “Hear the great news”. Many heads were shaken in disbelief. “I’ll believe it when I see the telly” was the canny reply.
In at least one cinema the film was forgotten as the news flashed round the cinema.
One local producer wondered what on earth was going on when his dress rehearsal was brought to a sudden halt. The stage manager has whispered the news to the cast through the curtain!
On the lower deck of buses excited talk by fur-coated matrons surrounded such heroes as Gilzean and Slater.
Although there was no live coverage of the game, one desperate fan found a solution. He tuned into a Flemish station and followed the match by picking out the references to the Dundee names – and to the silence that showed the Dee had scored.
Hundreds turned out to greet their heroes at Tay Bridge Station on Thursday night. “Hail, hail – the Dee are here!” they sang, still deliriously happy at the result.
Dundee’s name has been blazoned across Europe by Wednesday night’s magnificent victory. We had been made out as pretty small cheese when clubs competing in the European Cup asked “Where’s Dundee?” But now we’ve had our revenge.
It was more than just a straightforward win at football. In 90 minutes Dundee F.C. achieved far more than years of publicising our city in other ways.
Our new sense of pride was kindled with fine victories over Cologne and Sporting Club of Lisbon. But it suddenly burst forth in full flower when the score came through from Brussels. What a tonic to mark the sudden end to that long dreary winter.
On Thursday there was only one topic of conversation as Dundonians savoured the taste of victory.
The Dundee team achieved it with Scottish football, and by attempting at all the games “to play the game”. This was the quality which had already won the team respect after the battles of Cologne and Lisbon.
Anderlecht took their defeat gracefully and humbly, for a team which had beaten Real Madrid had a right to believe they were potential champions.
A goal or two defeat or a draw was the most that anyone had expected, hoping that home advantage would carry Dundee through in the second leg.
No one, least of all the team, will make the mistake of assuming they are already in the semi-final.
Ca’ Canny!
Lintrathen Loch, Dundee’s water supply, was 2ft. 5 in below top level this week, and consumption is a million gallons a day above average.
The Water Department are not yet unduly worried, but appeal to the public to avoid waste.
Thrifty Workers
Some of the thriftiest people in town are to be found in the jute works of William Halley & Sons.
For Halley’s workers have lifted the trophy presented by the Textile Savings League for the best savings record for a textiles firm in Dundee over a period of six months.
The competition is judged by a formula which take in the increase in the total savings by the firm’s workers for the six months and also the amount saved per head. The winning figures were an increase of £2709 and a total saving per head of £25.
What’s On in Town?
La Scala – For six days – Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Kathryn Grayson “It Happened in Brooklyn” (U), 2.15; 5.30; 8.15.
Playhouse – All Week – John Gregson and Kathleen Ryan in “Jacqueline” (A)
7.15; Also Dan Duryea in “Kathy O” (U) 7.15.
Top Ten Singles
1 – Summer Holiday…..Cliff Richard
2 – Please Please Me…..Beatles
3 – That’s What Love Will Do…..Joe Brown
4 – Night Has a Thousand Eyes…..Bobby Vee
5 – Foot Tapper…..Shadows
6 – One Broken Heart for Sale…..Elvis Presley
7 – Like I’ve Never Been Gone…..Billy Fury
8 – Wayward Wind…..Frank Ifield
9 – Hey Paula…..Paul and Paula
10 – Loop-de-loop…..Frankie Vaughan
Bright Tips 1963
Headache Cure – To relieve headaches, add a clove to the teapot when making tea. Mrs Turnoch, Edinburgh
Thermos Stains – To remove stains from thermos flask caps, shake in a little dental powder, fill with warm water and leave for a time. Rinse in cold water. Mrs Power, Morayshire.
Everything for the Gardener
Fertilisers
Seeds
Garden tools.
Ruthven P. Smith
Ironmonger: China: Tools
Brook Street, Broughty Ferry
Phone Dundee 77351.
Bob Miller’s Page
They Could Meet Dundee
You’d like to know if Dundee can win the European Cup?
Well here are the clubs standing in their way:-
Milan (Italy), Feyenoord (Holland), Galatasaray (Turkey), Rheims (France), Benfica (Portugal) and Dukla (Czechoslovakia).
Milan beat Galatasaray 3-1 in Turkey in the first leg and Feyenoord beat Rheims 1-0 in France. Benfica won 2-1 against Dukla in Lisbon and must be in great danger of losing in Czechoslovakia.
The semi-finalist looks like being Milan, Feyenoord, Dukla and Dundee.
Milan and Dukla are joint favourites, but Dundee after their wonderful showing can have a surprise in store.
It Should Be a Good Day for Unites
United get back to the league this afternoon. They make the short journey to Stark’s Park to play Raith Rovers.
Unless form has taken a terrific knock with the long lay-off this should be two easy points for United. Since returning to the First Division United have dropped only one point to Raith and that was at Kirkcaldy. And as time has gone on United have become stronger and Raith Rovers weaker.
When the clubs met at Tannadice on October 27 United recorded their biggest league win, the score being 8-1, and Raith were so badly outplayed the score could have been much bigger.
On league results there’s no comparison between the sides. United have 19 points from 18 games. Raith have only 4 from 20 games.
West End Palais
Record
Roundabout
Wednesday, Mar. 6
Guests for this evening:
The Erle Blue Stars.