May 1983
Singing In The Rain
Torrential rain failed to dampen the spirits of Dundee United supporters who turned up at the City Square in their thousands last night to celebrate the winning of the Premier League championship. Monsoon rain and even thunder and lightening were ignored as the Tannadice faithful thronged the city centre to greet their heroes, who had travelled in an open top bus from the ground to the council chambers.Police, club officials and players were astonished at a turn out which would have been considered acceptable even in the driest of weather. "Fantastic" commented skipper Paul Heagarty who admitted he thought the rain would have kept many indoors. "The response from our supporters has been magnificent. The players will not forget the way they braved the conditions" he added.
A crowd of between 4000 and 5000 created a carnival atmosphere in scenes rarely witnessed in Dundee. They were chanting, dancing and singing in the rain long before the bus arrived at 6.15pm. It was like the Mardi Gras had travelled down the coast from Aberdeen to Dundee in what has been an unprecedented week for east-coast football - the first European Cup Winners' Cup, then the Premier title.
The tangerine and black-clad masses, waving flags, banners and club coloured umbrellas, packed themselves like sardines behind the crash barriers in the City Square. Hundreds lined the steps of the Caird Hall and hundreds more, unable to get into the Square, were marshalled behind the permanent barriers at Boots and Samuels on the corner of Reform Street. The cheering reached a crescendo when the open-top bus came in sight and there, held high, was the league championship trophy which had been brought through from Glasgow during the day. The players, soaked like the fans, seemed similarly oblivious to the downpour as they responded to every cheer. Head and shoulders above the rest was Davie Dodds still wearing the enormous top hat he had been presented with shortly after the final whistle at Dens Park the previous day.
One by one the players stepped off the bus to receive handshakes from the Lord Provost James Gowans and the Dundee United Directors. First to disembark was Manager Jim MacLean, who led his team into the dry sanctuary of the City Chambers for a hastily arranged civic reception. It was then onto the balcony to receive joyous acclamation from their wildly enthusiastic supporters. Each United player was cheered as they took it in turn to hold the trophy.
Eight Years for Killing Robert Mone
The man who denied murdering triple-killer Robert Mone was yesterday jailed for eight years for his culpable homicide. Anthony Currie (40), described as a prisoner at Inverness, had denied assaulting 55 year-old Mone on January 13 this year in the main workshop building at Craiginches Prison, Aberdeen, stabbing him repeatedly on the neck and body with knives and murdering him. Currie had lodged a special plea of self-defence.
Yesterday, the fifth day of the trial at Aberdeen High Court, the jury took nearly two hours to decide on their unanimous verdict of guilty of culpable homicide. Donald Macaulay, agent for Currie, told Lord Allanbridge his client had previously attacked a prisoner found guilty of assaulting a young girl. He said Currie has a "certain moralistic" attitude towards such cases.
Currie showed no emotion as Lord Allanbridge sentenced him to the additional eight-year term. He was led out of the dock by two policemen.
Dundee Hit By Violent Storms
Torrential rain and violent thunderstorms caused widespread, although not too serious flooding in Dundee yesterday afternoon. Worst affected by flooding were the areas nearest the Tay because the monsoon-like downpours coincided with the high tide. As a result Riverside Drive almost had to be closed by police. Drivers had to take great care in the Roseangle area of the city too, and the dip below the railway bridge over St Vincent Street in Broughty Ferry soon held a large pool some tow feet deep, effectively closing it to traffic.
In the city centre parts of the inner ring road, Marketgait, were affected by surface water, particularly at the bottom of Trades Lane. Here, flooding extended across one full lane of Marketgait's eastbound carriageway and stretched some 20 yards up Trades Lane.
For a time traffic had to be wary of a large pool of water on the roundabout at the Nethergate/Perth Road junction. Only the outside lane could be used as the inside lane was under several inches of water.
The weather caused other problems, Radio Tay was put off the air and some police communications were disrupted after a particularly violent period of thunder and lightening around 5pm. A police spokesman said the radio mast on the Law had probably picked up a large power surge and fused. The disruption came at an especially bad time for the police as they were involved in co-ordinating the victory celebrations for Dundee United.
In Alexander Street water filled some excavations and seeped into electrical equipment under the footway. Residents in nearby tower blocks were treated to spectacular displays of sparking and fizzing as blue sparks shot our from the pavement.
Old Odeon Opens for Bingo
The former Odeon Cinema, Cowgate, Dundee reopens tomorrow night in it's new role as a bingo hall, following a £150,000 programme of alterations. The cinema, which closed over two years ago, remained empty until it was taken over byuCounty Properties and Developments Ltd., Airdrie who have been carrying out work for the past 18 months.
Built as the King Theatre the property was known as the Gaumont when it became a cinema and latterly as the Odeon. The building opens in it's new guise tomorrow evening. With a special cabaret being laid on between bingo games.
"The hall now hold 1100 after the alterations" explained Mr Charles Burns. "We have done away with the old slope and have introduced different layers. We will open six afternoons every week" said Mr Burns who worked in Green's Playhouse until leaving Dundee six years ago.
Liz Lynch Home for the Holidays
Dundee Runner Liz Lynch Returns to the city next month for a short break from her flourishing athletics career in the United States. Latest triumphs for the 18 year old former Hawkhill Harrier who is on a sports scholarship in America, where on Friday and Saturday in the junior college championships in Oregon, she captured gold medals in the 3000, 1500 and 800 metre events and a silver in the team relay. Liz who went out to Rick's College, Idaho in February phoned home in Inveresk Crescent to say she would be back on holiday in June.
Bright Tips
Shining Jewellery - Blackboard chalk, kept in your trinket box, will help to prevent tarnish on jewellery.
Mrs Harold, Caithness.
Nautilus 2000
Everybody deserves fitness
Start today for special introductory trial.
Nautilus, 306, Perth Road, Dundee. Phone 68831.
Cinema Listings
Regal - Broughty Ferry
Next Monday (3 days)
"An Officer and a Gentleman" (15)
Please see Courier for times.