Читать книгу Craig Brown - The Game of My Life - Craig Brown - Страница 11

I FELT THAT there was a much better opportunity for me at Dundee to play a part in a team that I considered to be destined for much greater things. I was delighted to sign for Dundee because I felt that here was a club that was going places. There was such a strong squad at Ibrox that I felt sure my chances would have become more and more limited as time went on. I had been very impressed with the drive and ambition of Bob Shankly, and I knew that he was not the man to settle for second best in anything. I wanted to be there when he guided the Dark Blues to success.

The excitement began almost as soon as we reported for pre-season training. A tour had been arranged for us in Iceland – a country that I had only read about and been fascinated by, never considering that I would actually be seeing it for real one day.

On the tour we played against the Reykjavik side and also against the Iceland national team, and I felt that I was settling in quite well. There had been a few changes to the playing staff as Adamson, Horsburgh, Jardine and May were released, but the biggest surprise for the Dundee fans was when Doug Cowie was placed on the transfer list. Doug, then 34, had been at Dundee for sixteen years and had become one of the club’s all-time greats, having been capped for Scotland twenty times. He had rarely turned in a bad performance, either for club or country. I think he was very disappointed at being placed on the transfer list, because he felt that he still had a lot to offer Dundee. As it happened, he was not idle for long because Morton quickly signed him as player-coach.

Coming into the club was another veteran player – and I hope he doesn’t mind me calling him that – Gordon Smith. Twice before, Dundee had tried to sign him and now it was a case of third time lucky. There was no doubting his talent. He had played eighteen times for Scotland and had won the Scottish Championship with both Hearts and Hibs. Some of the Dundee fans were surprised at the signing, however, because Gordon was 37 – and therefore older than Doug Cowie, who was being transferred. They need not have worried, as it happened. There was never any need to doubt a Shankly signing, whether it was Bill or Bob that was involved.

I wanted to be considered as a first-team choice but Dundee had a pretty settled side, despite all the comings and goings. The team sheet was almost always the same during the opening games of the season, and I remember it well – Liney, Hamilton, Cox, Seith, Ure, Wishart, Smith, Penman, Cousin, Gilzean and Robertson. No doubt you will remember some of those famous names. I wasn’t at all sure how I was going to get my big chance, but I still felt a lot closer to it than I had at Rangers, so I was not worrying unduly.

There was a mixed start to the season because Dundee fell early in the Scottish League Cup competition, but put together a few good opening League results – including a 4–1 win at home to our local rivals, Dundee United. Kilmarnock and Rangers led the table after a couple of games but we were soon up with them. Alan Gilzean had been the club’s top scorer the previous season with 32 League and Cup goals, and he just continued where he had left off. In the centre of our defence was the mighty Ian Ure – so there were giants of the game in both of the most important positions in the team.

I was continuing to play in the reserves but I was already in the reckoning for the first team. It was an amazing season, really, because in addition to those eleven players I have already mentioned, the club used only four others. If that was the first eleven, then I was hanging in at No. 12.

We were scoring plenty of goals – five against Kilmarnock, four against Motherwell – and Bob Shankly was enjoying himself. He was a very similar character to his brother Bill and rarely missed an opportunity to tell the world how wonderful his players were. It was all going very well for the club, but not quite so well for me because I had yet to play for the first team in a competitive game. Had substitutes been allowed in those days I reckon I would have created a record for the greatest number of appearances as a sub, because I was always with the squad both home and away.

At long last I got my chance when our skipper, Bobby Cox, was injured. I was not at all happy about his injury because I was a club man and wanted us to be at our strongest at all times, but I can’t deny that I was excited when I was told that I would be playing. My only problem was that I would be out of position at left back. It was something that I was asked to do a number of times and it did prove to be a successful switch for me, even though I was more at home in the left half position.

The newspapers were very kind to me. I played in the return away game at Kilmarnock where we drew 1–1 One writer, Jimmy Stevenson, introduced his match report with the headline ‘Stand-in Sets An Example’. Another writer said of Dundee: ‘They got a point because of the rugged defence of Ian Ure and the speed and tackling of young Craig Brown, a big hit in his first top team game.

I was thrilled to read such things about myself and, if I look at those press cuttings now, I still get pleasure when I read about ‘young’ Craig Brown. There were other descriptions of me as ‘the crew-cut Craig Brown’. Yes, I had a crew cut in those days, and I was young and, yes, we are talking about the same Craig Brown. It’s not the years – it’s the mileage!

Those were thrilling days at Dens Park. A 5–1 win over Rangers had demonstrated to everyone that Dundee meant business and, as the season wore on, it became more evident that our position at the top of the table was no mere flash in the pan. Even when we lost Alan Gilzean with a broken jaw, the goals continued to flow.

Alan was a big element of that early success. He was a tremendous goalscorer, a typical bustling centre-forward who was excellent with his head as well as his feet. He had all the courage that you expect from a top goalscorer whom every defender in the country was determined to stop. Even when he broke his jaw, he was not out for long.

Things were a little different in those days. Games were played in conditions that would have meant very definite postponements today. If there was snow on the ground, as long as the lines were visible and the snow didn’t come up over your ankles, the game would still be on. I remember ‘Gillie’ once wearing sandshoes on a frozen pitch and scoring two goals while everyone else struggled to keep on his feet.

I don’t really think that I was to blame – I hope not, anyway – but after I came into the side we seemed to go through a bit of a slump. We were beaten 3–0 at Partick and then had a stern test away to Celtic. We lost that one as well, 2–1, but I was pleased with my own performance, and one of the journalists at the game wrote: ‘I was particularly impressed by young Craig Brown. The former Ranger showed something of the play which, as a youth internationalist, hinted at taking him right to the top.’ Another newspaper made me Dundee’s top player for that game and I, of course, took great encouragement from such things. It didn’t go to my head, but it didn’t do my confidence any harm either.

I might have guessed that it was all going too well for me by now. There had to be another blow just around the corner and, sure enough, it was waiting for me when we played away to Raith Rovers. My left knee let me down again and I had to go off. Another trip to hospital beckoned and, as you may imagine, I was pretty distraught. I desperately wanted to continue in the side as we entered the run-in to the season. It had developed into a two-horse race between ourselves and Rangers, and I wanted to do my bit to bring home the championship to Dens Park for the first time in the club’s history.

There was nothing that I could do except enter Fernbrae Nursing Home and keep reading the newspapers, listening to the radio, and watching television. I was forced to sit in that Dundee nursing home, hungry for any news of what was happening to my team. Our rivals, Dundee United, actually did us a very big favour. Rangers seemed to have taken the initiative in the title chase even though we were still picking up points. Our standard of play seemed to have slipped a little, while theirs was gaining in momentum. Despite all that, Ibrox was stunned when Rangers came up against our rivals Dundee United and slipped up. On the day that we scraped a 1–0 win over Hibs, mighty Rangers went down 0–1 against United. I was overjoyed at the news but more than a little sad that I had not been able to play. It is very frustrating to be in a hospital bed while your teammates are playing their hearts out.

Dundee United might well have done us a favour with that spectacular victory away to Rangers, but they were no less determined to beat us in the return local derby game in April. A 20,000 all-ticket crowd witnessed a great game which Dundee won 2–1, with Alan Gilzean driving a sensational shot past Rolando Ugolini to get the winner with just four minutes left. With two games remaining, Rangers had to go to Aberdeen and Dundee were at St Mirren. When the news came through that Rangers were trailing 1–0 there was a buzz of excitement around the ground which reached the ears of the players. Pat Liney, in goal, must have been inspired by it because he saved a penalty with a spectacular leap which stopped St Mirren skipper Jim Clunie’s shot going right into the top right-hand corner of the net. It was 1–0 at the time and touch and go. The relief of that penalty save encouraged Andy Penman to score our second goal, bringing the championship even closer to reality.

The last game of the season was absolute agony for me as so much was at stake. Everything hinged on getting at least a point from a visit to St Johnstone – who also needed points to save them from relegation. It is amazing how often history repeats itself. Just thirteen years earlier, Dundee had been in a similar position, needing to take points from the last game of the season or risk Rangers stealing the championship at the last gasp. On that day everything went wrong and a 4–1 defeat saw Dundee having to make do with the runners-up spot.

I have never been one to bite my nails but, if I had, I would have been down to my elbows before the final scores came through. Rangers had been held to a 1–1 draw by Kilmarnock, while Dundee had gone through a battle royal with St Johnstone, who included in their line-up the very same Alex Ferguson who has demonstrated so often since how much he hates the taste of defeat. St Johnstone gave Dundee a number of scares early in the game as the tension seemed to get to everybody but, in the 24th minute, there was a flood of relief when Alan Gilzean headed home. ‘Gillie’ scored again in the second half and then Andy Penman drove home via the crossbar to make it 3–0 and signal the start of the party.

The whole of Dundee celebrated that piece of football history while I was still in my hospital bed. It would have been very easy for everyone at the club to have forgotten all about me during those ecstatic celebrations, but the manager made sure that I was not neglected. We were all paid in cash in those days and on the first pay-day after that championship-winning game he came to see me personally with my brown envelope.

‘I’ve brought you this, son,’ he said as he put the envelope on my bed. I stared at it – it looked very much bigger than usual. I thought for a moment that he had brought me a letter telling me that my services would no longer be required by the club. Tentatively I opened the envelope while he watched me with a smile on his face. Inside was a big bundle of cash.

‘That’s your bonus for winning the championship, son!’ said Bob Shankly. ‘You played your part just the same as the others.’

I was amazed. It wasn’t the money – it was the fact that I was being treated no differently to the other members of the side who had played in many more games. They were the big shots as I saw it, and yet here was the club treating me in just the same manner. I was one of the exclusive band of only fifteen players who were involved in Dundee’s first-ever Scottish championship. I received the same bonus as everyone else and – more importantly – I also received my championship medal, something which I cherish to this day.

I also cherish the experience of having worked for such a great manager as Bob Shankly. He always expected the best from his players, but he invariably gave them the best too and I learned an enormous amount from him. He also got me into a habit that I have maintained to this day.

After winning the title, Dundee went on a summer tour to New York. The manager took the trouble to send me a postcard because I was still undergoing treatment for my knee injury. He wrote, ‘Sorry you missed this trip Craig…’ What a thoughtful gesture!

That card meant a lot to me. Bob Shankly was a busy man and I really appreciated the fact that he had taken time out to get in touch with me. It was also a thrill to get a card from someone whom I had grown to respect and admire so much.

Yes, but you were talking about a habit! I can almost hear you say it. Well, receiving that card meant so much to me that it taught me a lesson. It taught me that there are those left at home when you are away on your travels and they could well do with a card from you – even with the smallest of notes. I picked up the habit of sending cards to friends all over the world whenever I was on my travels. I have become quite famous for it among my circle of friends – and it all started with that postcard I received from Bob Shankly, one of the finest managers and men it has ever been my privilege to know.

I don’t just stop at sending cards to friends either, because I also learned then what a morale-booster such a message can be. To give you an insight into how I ran the Scotland team – if I had to leave a player out of my plans because he was injured, or just not suitable for a particular game, I always tried to make sure that he does not feel rejected. I arrange for him to be sent postcards, faxes and anything else that will help to make him feel that he is with us in spirit at least. I learned that from Bob Shankly, and I am sure that it has gone a long way to helping with the great team spirit we had in the Scotland camp.

I must tell you a little more about life at Dundee when I wasn’t injured, because it was a great set-up. I had been among friends at Rangers, and that certainly didn’t change when I joined Dundee. I stayed in digs run by a lady called Mrs Garvie, who had four other Dens Park players staying at her place. We quickly became known as the ‘Garvie Five’, and consisted of Ian Ure, George Ryden, Tommy Mackle, Hugh Robertson and Craig Brown.

We were notorious for being late for training because we all used to travel in the one wee car – which had a habit of refusing to start. We had all sorts of fun together while we were at Mrs Garvie’s. My next digs were at Mrs Duncan’s in Sagar Street, and then later Doug Houston and I moved to Mrs Clark’s digs in Americanmuir Road in Downfield, Dundee. So you see, during my time with Dundee I was in three different lots of digs, but, I hasten to point out, I was never evicted from any of them!

Another thing that happened while I was at Dundee was that I completed my PE course at Jordanhill and also another one-year course which I looked upon as a kind of insurance. The latter course qualified me to teach subjects at primary level in schools, and I considered that it would be useful to have that as well as my PE qualification. I did actually start to teach while I was at Dundee because we used to train only in the mornings for four days a week, which left me with the afternoons and the whole of Monday free. I was what was known as a peripatetic, or itinerant, PE teacher, because I went round various schools in the Dundee area. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in the teaching profession, even though I was still classed as a full-time professional footballer. It was not uncommon in those days, but today, with so many more fixtures and other commitments, players would find it virtually impossible to have such a part-time career – even if they wanted, or even needed, it.

While all this was happening I was still very much a part of the Dundee first-team squad, which was not only trying to defend the championship in the new season, but was also making its debut in the European Cup. This meant that there were quite a few problems with my teaching work as I often had to change my appointments, and that, in turn, would throw out some of the timetables at the schools where I was working. The other problem was that the PE work also caused my knee to swell up once more. I discussed the problem with the education authority, and they suggested that it would probably be better, and more convenient all round, if I concentrated on my primary teaching instead of my PE teaching. I took their advice, and that really is how I got started in primary teaching.

Meanwhile, there was plenty happening on the football pitch. The New York visit that I mentioned earlier was planned to enable us to take part in a soccer tournament involving teams like Reutlingen of West Germany, Hadjduk Split of Yugoslavia, Guadalajara of Mexico, Palermo of Italy and America of Brazil.

It provided some valuable experience in playing against foreign sides. Doug Houston, whom I mentioned earlier, had joined Dundee from Queen’s Park, and the well-known goalkeeper Bert Slater had also signed for us. Three players had left us and there was a cloud hanging over the club because six of the top Dundee players had not signed new contracts. The club had offered £25 a week but Hamilton, Penman, Robertson, Seith, Ure and Gilzean were not yet committed, and there was the obvious worry that they might go elsewhere. That £25-a-week offer was not bad in those days. The two Glasgow giants, Rangers and Celtic, would possibly have paid more, but nobody else in Scotland would have done at that time. As it happened it was all a storm in a teacup anyway, because all six of them eventually signed on the dotted line, meaning the team was intact when we opened our campaign against our arch-rivals Dundee United at Tannadice.

It was a League Cup game, and I’m pleased to say that I had recovered sufficiently from my knee problems to be picked for the team and receive a roasting from Dennis Gillespie who, sadly, died in June 2001. Unfortunately we lost 3–2, which was a blow – but we made up for it a few days later with a 1–0 win over Celtic.

I have to admit that we struggled during our remaining League Cup games, and not even a civic reception at Dundee’s Chamber of Commerce, in honour of our championship success of the previous season, could rekindle the flame that had burned so brightly. A lot of our confidence did return, however, when we beat Dundee United 2–1 in the return League Cup game, and it was probably that victory that set us up for our very first European Cup game. We had been drawn against Cologne – one of the most daunting challenges any side could be asked to face on their European Cup debut. The manager decided that the best policy would be to go for experience rather than for enthusiasm, and therefore four other younger players and I found ourselves left out to make way for those with possibly cooler heads.

On the face of it we were in for a hiding by the Germans. There is no shame in the fact that we were pretty well written off, with questions being asked about how many Cologne would score rather than if they would score. Scottish football has always been a game full of surprises – not all of them pleasant ones. In recent times, Scottish clubs have struggled in European competitions. We cannot use the English excuse of being banned for so many years because we have never had a break in continuity but, somehow, these days it does not seem to pay off for us.

I thought that Celtic played very well before going out to Liverpool in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup and in the away match against Ajax in August 2001, but I could not honestly say that about others – Rangers included. They should have done much better. The clubs’ management and coaches, along with their players, also seem to find it a mystery that no serious progress has been made in any of the European competitions for so long. We can only put it down to not being ‘all right on the night’, and hope that, soon, a psychological barrier can be broken down and that Scottish clubs will set the matter right by once again making their mark on the European football stage.

We have had our European triumphs, of course, and I’m sure that we will again – but we are certainly starved at the moment. Anyway, let us turn the clock back and follow the fortunes of Dundee in the 1962/63 European Cup competition, to a time when the first hurdle was looking more like one of those nightmare fences in the Grand National.

What was about to happen in that tie against Cologne nobody really knew – how could they? As I said, we had already been written off by many people. However, since the event, it has become one of the most talked-about clashes in European football history.