Small world

Apologies for the lack of posts this month.

I’ve been rather busy and although I intended commenting on the general election (among other things) time defeated me.

For the record, however, what a fabulous result! This was me (above), minutes after the announcement of the exit poll at 10.00pm.

I eventually went to bed shortly before 6.00am which was only 20 minutes after my 89-year-old mother who I subsequently discovered had also stayed up to welcome in Boris’ brave new “golden age”.

Anyway, I’ve just got back from a short visit to Scotland which ended on an unfortunate note when I inadvertently reversed into another car in a local car park.

Although my car doesn’t appear to have a scratch on it (the advantage of driving a much maligned SUV), insurers may be involved.

To be fair, the woman whose car I bumped in to took it very well. “Just one of those things,” she said before taking my details and wishing me a happy Christmas.

I drove to Scotland on Friday to deliver presents to my in-laws in Glasgow. From there my son and I travelled to Dundee to watch Dundee United beat Ayr 4-0. (Good result, poor match.)

Normally after a game at Tannadice we would drive the twelve miles or so to St Andrews for a curry.

On Saturday however I fancied a post match drink so instead of jumping in the car we got a taxi to Bombay Joe’s which, according to Trip Advisor, is Dundee’s number one Indian restaurant.

It’s actually in Broughty Ferry, a few miles from the city centre, and in the course of the 10-minute journey we discovered that our driver was a former professional footballer.

Now 59, his name (I looked it up later) is Gary Murray and he played for Montrose then Hibs in the early Eighties.

After we got him to talk about his career he mentioned that his son was a footballer too and had played for United.

“What’s his name?” I asked cautiously in case I had never heard of him.

“Simon Murray,” he replied.

Thankfully I knew all about Simon Murray. He played for United for two seasons before being transferred, like his father, to Hibs in 2017.

Although his spell at United coincided with two terrible seasons (including relegation and a play-off defeat that denied the club promotion), Simon Murray was popular with fans for two reasons.

One, although exceptionally raw, he gave his all and most fans will excuse almost anything if players are energetic and clearly trying their best.

The second reason was his back story. Simon Murray was a plumber who played junior football for several local clubs including Tayport and the wonderfully named Dundee Violet.

At the age of 21 he was offered a part-time contract with Arbroath. A year later he became a full-time professional when he was transferred to Dundee United where he had worked on the club’s boilers in his previous day job.

Two years later, with United still in the second tier, he moved to Hibs, the club his father had played for.

Unfortunately it didn’t work out at Hibs and in July 2018 - after a spell on loan at United’s rivals Dundee - he took the unusual step of moving to South Africa where he now plays for Bidvest Wits.

I knew all this but it was fascinating to hear it, and more, from the player’s father.

We also talked about Graeme Payne, one of my favourite former United players, who had featured in the Scotsman that same day. Murray, it transpired, had gone to the same school as Payne, now 63.

I asked him if he knew Dave Johnston, a full-back with Dundee and Montrose who I remember joining us for a kickabout in Wormit where I lived in the Seventies.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, given his Montrose connection, Murray did know him. After his football career finished Johnson became an accountant, apparently.

Small world.

Below: Penalty to United as they beat Ayr 4-0 on Saturday