Wednesday 10 March 2010

MINISTERS v BUTCHERS - 1979

Another challenge match, this time at Tannadice, and a game that took place on 30th April 1979 between Ministers & Butchers.
My local butcher, Mr Grossett (Arbroath Road), was playing.
Part of the extra entertainment laid on included "Pubby Tuggy", a tug-o-war contest involving over a dozen local pubs, all of which are listed in the centre spread above.
Goalkeepers, Hamish McAlpine (DUFC) and Ally Donaldson (DFC) were the linesmen.
Does anyone remember who won? Did the Butchers make mincemeat of the opposition, or were the Ministers the ones blessed with football skills?!!
Click programme images to enlarge.
Thanks to DD

11 comments:

  1. One of my favourite memories - I think the match was an annual affair for a few years.... I certainly remember going to Dens for one so can only assume that it was Dens one year and Tannadice the next.

    I seem to remember the Ministers taking it very seriously and the Butchers having a real laugh - running around with sausages etc - but that might be my addled memory...

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  2. ha ha! classic. I remember going as a young lad. Iy must have been about then as I remember George Irvine was playing. He had a butchers on the Perth Road, Sinderins next to a greengrocers round from Pennycook Lane. 'Peggies' had a sweetie shop at the top of the lane opposite Sinderins pub on the Hawkie

    Would love to see a picture of either store

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  3. my dad used to take me to see these games, it was like watching a carry on film on grass :) only the enclosure and main stand were opened for these games so you could hear everything being said/shouted, those ministers needed their mouths washed out with soap and holy water after the match i can assure you.

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  4. This was the only football match I've ever been to! My Dad played for the Ministers - they won and I remember the 'silver' rose bowl in the house. No other match could ever live up to it!

    Serious! The Ministers! Never!

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  5. I remember being at the game ...I had the programme as well..score no idea

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  6. 7-5 who though ??????????

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  7. My uncle, Jimmy Reilly, who had the shop on Cleppy Road at the top of Provie Road, played for the Butchers many a time in these games, but I'm thinking '79 might have seen him past his prime.

    He tells me that the second half of these matches were always drunken affairs, mainly because the Ministers came prepared with whisky for the dressing room!

    If anyone knows Jimmy, he's still very much on the go at the rip old age of 84 and still hasn't reached 5' in height!

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  8. Malcolm Macnotellin25 March 2010 at 15:26

    > Anonymous said...
    > 7-5 who though ??????????

    7 to Ministers, 5 to Butchers surely?

    BTW it took me about 25 years to cotton on that football results are listed in the same order as the teams are listed i.e. if it's Team1 vs Team2 and the score is 7-5, Team1 got 7 and Team2 got 5... ;)

    Don't we look thick to all the hardcore footie fans, eh? :D

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  9. Malcolm Macnotellin25 March 2010 at 15:31

    P.S. The first team is always considered to be the 'Home' team, and the second team the 'Away' team. Yet again it took me years to realise this; people just assume you know this stuff :D

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  10. My aunt Peggy Martin had a shop just around the corner on the Hawkhill, she also worked for a butcher on the Perth road although I'm not sure which butcher's it was. Sure do miss the way it used to be.

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