I see from the club website that ex-player and manager Bertie Auld has died.

He played for us in the ‘C’ division days of 1954-55 scoring three times and again in Division 2 in 1956-57 (eight goals.) His spell as manager came in 1988 – not the most successful in our history but by no means the worst.

Bertie’s time with the Sons was not his most famous nor long-lasting football achievement. He is among that select band of immortals known as the Lisbon Lions who won the European Cup in 1967 in that annus mirabilis for Glasgow Celtic. For that alone he will be remembered in Scotland as a giant of the game.

In all as a player he won that European Cup (and had another appearance in the final in 1970,) 5 Scottish League Championships, 3 Scottish Cups and 4 Scottish League Cups. With Birmingham City he was in an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final and won the football League Cup in 1962-3. Despite that pedigree he only ever gained three caps for Scotland (plus two more for the Scottish League.) As a manager he won the Scottish First Division twice; with Partick Thistle in 1975-6 and Hibernian in 1980-1.

His is a sad loss to Scottish football.

Robert (Bertie) Auld: 23/3/1938 – 14/11/2021. So it goes.

FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, 17/5/14

Not quite such a historic (nor romantic) outcome to this one. Still a shock looked on the cards after ten minutes when Hull were two up. But eighty minutes is a long time to hold out especially against a team capable of keeping the ball.

Arsenal did not really create much in the way of chances but big clubs tend to prevail in these situations.

And Hull have the consolation of playing in a “proper” European competition* next season. Not that that did Stoke or Birmingham much good – though Wigan reached the play-offs tis year despite the distraction.

*They did once take part in the Anglo-Italian Cup in the long ago.

Carling Cup; Final. Wembley Stadium, 27/02/11

This game showed that dodgy offside decisions are not restricted to Scottish lower league football. Even in real time, on television, it was obvious that Lee Bowyer was onside when Zigic played him in very early on. The television replays only confirmed it. A penalty and sending off would have been the sure result of a correct decision.

Had Arsenal gone on to win this game it would have been an injustice for that reason alone. But then maybe if they had gone down to ten men they would have rallied and Birmingham might have relaxed. As it was Birmingham stuck at it and reaped their reward through another Arsenal defensive mix-up.

Arsène Wenger seems to have a blind spot as far as defence is concerned. At Arsenal he inherited a good one but he doesn’t seem to be able to construct one himself.

Now that I’ve said that they’ll probably win the three trophies they’re still contesting this season.