Speaking earlier this week, Tam Miller insisted, with what can be described as delightful understatement, that “I probably didn’t play as often as I should have for my many clubs but every manager bar none wanted me in their dressing rooms”.
Close friends and acquaintances of the nowadays 63 year old will nod knowingly at his words not least because he is probably best remembered by them and scores of ex-team mates for being a ` hoot of a character who was great to have around the place ` rather than for his footballing abilities.
Yet why that is the case has to be something of a conundrum given Tam’s chequered career as a striker performing for no less than eight Junior clubs in tandem with a number of sorties into the Senior game prior to him taking up a coaching role with a Scottish Junior Cup winning side.
Though Gorbals born,(Lawmuir Street),he was brought up in Carnwadric and attended Bellarmine Secondary where he was one of an underachieving school team’s better players along with good pal Vinnie McCarthy whose own talents brought recognition in the shape of trial spells at Manchester City and Partick Thistle prior to him signing on the dotted line for League of Ireland outfit Waterford.
By way of stark contrast, 17 year old Tam was turning out for his local team St Vincents in the “not for faint hearts” Churches League where the tough grounding received was to serve him well when a string of decent displays earned a call up to play as a trialist for Shotts Bon Accord in a game against Blantyre Vics.
He revealed, “ I cannot recall a great deal about the game other than the fact I scored one of our goals against Ronnie Lowrie who was in the Blantyre goal even though he was a Rangers signing back then..
“Shotts were keen to sign me afterwards but the thought of all the travelling involved made me turn them down and I ended up signing instead for Yoker Athletic after a friend of my Dad recommended me to their manager Lenny Campbell.”
A 30 goals plus haul in his first Holm Park season was a clear indication of how well Tam took to the Junior ranks, playing alongside strike partner Tommy Robertson in a Yoker side that boasted defensive stalwarts John Bagdonas and Davie Mears playing in front of goalkeeper Al Brodie , and his penalty box exploits soon earned him a trial with Dumbarton.
“It was against St Mirren at Love Street and I was partnered up front by both Ross Mathie and another trialist George Kane of Kilbirnie Ladeside ” he recalled.
“We won the game and I got on the scoresheet with a 22 yard free kick but what I remember most is being substituted towards the end of the game by the ex-Rangers winger Davie Wilson who was a player/coach under Alex Wright in those days.
“ Dumbarton wanted me out again but an even better opportunity presented itself when Coventry City got in touch with Yoker to ask if they could have me down for a week’s trials and I found myself training alongside Scotland internationalist Willie Carr and Tommy Hutchison as well as the former Celtic player Jim Brogan .
“I was staying in digs along with another couple of prospective signings and the plan was for us to train during the week and then play a trial game on the Saturday however we never got that far after the club sent us packing when our landlord reported he had caught us sharing a few cans of beer in our room.”
The bitterly disappointed teenager returned home and saw out the 1974/75 season at Yoker however after an invite from Partick Thistle boss Bertie Auld to partake in training sessions at Firhill came to nothing, he opted for a summer months transfer to Bailleston , managed by another ex-Celt ,John `Yogi` Hughes.
He said , “ Big Yogi put together a really top side that included seasoned types like Junior Scotland goalkeeper Eddie Pryce, Davie Murphy, Rusty Craig, Eddie Bashford and Alex McLaren while further forward I was teaming up yet again with George Kane.
“We started away the season like a house on fire and it wasn’t a case of if as much as what silverware prizes would be won but then we suffered a couple of cruel injury blows to arguably our two best players…Jimmy McQuade breaking his ankle against Rutherglen Glencairn followed by a serious knee ligaments injury ruling out the ex-Motherwell player Bobby McCallum for the rest of the season.
“We were never the same team from then on despite finishing runners-up in the League title race and after just one season I decided to ship out when Cambuslang Rangers made an approach.”
Wee Gers playing legends Jackie Mordue Jim Orr, Bobby Brown and Jackie Ferguson were continuing to inhabit the Somervell Park dressing room Tam joined as were soon to be greats Alex Love ,Ian Law and not least of all hitman Craig Tocher whose netfinding qualities were undoubtedly enhanced by having the burly target man type alongside him for the next two seasons.
If Tam can be rightly labelled as having just missed out on the tail end of Cambuslang’s halcyon period then the same can undoubtedly be said of his 1979 move to Kilbirnie Ladeside whose gaffer Sconnie Davidson regarded him and fellow front man Jim Boag as necessary tweaks if he was going to augment and provide a boost to the remnants of his 1977 Scottish Junior Cup winning side still at Valefield such as Jim Marner, George McFarlane, Jim Ingles and John McCool.
The Blasties began the season well but a string of results against them saw Tam fall out of favour and he then plumped for an ill-advised transfer to Ardrossan Winton Rovers where his playing stint lasted barely three months before he was rescued by an approach from East Kilbride Thistle boss Willie Egan.
Tam admitted, “ East Kilbride was probably where I enjoyed my greatest success as a player yet I probably spent more time out of the team than in it even though the thought of asking away never crossed my mind .
“And that’s down to Willie having the gift of the gab and being able to convince me when I was left out that I would be a definite starter the following week…but I never was.
“I made the most appearances in my first season when we won the A Division league title and reached the last eight in the Scottish only to lose out against Forth Wanderers however I knew it was time to leave when I spent almost the entire following year on the bench.
“I could have stayed but took up an offer to play for Arthurlie but the funny thing is that season 1982/83 saw East Kilbride go on to win the Scottish Junior Cup .”
Barrhead boy Tam’s season long stay with his local team was followed by a even briefer period at Kilsyth Rangers helping out his former E.K. team mate Davie Thomson, who had taken up the managerial reins, before bringing the curtain down on his playing career at Shettleston where he has fond memories of playing alongside Kirkie Lawson and tricky winger Willie Gibson.
“ Big Thommo had been appointed Muirend Amateurs manager by then so I went along there to help out on the coaching side and then Wardy (Alan Wardlaw)asked me to be his No 2 at Cambuslang Rangers so I went back there for three seasons and helped put together a promotion winning team before calling it a day.
He spent several months as nothing more than a spectator at games but out of the blue was asked by another Barrhead boy Johnny Miller whether he would like to join his backroom team at Beith as a replacement for the recently retired former Pollok and Arthurlie playing legend Ian Ashcroft.
“ The way Johnny put it, I was not so much filling Ashy’s boots as his club tracksuit which was an XXL and I was the only guy he knew might fit it” scoffed Tam who was to spend the next seven years working alongside Miller, and his coaches Stevie Convery and Derek Rhoddan.
He added , “All kidding aside, I landed on my feet at Beith , a truly wonderful club where there were so many enjoyable times and not just because we won every possible trophy in the Junior game ,the pinnacle of which is undoubtedly our Scottish Cup triumph over Pollok in 2016.
“Working with an outstanding group of players like John Sheridan (a giant of a man), goalkeeper Shay Grindley and Kenny McLean, Paul Frize , Kevin McDonald and Andy Reid to name just a few was always a delight as was seeing at close hand the backing of club officials John Boal, Maggie Jackson and Robert McCarter who will remain friends of mine for life”
Tam’s role during the latter days of his Bellsdale tenure was to run the rule over prospective opponents for Miller and he was touted to carry out a similar role for his close friend at St Cadocs until 2019 talks of the team boss going there broke down.
He said , “I’ve no involvement whatsoever these days but I’m still to be found standing at the side and taking in games most weekends.”
Nothing’s changed much Tam!
FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY 21st JANUARY( Kick Offs 1.30 PM unless stated): Scottish Cup.Fourth Round.Elgin City v Drumchapel Utd (3PM)Darvel v Aberdeen(Monday 7.30PM).Trade Radiators South Challenge Cup.Third Round. Shotts Bon Accord v Dundonald Bluebell(1PM).P.D.M Buildbase Premier Division. Largs Thistle v Beith, Hurlford Utd v Auchinleck Talbot, Cambuslang Rangers v Kilwinning Rangers, Pollok v Rob Roy,Troon v Arthurlie, Irvine Meadow v Glenafton, Petershill v Cumnock. PDM Buildbase First Division. Cumbernauld Utd v Rossvale, Bonnyton Thistle v Gartcairn,Rutherglen Glencairn v Johnstone Burgh, Blantyre Vics v Kilbirnie Ladeside, Benburb v St Rochs, Thorniewood Utd v St Cadocs, Whitletts Vics v Neilston. PDM Buildbase Second Division. Renfrew v Greenock, Glasgow Perthshire v Craigmark, Maryhill v Kilsyth Rangers , Forth Wanderers v Wishaw, Ardeer Thistle v St Anthonys, Yoker Athletic v Muirkirk, Glasgow Utd v Maybole, Ashfield v Glasgow University. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Larkhall Thistle v Lugar Boswell, Lesmahagow v Irvine Vics,Vale of Leven v Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Dalry Thistle v Lanark Utd (Friday 7.30PM), Royal Albert v Finnart, Kello Rovers v Saltcoats Vics, Girvan v East Kilbride Thistle, Carluke Rovers v Port Glasgow, Vale of Clyde, v Bellshill Athletic. PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. Harmony Row v Glenvale, Eglinton v St Peters, Rossvale Academy v Campbeltown Pupils,Thorn Athletic v West Park Utd, Kilsyth Athletic v Easterhouse F.A.
| Regards Jim O’Donnell |
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Brilliant article again, Jim.
I appear to be the only person on here leaving a Reply, so permit me to thank you
for highlighting some great Clubs and Players. The old Baillieston Juniors, where I
remember Russell Craig ( Rusty) , who had moved into Coaching, assembled a big
hill of sand at one end of Station Park to improve fitness. Shades of big Jock Wallace,
who took Rangers players to his own Murder Hill in the sand dunes, and came up
with the same idea at Leicester City’s old ground 😜.
Interesting you mentioned Johnny Miller, who won the Junior Cup as a player and
manager. I got to know him at Arthurlie watching Jim McQuade and his brilliant
sessions – especially pre -season.
The late Jack Macartney, who was well known in Junior Football, brought out a short –
lived magazine ( The Game), and certainly didn’t pull any punches on a variety of issues
in his Editorial page.
I was asked with others contribute exclusive articles etc so for the Junior Cup involving
Glenafton at Firhill I interviewed John and he scored the only goal of the game with a
dipping shot👍
In typical Jack fashion, he said: ” You are a jammy so-and-so.”. That’s the cleaned
version for your readers….
Of course, that guaranteed me an exclusive photograph inside the Glenafton dressing room
with him holding the trophy!
Keep up the great work, Jim.
Jim. You are very welcome. Enjoying your articles and, having watched the Juniors as they were
called before the pyramid system was introduced, I am pleased to relate to people I have known
or through their Clubs concerned ie the Glenafton experience. Thanks again.