A final farewell to football great Alan Gilzean.

Tributes paid to Dark Blues legend who went on to become the ‘King of White Hart Lane’

Supporters, one-time team-mates and relatives of former Dundee FC star Alan Gilzean said goodbye to one of Scotland’s greatest strikers yesterday.

Gilzean died earlier this month at the age of 79, shortly after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

His funeral service at Dundee Crematorium saw some of the biggest names of Scottish and English football of the 1960s and ’70s pay tribute,

The service was led by the Rev David Robertson of St Peter’s Free Church.

The eulogy was delivered by football writer, Dundee FC fan and author Patrick Barclay.

The family’s tribute praised Gilzean’s competitive spirit, still in evidence in his 70s when playing football with his grandchildren.

Before the service, around 80 fans gathered outside Dens Park to pay their last respects as his casket was taken from the stadium to the crematorium.

There, another group of around 20 supporters applauded as the casket was driven through the crematorium gates.

Father and son Andy, 49, and Aaran Brown, 10, were among those waiting to pay their respects.

Andy said: “I never saw him play but my mother was a Dundee fan, although my grandfather was a St Johnstone fan.

“When they went to Muirton and won the league in 1962 and St Johnstone got relegated he got so angry he wouldn’t drive them home.”

Born and raised in Coupar Angus, ‘Gillie’ shot to fame with the Dark Blues.

His goals helped fire the Dens Park side to the First Division title in 1961-62 and the semi-final of the European Cup the following season.

Renowned for his heading ability, he was widely regarded as one of Dundee’s finest ever players. He scored 169 goals for the club.

Gillie moved to London in 1964 after joining Tottenham Hotspur in a £72,500 deal, and quickly formed a striking partnership with Jimmy Greaves.

At Spurs he won the FA Cup in 1967 and, between 1971 and 1973, two League Cups and a Uefa Cup.

Gilzean was also capped 22 times by Scotland and scored 12 goals, including the winner against England at Hampden in 1964.

He was held in such high regard by Tottenham supporters that he was given the soubriquet ‘the King of White Hart Lane’.

Eight of his former team-mates from Spurs – Steve Perryman, Martin Chivers, Cliff Jones, John Pratt, Pat Jennings, Alan Mullery, Phil Beal and Mike England – travelled to Dundee for the funeral.

Dundee FC were represented by club manager Neil Mccann and Cammy Kerr, while Gilzean’s team-mates from the 1962 league-winning side, Bob Seith and Bobby Wishart, also attended.

Other Dark Blues legends including Jocky Scott, Craig Brown and Gordon Wallace were also at the service.