The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Farewell to popular sports broadcaster
Football personalities turn out to mourn Dick Donnelly
The funeral of sports journalist Dick Donnelly took place at Dundee Crematorium yesterday.
Mr Donnelly died last week at the age of 74 after a battle with cancer.
Mourners at his funeral included former players of Dundee FC and Dundee United including Hamish McAlpine, Jim McInally and Jim Duffy.
Other famous faces from the world of Scottish football including Chic Young and Jim Spence also attended.
A former goalkeeper with East Fife and Brechin City, Mr Donnelly became a football writer after his playing career ended.
He began his journalism career with The People’s Journal then The Sunday Express before covering both Dundee and Dundee United as a freelance reporter.
He was also the voice of football on Radio Tay, commentating on matches involving clubs across Tayside and Fife.
His commentaries broadcast on Radio Clyde gave him a Scotland-wide audience.
Lifelong friend and former president of the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Ron Scott delivered one of the eulogies at Mr Donnelly’s funeral.
He described Mr Donnelly as a “bundle of fun, enthusiasm and optimism”.
Mr Scott said: “It’s the written and spoken word Dick will be best remembered for. First as a journalist then as a broadcaster.
“He prided himself on knowing what was going on at Brechin and Forfar every bit as much as being in the know at Dens Park or Tannadice.
“Every team in the area was of equal importance and treated the same.
“I’ve known Dick be abroad on European duty with Dundee United for semi-finals and even the UEFA Cup final itself yet still find time to phone Dave McGregor at Station Park to find out if Forfar had signed Saturday’s trialist.
“Narey or Newman. Caniggia or AN Other. They were all equally important.”