Dundee mourn loss of Waddell, aged 81

Dundee league winner Bobby Waddell has passed away at the age of 81.

The Kirkcaldy-born centre-forward played a key role in the golden period of the early 60s at Dens Park scoring 45 goals in 86 appearances between 1959 and 1965.

He featured just seven times during the 1961-62 Championship-winning season but made a telling contribution, scoring three goals in all competitions.

In doing so, Waddell remains one of only 15 men to have won the top-flight title with Dundee.

Coming in to replace star man Alan Gilzean when needed, Waddell scored the only goal in a win over Hibs as Rangers lost to Dundee United.

With that the title charge began to swing in favour of the Dark Blues.

He also scored five times on the road to the 1964 Scottish Cup Final but didn’t feature in the showpiece where Dundee lost to Rangers. With the likes of Gilzean, Alan Penman, Alan Cousin, Charlie Cooke and Kenny Cameron to contend with, competition was fierce.

Waddell made his own contributions, however, scoring 20 goals in 39 appearances in the 1963-64 season.

His final campaign in 1964-65 saw a return of eight strikes in 14 matches before heading down south.

Waddell’s final match for the Dark Blues came in the

Cup Winners’ Cup as Real Zaragoza arrived at Dens Park. That ended in a 2-2 draw with a late Doug Houston equaliser.

The Spanish side would go on to win the second leg to knock Dundee out, however. His next outing would be for Blackpool before a spell with Bradford Park Avenue, returning to Scotland with East Fife and Montrose.

After his playing days ended, Waddell moved into management with Tayport.

Bobby Waddell with his Dundee league title medal.