Emotional tribute to ‘dearest friend’ and ‘wonderful human being’

Dick Campbell paid an emotional tribute to John Ritchie who sadly passed away last week.

The pair had worked together on and off the pitch at Brechin as well as with Dunfermline and latterly at Arbroath.

Campbell admits he will miss Ritchie’s advice and expertise in the dressing-room but more importantly he has lost someone who was a dear friend to him.

Campbell said: “I first met John 43 years ago in 1975.

“He was a very professional guy. When we were players, there would be myself, my brother Ian, John and Ian Paterson who all travelled up to Brechin in the one car for years.

“John was a miner down the pit and he would come up early so we could get to training.

“Sometimes we would get to Brechin in terrible weather conditions to find that the Aberdeen and Dundee boys couldn’t get there but John always got us there from Fife.

“He was one of those boys, you could never get a night off because of him! But he was just so professional and enthusiastic.

“I learned a lot from him. He was meticulous in his preparation but equally hilarious in the dressing-room.

“As a person, he was a big, handsome devil. That used to annoy me and you could cut cheese with the crease on his trousers he was so immaculate.

“Football apart, I have lost one of my dearest friends.

“He used to say to me and Ian that we were the two brothers he never had.

“John was a part of my life that will never, ever be replaced.

“He was just a wonderful human being and had the respect of everybody in Scottish football.”