Dundee player ended up a star in Beatles’ eyes

George Ryden, the Dundee FC football hero The Beatles wanted to meet, has died aged 83. He was playing centre half for the hugely successful Dark Blues side when the Fab Four came to Dundee in October 1963.

John, Paul, George and Ringo wanted to meet local celebrities and promoter Andy Lothian obliged by asking George and teammate Hugh Robertson if they would meet the band.

Hugh strummed on George Harrison’s guitar and both players chatted and posed for photographs with The Beatles.

George’s son-in-law, Sean Bambury, said: “The Beatles visit was something that stuck in his head. He often spoke of how they had asked to meet him.

“Another of his great memories was playing in front of 120,000 people at Hampden during the 1964 Scottish Cup final against Rangers, which Rangers won 3-1.”

George came from Renton in Dunbartonshire.

Within his own family of nine children, three were footballers – George, John who captained Tottenham Hotspur and Hugh, who played for Leeds.

George served his time as a plumber and began to play for Duntocher Hibs before being spotted and signed for the Dens side by manager Bob Shankly.

He broke into the first team shortly after Dundee had won the First Division title in 1962 and was part of the side that humbled Queen of the South 10-2 the following season.

George later played for St

Johnstone before retiring after a spell at Stirling Albion.

He went on to found Ryden Print and Graphics in Commercial Street, Dundee, which he ran for a number of years.

After that, much of George’s time was spent looking after daughter Lucy while his wife Lina worked as communications manager at Michelin.

He managed Junior sides North End and Blairgowrie and coached at schools around the family home in Balmerino.

THEY LOVE IT: The Fab Four meet George Ryden, second from right.