Saving Rovers from the drop put Gordon up there with Henrik
Tonight should have seen the 56th annual awards dinner of the Scottish Football Writers’ Association.
It is more than halfacentury since Gordon Wallace was crowned an unlikely Player of the Year, yet the memory of the stick he took as a result still makes him chuckle.
The Dundonian became the first non-old Firm player to win the award in 1968, off the back of a remarkable 30- goal season with Raith Rovers.
He almost singlehandedly helped save the Kirkcaldy club from relegation, his goals elevating them to thirdbottom that season, while Motherwell and Stirling Albion were consigned to the Second Division.
Not that Wallace’s teammates saw it that way.
“They gave me plenty of stick for winning Player of the Year,” said the 76- year old with a laugh.
“You can imagine the sort of thing: ‘Aye, you did really well creating and scoring those goals all by yourself. What a player you must be!’.
“To be fair, I always thought they had a point. That year was a real team battle to stay up in Division One, and everyone contributed in their own way.
“I got the plaudits because I was the one sticking the ball in the back of the net, and I did enjoy a great run.
“There’s no way it was a one-man effort, though. For example, also in our team was Ian Porterfield, whose goal won the FA Cup for Sunderland in the 1973. He was a very good footballer.”
Wallace, who went on to star for both Dundee and Dundee United in the 1970s, is being overly modest.
A glance through the list of the men who have received the award flags up the scale of his achievement.
From Billy Mcneill and John Greig – the first two winners – through to the 2019 pick James Forrest, by way of Miller and Mcleish, Larsson and Laudrup, it is every bit a roll of honour.
To that list, you could also add the likes of Billy Bremner, Denis Law, Joe Jordan and Kenny Dalglish, who picked up the award in 1974 when the entire Scotland squad that qualified for the World Cup in West Germany were awarded the honour.
Re mark ably,Da lg lish never won it on his own, despite six stellar seasons with Celtic.
Wallace continued: “I thought they were joking when I first got the message that I’d won the award.
“But I was delighted, and all the great players that have become winners over the years has underlined what a privilege it really is.
“Some terrific footballers have lifted the award, guys who were real giants of the Scottish game.
“So I can look back and say: ‘ Wow, I was part of the elite’.
“Just for five minutes, but I was up there!”