Dickie’s goals made him a United one-game wonder
Dundee United’s new manager won’t have long to assess his squad.
The departure of Robbie Neilson to Hearts means his replacement will have less than a month to recruit new players.
It won’t be easy to arrange games that can be used to take a look at trialists. However, there was a time when clubs thought nothing of throwing an unknown player into a league match.
That happened when Dickie Cruickshank became a one-game wonder for Dundee United back in the 1950s.
You look at his record and wonder why he didn’t go on to become a big star at Tannadice. Englishman Reggie Smith had recently moved from his post as coach at Dundee to become United boss.
He was on the look-out for a striker, and took a chance on the young man from Aberdeen. Dickie scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Third Lanark in 1954 – only the club’s second victory in 10 attempts.
That was his first – and last – outing for the team that then played in black and white. It’s now coming up for 66 years since he starred at Tannadice, but Dickie is still a bit frustrated by the way his career developed. He recalled: “I was in the Sunnybank team that beat Lochee Harp 2-0 to win the Scottish Junior Cup at Hampden Park.
“That was a huge thing. We were the first team from Aberdeen to win the competition.
“There was a big crowd waiting at the train station when we got back from Hampden.
“I was disappointed that Aberdeen didn’t give me a trial. They signed our centre-half, Teddy Scott, who later became well-known as a coach and kit man at the club.
“Dundee United and St Johnstone wanted me, and I would happily have joined either. “I played the game for United and was delighted to have scored the two goals. “I always remember the big Third Lanark centre-half threatening to whack me because he thought I was making a fool of him. “United were put off because I was due to go away on National Service.
“St Johnstone manager, Johnny Pattillo, stepped in and offered me £200 to join them.
“That seemed a fortune to me and I signed. “I played eight league games for them – and then got injured.
“I spent the end of the season back in Aberdee, reporting to Pittodrie for treatment. “Then my call-up papers arrived.”
“I was 21 when I signed for St Johnstone and 23 when I was demobbed. By that time, clubs thought I was too old!”
Dickie was sent to serve with the Rotal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Uttoxeter.
He went on: “I thought I would see the world, but I was never sent anywhere because they wanted me for the army football team. “Myself and another Scot, Jimmy Darroch, were allowed to have a late breakfast and then do a bit of training around the camp.
“We played games at Derby County’s ground.” Life after the army saw Dickie head for England’s non-league.
He said: “My wife’s family moved to Corby, we joined them and I signed for Corby Town.” Dundee United had been looking to replace record goal-scorer Peter Mckay – sold to Burnley – when Dickie played for them.
He said: “Peter signed for Corby. I was at right-back, then he got injured and I was put to centre-forward. I went on to score 19 goals. “At that time, we got crowds of several thousand. I was sold to Wellingborough but then Corby took me back for a second spell. “We had Johnny Morris, who’d been capped for England, as player-manager.”
Dickie ran an electrical repair shop for 30 years. Now 86, he enjoys a game of golf and reminisces about a football career that didn’t quite go to plan.