Les decided not to stay on as Dundee’s cheerleader
Dundee face a massive fight to keep their top-flight status when Premiership games get underway again on Saturday.
The Dark Blues’ first game since the split sees them take on St Johnstone at Dens Park in a clash of the bottom-two sides.
Back in 1982, they were desperate to avoid the drop after being relegated and promoted in the previous two seasons.
They beat Rangers 3-1 at home on April 14, a match which marked defender Les Barr’s 100th league appearance for the club.
It didn’t go quite so well for him four days later when referee Kenny Hope awarded a penalty against him in a 4-2 defeat at Celtic Park.
Nevertheless, the victory against Rangers provided the boost that led to Dundee finishing one place above the two relegation spots.
Looking back, Les believes that team spirit was key to their survival.
He left the club at the end of the season – but manager Donald Mackay was keen to keep him on, effectively as a cheerleader!
“Without a doubt, that Dundee squad was the best I’ve seen for harmony,” said Les.
“There were no big heads, and everyone worked hard to try and bring success to the club.
“I don’t know what it was, but when we played big games against the likes of Rangers in front of a noisy home crowd, it seemed people found a little bit extra in their game.
“I think it’s sometimes an ability they don’t realise they have.
“I was never in football for medals or money. I just loved playing football.
“When I finished my career and hung up the boots, I thought to myself: ‘I really enjoyed that.’ It was that simple.
“My contract at Dundee was up in the summer of 1982, and Donald Mackay asked if I wanted to stay for another year.
“I told him there were young full-backs like Stewart Mckimmie and Tosh Mckinlay coming through, and I might not get much playing time.
“He said it was worth keeping me because I was brilliant in the dressing room with jokes, and keeping everyone’s spirits up.
“I thought about it. But I had an offer to go to America, and take a coaching job in Chicago.
“I almost went, but decided against it because I played in a band, and realised I would really miss being involved in music.
“I don’t regret it, but I do sometimes wonder how it might have worked out.”
So Les returned to Montrose, where his career had begun, and spent another seven years at Links Park.
He said: “I had a trial at Nottingham Forest in 1970, and then joined Montrose.
“For 18 months, I played on the right wing. Then our left-back got injured and the manager, Alex Stuart, asked if I fancied playing there.
“I moved to right-back the next week, and stayed there for the rest of my career.
“It was a great time at Montrose. Alex was a great manager and he hated losing.
“He wouldn’t let us stop at the chippy on the way back from a game if we’d lost.”
Les is famous in Montrose for a 60-yard goal that was part of a 3-1 win against Hibs that sent them into the League Cup semi-final.
He said: “After that game, I saw an old fella with a stick, leaning on the terracing barrier. He said it was the greatest night of his life.
“I never saw him again but that really moved me. Players come and go, but football is all about the fans.
“In the semi-final, we were 1-0 up against Rangers when I scored a penalty just before half-time.
“I really think we would have won if Stuart Markland had made it two with a great chance right under the bar. Instead, we lost 5-1.”
Rangers and Fulham both came close to signing Les, now 69, before Tommy Gemmell signed him for Dundee in 1978.
He’s still amazed that he went from earning £40-a-week as a removal man to picking up a £300 wage packet after a winning debut against Ayr United.