Peter was a Hampden hero – then a Wembley one, too
THERE’S a chance for someone to become a Hampden Park hero on Saturday.
The players of Rangers and Hibs will be desperate to make a contribution that helps their team win the William Hill Scottish Cup.
Sixty years ago, Peter Dallas went one better than a couple of famous international players by hitting the net at the National Stadium.
But he’s probably better known to generations of Scotland fans as the supporter on the pitch celebrating with Denis Law.
The Scottish Cup Final of 1956 took place on April 21 – a 3-1 win for Hearts over Celtic. But that didn’t mean the season was over. One competition that kept going was the Glasgow Charity Cup.
The final, on May 12, was contested by Third Lanark and Partick Thistle.
Thirds beat Rangers and Celtic on the way to Hampden.
They were 2-1 down against the Jags when new recruit Peter Dallas hit an equaliser that put them on the way to a 4-2 triumph.
He was taken off the field on a stretcher near the end, but had every reason to believe this was the start of a glittering career.
He recalled: “I had only just joined Third Lanark from Vale of Clyde.
“They called me ‘the young jungle boy’ because it wasn’t long since I’d come back from serving in Malaya with the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
“It wasn’t too pleasant in the jungle out there but us lads from the Gorbals found it less of a shock!
“I had five or six teams after me, but I was persuaded to join Third Lanark because Cathkin Park was just down the road from my home.
“Within a couple of weeks, I’d been at Ibrox, Parkhead and Hampden Park.
“We drew 1-1 with Rangers and got through on the toss of a coin. I missed the semi-final against Celtic that finished 0-0 and again we won after a coin toss.”
Peter had some famous team-mates for the match against Partick Thistle.
He went on: “Thirds brought in guest players Bobby Mitchell – the former Hi-Hi favourite from Newcastle United, Ivor Broadis from Carlisle and Tommy Docherty from Preston.
“I think the idea was that fielding these international players would boost the attendance.
“Mitchell and Broadis combined to set me up for the all-important equaliser.”
Unfortunately, that afternoon was to be the highlight of Peter’s senior career.
He said: “I eventually quit Third Lanark because I joined as an inside-forward but they wanted to play me on the wing where you had guys trying to break your legs.
“I then went to play Junior for Irvine Meadow, where I was inside man to Bobby Carroll – the former Celtic player who passed away last week.”
Peter’s winners’ medal from 1956 is on display in the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park.
A photograph of him celebrating Scotland’s win over England with Denis Law in 1967 is seen all around the world.
He said: “I was the first fan on the pitch after we’d thumped them 3-2.
“Many years later, I met Denis and we had another picture taken together.
“He told me that Rod Stewart has the famous photo of us hanging in his bedroom.”