A chance meeting with Ally led Bobby to glory with Killie
If you score in a rare Kilmarnock victory over Celtic, then get the winner against Rangers just a few months later, you should probably expect a street to be named after you in the Ayrshire town.
Bobby Street already had a head start!
Those highlights in a long playing career came in his first season at Rugby Park, after a long and winding road to get there.
“I was born in Gourock, about 45 miles from Kilmarnock, but I actually started my senior career 170 miles up the road at Aberdeen,” Bobby recalls.
“I’d began doing my time as an apprentice engineer, and was playing with Port Glasgow Rovers, when I was approached by someone representing the Dons in March, 1972.
“He asked if I would play in a trial for them. I was happy to – then learned it would be in a reserve match at Celtic Park!
“They had Jimmy Johnstone, Pat McCluskey, Vic Davidson and Paul Wilson in their side. But it worked out well for me, as I scored both goals in a 2-0 win.”
Bobby duly became an Aberdeen player, but played just eight times in red in four seasons, due to two broken legs, and an unfortunate meeting with Ally MacLeod, who had taken over at Pittodrie from Jimmy Bonthrone.
“The first leg break was an accident, the second less so when an opposition defender ‘did’ me,” Bobby continues.
“I was out for six months both times, but playing
my way back in reserves, and scoring, when we went to play against Finn Harps in Ireland.
“We had knocked them out of the UEFA Cup the previous season, but this was just a goodwill visit. But there wasn’t much goodwill from the boss after we’d lost 4-2.
“He told us we could have a couple of beers but, because of our performance, there was a curfew, and we’d all to be back in our hotel rooms by 8pm.
“Players being players, of course, as soon as the clock struck eight, we were in a hotel room – playing cards and having some more beers!
“When those ran out, I was nominated to go down to the hotel bar to get another box. And who should I bump into on my way back but Ally MacLeod!
“I tried to offer some sort of explanation, but he was raging and I reckon that incident had a lot to do with me being released by Aberdeen.”
Bobby didn’t move far, joining Montrose, and after a couple of seasons where the goals flowed, Killie boss, Davie Sneddon came in for him.
“That was in 1978, and things just seemed to click for me at Rugby Park” says Bobby. “We were in the First Division, but had a right good side and, despite selling Davie Provan to Celtic, we won promotion to the Premier League .
“Before the new season had kicked off, we had lifted a trophy, the Tennent-Caledonian Cup staged at Ibrox, and also involving Rangers, West Ham and Brighton.
“We put Brighton out on penalties, then beat the hosts in the Final, again on penalties.
“What I remember most about that is getting a slap in the ear from Davie Sneddon after he thought I had over-celebrated converting my spot-kick against Rangers, which he reckoned might have riled the home support!
“We finished the season in eighth place, which should maybe have been even higher, given we went undefeated against the Old Firm at home, winning three of the four games.
“I missed the 2-1 win against Rangers, but scored one and set up the other for Ian Gibson when we beat Celtic 2-0 that November.
“I also got our goal when we drew 1-1 with Celtic the following March, and the winner against Rangers a month later. I was pretty happy with all of that.”
In 1981, the offer of a good job in the oil and gas industry persuaded Bobby to head back north, but he continued to play in the Highland League before deciding to hang up his boots.
He’s now 68, living in Aberdeen and looks forward to his weekly Zoom calls with fellow
former Aberdeen players Willie Miller, Joe Harper, Bobby Clark, Jim Leighton, John Hewitt, Neil Simpson and Willie Garner.
Says Bobby: “They’re all legends – apart from me!”