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The
Rampant Ballboy Interviews - alex rae
 Alex
Rae played with the Blue Brazil during the mid seventies.
Alex's main claim to fame was lifting the League
Cup in 1971 as Captain of Partick Thistle when they
beat Celtic 4-1 in one of Scottish football's sadly
too few cup shocks. Alex lives in Kirkcaldy with
his wife and family and is a Manpower Manager with
a management consultancy based in Glenrothes.
Where were you brought up and with which club
did you start out on your footballing career ?
I was brought up right next to Ibrox in
Govan. I signed for Renfrew Juniors as an outside
left when I was 16. I was a printer to trade and
was serving my apprenticeship when Jimmy Bonthrone
signed me for East Fife about a year later.
Were you full time when you played at Bayview
?
Not initially. When I finished my apprenticeship
I got the chance to go full time which I took. The
money wasn't very good but being full time certainly
helped my career, it gave you more of an edge as
a player. After 5 years at Bayview I was transferred
in 1968 to 3rd Division Bury for £10,000. I played
one season at Gigg Lane before joining Partick Thistle.
Were you impressed with the set up at Firhill
at that time ?
Yes, Dave McParland had brought together
a lot of good promising young players such as Alan
Rough, John Hansen, Ronnie Glavin, Jimmy Bone etc.
It was the belief that these players had in themselves
that brought the League Cup to Firhill. We were
playing a team who had been European Cup finalists
the season previous but we were so positive that
day it paid off for us. I must admit that Celtic's
attitude didn't help their cause. They thought they
just had to turn up to lift the cup. I have to say
that that game has changed my life to a certain
extent. I have had so many people recognise me in
the most unusual places as being the man who lifted
the cup for Thistle.
How long did you stay at Firhill ?
Just over 3 years. I then fell out with
Dave McParland which prompted Kilmarnock and East
Fife to move in for me. I chose to move back to
Methil because my wife is from Fife. I met her during
my first spell with East Fife. I played at Bayview
under Pat Quinn and Frank Christie before getting
a free transfer which is when I moved to Cowdenbeath.
I had the chance to go and play in Australia whilst
at East Fife but the deal fell through.
Who were some of the characters you remember
best from your Cowden days ?
The manager who signed me, Dan McLindon,
was some man. I'll never forget coming back from
Brechin after having been hammered 5-0. I was sitting
pissed off along with a few of the other players
on the bus home when we heard laughter coming from
the back of the bus. Here was the manager far be
it from giving some of the lads a stern talking
to - he was cracking jokes to them! Dan was a heavy
gambler. There was a Queen's Park game at Hampden
one Saturday when Dan told Frank Connor, who was
assistant manager at the time, that he would have
to leave before the end of the match. It turned
out he had put a bet on at Kincardine on the way
to the game and all three of his horses had won
so he was desperate to nip off and collect his winnings.
Frank Connor was also a character. He was the only
other manager I had at Central Park as I was only
there two seasons. I thought he was a great man
as enthusiastic as anyone I have ever met in football.
He was also very ambitious.
Was his ambition matched by the Board at Central
Park ?
Not really. Davie Fowlis and Charlie Gronbach
definitely had the good of the club at heart as
did Jock Gilliard although brandy seemed to be the
main love of his life. Others in positions of power
however didn't seem too interested in the Club.
Having said that the atmosphere within the club
was very friendly at that time which is more than
can be said for the terracing. Opposing players
must have dreaded coming to Central Park with the
abuse they took. There was no restriction on taking
booze into the grounds then. I used to think that
some of the punters at the halfway line used to
go to the game for somewhere to drink their carry
outs when the pubs were closed mid afternoon.
What matches stick in your mind during your
time at Cowdenbeath ?
The 3-0 Cup win over Alex Ferguson's St
Mirren was memorable. We were extremely unlucky
in the 1-0 cup defeat by Motherwell when Marinello
scored that wonder goal which was actually a fluke.
I remember there was a massive crowd at Central
Park that day. I played opposite Steve Archibald
in the 4-3 win over Clyde when we came back from
three down. Boy was he pissed off! Of course I could
never forget Merv Jones blootering wee Bobby McCulley
in the game against East Stirling.
Why did you leave Central Park ?
Frank Connor decided to get rid of a lot
of players which included many of the more experienced
ones so I received a free transfer. Archie Knox
asked me to go for a trial at Forfar. I got on well
with Archie, we are still friends yet. I spent 6
years at Forfar as player, player/coach, then took
over as manager when Archie left. I enjoyed my 2
years as manager but found it frustrating not being
able to give the job the time it merited albeit
it was only part-time. When I became employed at
Mossmorran I had to pack the Forfar job in given
the nature of my new job which would have allowed
me even less time for football.
Was that your involvement with football ended
?
I was out of football for the next four
years then Archie Knox, who was now at Dens Park,
asked me to look after the Dundee reserve team.
I continued to do this when Jocky Scott took over
but left Dundee Reserves when he joined Aberdeen.
I then worked for Jocky by running an eye over Aberdeen's
next opponents and reporting back to him and Alex
Smith. I continued doing this for Jocky when he
was at Dunfermline and Arbroath. I then had some
involvement in scouting for Rangers in Fife due
to the Archie Knox connection. I took some coaching
classes with the youngsters until I gave that up
2 years ago. I have had no involvement in football
since.
I have to say that Alex certainly hasn't changed
much over the years. Either he is wearing well or
he looked out a thick ginger syrup especially for
the interview.
We're always on the lookout for Blue Brazilians
from yesteryear. If you should know of anyone who
is worthy of a mention, drop an email to webmaster@blue-brazil.co.uk
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