From the Courier 28 Sept 2013: John Reilly, Monifieth-based general secretary of the East Region Junior FA, asked for assistance from this column.
“I have had an inquiry from a relative of the gentleman who donated the Urquhart Cup,” said John, who had a long association with Dundee North End JFC before taking up his present neutral post.
“I believe it may have been played for in the Dundee Junior Leagues.
“Would it be possible for BwB to request if anyone knows the whereabouts of this cup and if, indeed, it was a junior trophy.”
I seem to remember some sort of query about the Urquhart Cup cropping up before.
A delve into my files revealed, indeed, that BwB featured the trophy in 2007, and I’ve again featured the photo used then of Arbroath Vics manager Jake Ferrier with the trophy.
I got in touch with Jake and he immediately confirmed the whereabouts of this beautifully-crafted piece of silverware.
“It’s in the Arbroath FC boardroom,” confirmed Jake.
“The inscription on the trophy reads: ‘Donated by Charles M Urquhart to the Dundee Junior Football Association’.
“There are no other names on the trophy such as former winners &c.
“It is now played for as a challenge match each season between Vics and senior side Arbroath FC.
“The Lichties beat us this year, so that is why they currently have it.
“When the trophy was played for in the Midlands juniors, I think it was known as the Whisky Dewar League Cup or something of that sort.
“Vics were the last side to win it in 1974, before the competition was scrapped, probably due to further regionalisation and reorganisation of the leagues.”
BwB has actually featured that final game of this trophy in previous years.
That was when Arbroath Vics beat Carnoustie Panmure 1-0 after a replay in the Midlands League Cup Final at Gayfield Park on April 24, 1974.
This followed a 2-2 draw at Craigie Park on April 3, 1974.
The teams for the replay at Gayfield were:
Vics — Phillip; Kettles, Welsh, E Smith, G Smith, McCluskey, Rourke, Suttie, Mollison, Boyack, Billingham. Subs — Kinnear, Craig.
Carnoustie Panmure — Closs; Will, A Martin, McLardy, Ritchie, Watson, Hill, Butchart, D Martin, McNicoll, Smith. Subs — Laing, Christie.
The referee was Don Howey.
The Vics goalscorer was Stewart Mollison, who did not complete the 90 minutes as he sustained a broken leg — and Vics have been ‘custodians’ of the cup ever since.