 John "Jock" Shetland Orkney Hebrides Ratties was born in the Scottish town of Methil, Fife at some point in the earlier part of the 20th Century.
He has, quite simply, "been there and done it" in the game of Association Football.
His long and not-so-illustrious playing career took in many of the less celebrated clubs North of the border from the infamous Highlands League.
He started out as an apprentice at Buckie Thistle before quickly moving on to pastures new, first with Nairn County followed soon after by stints at Lossiemouth, St Cuthbert Wanderers, Clachnacuddin, Brora Rangers, Third Lanark and, at the very zenith of his playing career, making three full Scottish league appearances in his preferred position of left back for his hometown club, East Fife, during the 1968-69 season (two as last minute subsitute).
This time in the "spotlight" led, in turn, to an exciting but ultimately pointless season playing, as Jock himself later described it, "far, far away in a strange land near the equator"... i.e. for Newport Isle of Wight FC.
Having made a solitary appearance for Newport in Division 1 of the Hampshire League he returned to his beloved Scotland to take up a position as player-coach with Wigtown and Bladnoch. It was there that his playing career was ended prematurely at the age of 48 when his "good" leg was badly crushed by a reversing team bus while he lay flat out sleeping soundly in the car park of The Bonnie Prince Charlie public house after a particularly intense session of post-match "recuperation".
It proved to be a blessing in disguise as, without the distraction of playing, he had far more time on his hands which he put to good use, resolving to become an expert in the so-called "beautiful game" and reading from a wide variety of sources, from Roy of the Rovers and Shoot to the Rothmans Football Yearbook (1974 edition).
With the incumbent Wigtown and Bladnoch manager moving on to pastures new after receiving a more lucrative job offer (the local pub were looking for bar staff) the stage was set for Jock to assume his first command. The rest, as they say, is history... |
