Sunday League reunion brings back memories of halcyon days

Published On Mon 10 Feb 2014 by Grant Hill

Photo opportunity: 2pm on Saturday, 15th March at Riverside Sports Ground

University of Dundee Sunday League footballers will rekindle on-field rivalries from 15 years ago when they meet up for a reunion match at their old stomping ground next month.

Representatives of ten teams who played in the league in the 1998/99 season have confirmed their attendance at the game, which will take place at the University's Riverside Sports Ground at 2pm on Sunday, 15th March.

Although they proudly sported the colours of illustrious sides such as East Bams Argyll, Suburban Superheroes, and Donkeybridge Dodos at their peak, the players who return to the scene of some of their greatest sporting successes and heartbreaks will be organised into teams alongside some of their former adversaries.

After the full time whistle the 30 or so participants will retire to the Queens Hotel to compare receding hairlines, creaking joints and burgeoning waistlines before heading on to Dundee University Students' Union (DUSA), where many a hat-trick has been toasted and cup final sorrow drowned over the years.

The reunion has been organised by Tim Langham, who ran the Sunday League from 1999 to 2001 and was presented with an "outstanding contribution to sporting life" award during his time at Dundee.

"I've been thinking about organising a Sunday League reunion for some time and after 15 years I thought it's now or never," said Tim, who now promotes motor sports in his hometown of York. "I'm really pleased that so many people our coming back to Dundee and that we have representatives from so many teams.

"We looked into playing against a current Sunday League side but felt that we should stick to playing against players our own age! We are still looking for a player from the Seabraes Salmons, or indeed anyone else interested in reliving their Sunday League days."

The match has proved a big talking point with the players, many of whom will be dusting down their boots for the first time in years.

Greig Stevenson, who won the league with Sporting Lismore in 2000 and is now a dentist in Edinburgh, said, "I'm really looking forward to coming back to Dundee and particularly seeing the new Riverside facilities as they have changed dramatically since we left. It was great to win the Sunday League title in 2000 and I can't wait to score a few more goals at the reunion game."

Matthew -the cat-Patton, who picked up two league titles and a cup win with the Allstars before becoming a London lawyer, added, "I haven't played in goal since I left Uni but I still believe I can relive the glory days and pull off some great saves. I am hoping for a clean sheet on March 15th."

More information is available by contacting Tim Langham at timlangham@hotmail.co.uk

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