Luggy as a player

[Gremlin]

Apologies if this has been done before but does anyone have any memories of Paul Sturrock as a player? I can vaguely remember enjoying on TV Dundee United's forays into Europe in the early 1980s and I recall him being a part of that outfit. Anyone know whether he featured in their famous win over Barcelona at the Nou Camp and if he represented Scotland at World Cup level?

 

[Uncle Leo]

Apologies if this has been done before but does anyone have any memories of Paul Sturrock as a player? I can vaguely remember enjoying on TV Dundee United's forays into Europe in the early 1980s and I recall him being a part of that outfit. Anyone know whether he featured in their famous win over Barcelona at the Nou Camp and if he represented Scotland at World Cup level?

He twice went to the World Cup (82 and 86), playing against Denmark and Uruguay in the latter tournament.

He played for Dundee Utd until 1989 so probably played against Barcelona, but I think I'd need to delve deeper to find out that for sure.

See if you can spot him in this clip!

[video=youtube;5MPGq9hJG2U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MPGq9hJG2U[/video]

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I've seen him play a few times for Dunde United. (my wife is from Dundee and we go up every year - I can translate any Dundee patois Mr Sturrock may use).
Dundee United were quite awsome under McLean. Sturrock was a fox in the box. The Dundee United ethos was, work hard, be together, never give up and show a lot of skill. They were a joy to watch. In fact the few games I saw in that era I don't think they lost.
Best game I ever saw in Dundee was Dundee beat Rangers 4-3. Dundee had Alan Gilzean's son playing for them (Alan Gilzean was bought by Spurs from Dundee) and Rangers had I think 4 international captains in their side.

 

[Uncle Leo]

When they had that amazing UEFA Cup run (beating Barça, losing to Sven Goran Eriksson's Goteborg in the final) I seem to remember the press really getting behind them as, at the time, no English clubs were in Europe. They seemed to be cursed in the Scottish Cup, forever getting to the final but losing.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Paul Sturrock was part of what was without doubt the best side in the best period of United history so far. He was signed by then manager Jim McLean from Bankfoot Juniors as a seventeen-year-old in 1973. He made his first team debut against Juil Petrosani in the Cup Winners Cup on 18th September 1974 and went on to spend the next fifteen years at Tannadice as a player, before taking up a coaching post in June 1989. He then moved to Perth in August 1993 to become the boss of St Johnstone, but five years later he could not resist the lure of his beloved United and returned to Tannadice as Manager. Two traumatic years later he left football altogether but again he was tempted back to take charge at Plymouth in October 2000.

Luggy, as he is affectionately known, began his United career just as Jim McLean was beginning to put together his new team. Having inherited most of his players when he took over from Jerry Kerr, Jim McLean was determined to build a side that he felt would be capable of doing more than just surviving mid-table in the First Division each year. He wanted silverware as evidence of success and he set about creating a side capable of taking on the best. He already had several good senior professionals and to augment this he would add a group of talented youngsters, the first of whom he had already brought through the youth development programme he had put in place. In that first batch along with Paul Sturrock came John Holt, David Narey, Andy Gray and Graeme Payne. The last two of this group had already tasted a Cup final when they played against Celtic in 1974.

The first season in senior football for Paul Sturrock saw his manager stick largely with experienced players to successfully gain a coveted Premier League spot in the new set-up planned for the following season. Apart from his debut in the European tie against Juil Petrosani Paul made nine League appearances and came on from the substitutes’ bench for three more and in the process he scored six goals. His first United goal was one of two he scored in a 2-2 draw with Rangers at Tannadice on 5th April 1975. United finished fourth in the League that year, eleven points behind champions Rangers but the groundwork for future success had been laid. Seven of the 1974-75 squad would be part of the side to the gain the first Cup success for United four seasons later.

The following season, 1975-76 was the first year of the newly formed Premier League with the top ten sides meeting each other home and away twice. United managed to survive but only on goal difference. During such a hard season, the Manager again relied heavily on his seasoned campaigners but Luggy began to find himself more and more as part of the first team set-up. He made 18 League appearances, eight as sub, and scored three times. He was also played as a substitute in two of the three Scottish Cup ties and was on from the start in five out of six League Cup games and scored once. He also started in three of the four UEFA Cup games netting one in that competition, too.

1976-77 not only saw United consolidate their Premier League position but throughout the campaign Paul Sturrock was an ever-present, playing in all 36 League games and incredibly, scoring 15 times. Adding that total to one each in the Scottish Cup and League Cup he was top scorer at the Club that year. He played in United’s only Scottish Cup tie, a 4-1 defeat at Paisley. He also appeared four times plus once as sub out of the six League Cup ties. In a short-lived Anglo Scottish Cup campaign he was brought on as sub in one leg of the tie against Aberdeen. This season was also significant in international terms for Paul as he made his Under-21 debut against Czechoslovakia in a 0-0 draw on 12th October 1976 in the first ever Scotland Under-21 side. Four months later on 9th February 1977 he netted his first international goal in an Under-21 game in which Scotland beat Wales 3-2.

Paul’s status was by then assured and he was by now an automatic first team choice for Jim McLean. In 1977-78 Paul continued his good form making 32 League starts, one as a substitute, but he netted only three in the campaign. In the Scottish Cup he scored one and played in all four games including the 2-0 semi-final defeat by Rangers. He also played in seven out of the eight League Cup games doubling his domestic goal tally with another three goals. His only other goal that season was scored in the UEFA Cup but United went out in the first round and he played only once in the competition.

As 1978-79 began, the Manager was ready to make a concerted bid for silverware. A strong challenge in the League only faltered in the last four games when defeats at the hands of Rangers and Celtic put paid to lingering thoughts of championship glory. Even then it was not far off and many of the 1983 League winning squad were already at United. Paul again played consistently well with 31 League appearances and two more from the bench, and he scored six times. He played in the only Scottish Cup game in which St Mirren again put paid to United’s hopes. Whilst in the League Cup, Paul netted once in his two showings but it was an early exit in the competition to Celtic over two legs. In Europe United faired no better. Paul played in both matches against Standard Leige but the first round was as far as the Tannadice side were to progress.

At the beginning of the following season there was little to indicate the historic event that would take place half way through. By now Jim McLean had added the striking ability of Willie Pettigrew to his already talented side and would shortly acquire the midfield talents of Eamonn Bannon. United’s League challenge of the previous year was not to be repeated but Paul kept up his appearance record with another 31 starts and two from the bench. He added two more in an all too short Scottish Cup campaign albeit the second round 5-1 victory over Dundee was memorable. European glory was short-lived too with a second round exit and Paul played in two of the four games, scoring once. But of real significance was Paul’s contribution of playing in all nine League Cup ties including once as a sub. His six goals including the third in the final replay against Aberdeen went a long way to securing the trophy, United’s first piece of national silverware.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Did you know that Paul Sturrock was voted the best ever player for Dundee United.
For the record, he was also voted Plymouth Argyl's best ever manager by the fans.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I was at the Nou Camp the night that Dundee beat Terry Venables Bar$a side-standing behind the goal where both Dundee's late goals went in- in a match that effectively cost El Tel his job.Paul Sturrock played all right.He was immense like all the other Dundee players that day.
They remain the last British side to win at the Nou Camp.You have to go back to Keegan and Toshack's Liverpool team in 1977(just before my time in Spain)for the last time an English club won at the Nou Camp which gives you an idea of what an awsesome achievment it was and still is.

 

[tangerine dream]

Paul Sturrock was the top dog in a great team.If Dagleish wasn't around,he'd have got 80 caps.

 

[TravellingBlue]

Sturrock was quite simply one of the best wingers Scotland has every produced - fact!

 

[Gremlin]

They remain the last British side to win at the Nou Camp.You have to go back to Keegan and Toshack's Liverpool team in 1977(just before my time in Spain)for the last time an English club won at the Nou Camp which gives you an idea of what an awsesome achievment it was and still is.

I don't think that's quite right but thanks for the insight anyway.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6371395.stm

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I don't think that's quite right but thanks for the insight anyway.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6371395.stm

What's "not quite right" about it? :unsure:

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

They remain the last British side to win at the Nou Camp.

What's "not quite right" about it? :unsure:

He links to a more recent game in which a British side won at the Nou Camp.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I was at the Nou Camp the night that Dundee beat Terry Venables Bar$a side-standing behind the goal where both Dundee's late goals went in- in a match that effectively cost El Tel his job.Paul Sturrock played all right.He was immense like all the other Dundee players that day.
They remain the last British side to win at the Nou Camp.You have to go back to Keegan and Toshack's Liverpool team in 1977(just before my time in Spain)for the last time an English club won at the Nou Camp which gives you an idea of what an awsesome achievment it was and still is.

Barca Blue calling Dundee United, Dundee and vice versa is a capital crime in that city. Just for you youngsters this is how near their grounds are.

View attachment 1182

 

[discord]

Just to mention but the last Plymouth manager who took them from div 4 to div 2(championship now) was Dave Smith and he assembled a great div4 winning side about the same time Sturrock was banging in the goals at Dundee Utd :clap:

 

[Uncle Leo]

I was at the Nou Camp the night that Dundee beat Terry Venables Bar$a side-standing behind the goal where both Dundee's late goals went in- in a match that effectively cost El Tel his job.Paul Sturrock played all right.He was immense like all the other Dundee players that day.
They remain the last British side to win at the Nou Camp.You have to go back to Keegan and Toshack's Liverpool team in 1977(just before my time in Spain)for the last time an English club won at the Nou Camp which gives you an idea of what an awsesome achievment it was and still is.

Further to Gremlin's point about Liverpool winning there a few years ago, Leeds and Manchester United also won there in the 1990s, albeit against Stuttgart and Bayern Munich respectively.

 

[Tommy2holes]

Why the funk dont dundee and dundee utd join forces? For a town of that size to have two teams is a joke especially when you consider they play down the same road.

What a crazy derby match that must be. I doubt there are two teams that play closer than that except maybe the two milan teams who share a ground

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Why the funk dont dundee and dundee utd join forces? For a town of that size to have two teams is a joke especially when you consider they play down the same road.

What a crazy derby match that must be. I doubt there are two teams that play closer than that except maybe the two milan teams who share a ground

Agreed.

Notts County and Forrest are close, but not in the same road, I think the same with Concord and Canvey Island, if they formed together I think they could become a Conference club no problem and probably with a little push into League 2. Saying that Concord look like they don't need that.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Barca Blue calling Dundee United, Dundee and vice versa is a capital crime in that city. Just for you youngsters this is how near their grounds are.

View attachment 1182

Oops,sorry.The only match I've ever seen in Scotland was Partick Thistle v Arbroath in the days when Alec Rough was playing for them on a weekend when neither Celtic nor rangers were playing in Glasgow.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I don't think that's quite right but thanks for the insight anyway.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6371395.stm

Beg your humble.Memory bank seems to have erased that one.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Further to Gremlin's point about Liverpool winning there a few years ago, Leeds and Manchester United also won there in the 1990s, albeit against Stuttgart and Bayern Munich respectively.

Yeah, I nearly went to the Leeds game but it was in mid-week just before a long bank holiday weekend so the missus had other ideas.Tickets for the MU game were rarer than hens teeth except at inflated prices.Did see Ronaldo's amusing first minute penalty miss in the SF game here a couple of seasons ago though.:clap:
Visça Espanyol!