Bobby Flavell

Image is detail of the original and used by kind permission of DC Thomson & Co Ltd.

Bobby Flavell, Scottish Football’s rebellious, international jet setting forward of the early fifties joined Dundee in March 1951 for a fee of around £6,000. A young Flavell started out at Eastfield Heatherbell Juveniles, reportedly scoring over 250 goals in two seasons for the outfit. The player was always destined for bigger things and was on the radar of Scotland’s biggest clubs from a tender age. Dundee were first alerted to his talents as early as 1938, but the Second World War took grip of the nation’s attention and football was put on the back burner. During the war Flavell continued his football, turning out for a number of London clubs and Navy elevens. The Scot proved to be a huge hit with the service personnel stationed down south.

Footballers at this time earned a decent living, but it wasn’t life changing and careers were short. Flavell was quite entrepreneurial – at one time opening a ladies’ hairdresser to supplement his football income. It was perhaps that business savvy and desire to provide for his young family that prompted Flavell – now a Hearts player – to take up an offer to play in the unsanctioned Colombian league with Millonarios in Bogotá.

The cream of South American football, with no little influx from Europe it has to be said, were lured to the Colombian clubs. A few British players made up the contingent and Flavell found himself most notably playing with an aging South American superstar in Adolfo Pedernera and, future legend, Alfredo Di Stéfano.

Ultimately his stay was short- just the one season and he returned, ostracised by the British press and heavily punished by the football authorities:

“I thought I’d get a fairly heavy suspension,” he said, “but I never expected anything like this. Neil Franklin got three months and no fine. Higgins of Everton, only got a month. But I’ve been home for five weeks in which I haven’t been allowed to play. So that’s equivalent to 4½ months suspension – plus £150. When the suspension is up the season is over. The sentence is going to cost me nearly £500.”

Hearts had already decided that Flavell had no future at Tynecastle- the club the world governing body considered Flavell to be actually registered with. Ever insightful, Dundee’s manager, George Anderson, decided to take a chance on the outcast of Scottish football.

He was well travelled during his time at Dens Park, being a member of the squad that went on a tour of Israel and Turkey in 1951, and South Africa in 1953, scoring a hat-trick against Natal at Pietermaritzburg.

In July 1952, he went into business with teammate Alfie Boyd, opening a car showroom located at Court Street, selling second hand cars – once again that business acumen shining through.

It was for his performances in Dundee’s League Cup finals in 1952 & 1953 that he will forever be remembered. He scored a goal in the 3-2 win over Rangers, and repeated it the following year against Kilmarnock, scoring in the last ten minutes.

By 1954 he was starting to think about his future, he had the offer of a job in Johannesburg. He spoke to Dundee F.C.’s James R. Gellatly, about being released from his contract. This didn’t work out and he was back in training for the start of the new season. An accident with a tram in July, when he was driving to Dens with fellow teammates, Malloy, Stewart and Ferguson, had manager, George Thornton, announcing:

“I have been instructed by my directors to intimate to the players that the use of cars by travelling to training and games is prohibited. This ruling is intended to cut down risk of injury to players. When cars are used it is ten to one the car-owner will give some of his mates a lift. If there is an accident then there is an accident then the club might suffer severely.”

By December 1954, Bobby was a Kilmarnock player, he had been granted a free transfer by Dundee. There were plenty of options. Reggie Smith was keen to take him to Tannadice, and there were offers from Airdrie and clubs in England & South Africa.

Bobby did have at least one more memorable day at Dens – this time as St Mirren manager- when his Saints side defeated the Dark Blues in the Scottish Cup in Dundee’s championship season.