Les Barr

Les was so enthusiastic about football that he would turn out in any position to get a game. In a photo of Dundee junior team, North End, he is wearing the goalie’s jersey.  A former player explained “North End were short of a goalkeeper for that game, Les just volunteered to play in goal. He was so enthusiastic about playing that he would really play anywhere to get a game.

He joined Montrose F.C. from Stobswell Juniors in 1971.

Tommy Gemmell signed him on 10^th August 1978 for £15,000 (plus Bobby Ford.) They had turned down Dundee’s initial offer, but accepted their second bid. It was the perfect opportunity for Les, who became a full-time player.

1978-79

Barr made his debut on 12th August 1978 in a 1-0 away to Ayr United. He scored his only league goal for Dundee against Raith in September in 4-2 away win.

A solid right back, he wasn’t afraid of getting stuck in, and picked up a few yellow cards that season One was against Queen of the South , a feisty match, Dundee lost 3-1. Erich Schaedler was sent off, and Dundee had four players booked, including Barr. Although Tommy Gemmell was “very happy with the way the team played”, he wasn’t about the result, and said that Barr and Williamson would be fined by the club as their bookings were for retaliation and dissent.

Away from football Les enjoyed music. He was a member of the Country & Western and Bluegrass group, called Anderson’s Country, along with four of his brothers and a friend. “I’m thinking of doing this professionally when I finish with football” he said in an interview.

1979-80

Les made 39 appearances in his second season. Twenty six (+ three substitutions) in the League, a substitute in the Scottish Cup, five in the League Cup, and four in the Anglo-Scottish Cup (Dundee got to the quarter finals, but lost both legs against Sheffield United.) He was also Dundee’s deputy goalkeeper, after putting in some great performances in practice games.

1980-81

The new season didn’t get off to a good start. In the first match of the season, away to Dunfermline, Barr was “floored”, after being punched in the face. Unfortunately, it was by his own goalkeeper, Bobby Geddes, after he had headed the ball over the crossbar! The following game, against Ayr, saw him sustain an ankle injury that needed treatment.

Things picked up after that and he made thirty appearances in the League.

1981-82

A pre-season friendly against Sunderland, saw Les having to apologise for a tackle on Pickering, which saw him carried off, and getting eight stitches in his shin.

Injury, and illness, was a problem for Les in his final season. He suffered a bad leg injury in September, was out of the team in December suffering from ‘flu, and missed matches in January and February due to ligament injury.

At the end of a hard season, Dundee had retained their Premier status. However, there were serious financial problems. Had they been relegated it would have instigated part-time football at Dens.  Both the playing, and backroom, staff would have to be trimmed. Les was given a free transfer. He had made twenty-six first team appearances. Unfortunately, his final match against Aberdeen ended in a hefty defeat.

Former Dundee player, Steve Murray, signed Barr for Montrose. He remained with the club until 1989, before retiring.

Barr’s love for the game made it hard to give up completely. He joined junior club Dundee Violet, where he played alongside Bobby Glennie, and then Carnoustie Panmure.

He became the Montrose’s reserve team coach in the 1992. When Jim Leishman resigned in February 1993, Bryan Clark the club’s General Manager became temporary manager, with Les, along with ex-Dee Walker McCall (who coached the U18’s), as his assistants. By the mid 1990’s he was player/manager of Dundee junior club St Joseph’s.