Norrie McCathie

This tribute to the late Norrie McCathie, the former Dunfermline Athletic captain, was unveiled before yesterday's game, in the stand that is named after him. The PA conducted an interview with his former manager Jim Leishman and his best friend and ex Pars player John Watson, before kick off. It was nice to hear both of them speak about the man my pals and I called 'Captain Tache' after his distinctive facial hair!

Norrie died tragically of carbon monoxide poisoning in his home in 1996. I still remember my dad's friend Archie coming round to our house at night to tell us the news like it was yesterday. We went up to East End Park to lay our scarves down outside the main stand. A few days later, the outside of the ground was a sea of scarves, shirts, flowers and messages. All of them were collected up and laid on the pitch and a memorial service was held inside the ground with fans standing on the terraces paying tribute to him. I had just left school but my wife and lots of our friends skipped school to make sure we were there to pay our respects.

The Legend tag is well earned. Growing up in Dunfermline, you felt like you knew him. He took us for football training a few times along with a group of other Pars players. He presented the trophies every year at the Wellwood Boys Club end of year dance and I have a fair few photos taken with him. He was my cousin's team mate and captain and he would always talk about him fondly and as someone he respected on and off the park.

Norrie and John Watson owned a pub and nightclub in the town, a popular venue for 18th birthday's and you would see him on the door or in the club on those nights. I must confess to being in there several times before turning 18!

He died aged 34 - the age I am now. Yet even when he was younger, because he was the club captain, you always associated him with being much older than he was.

A nice tribute from the club before the Fife derby yesterday and the game and result turned out well too.