Willie Johnston v Davie Proven (Recollections?)

[Deodato]

Forgive the distraction, but chatting to some Baggies fans at lunch today and they were sharing stories of Willie Johnston and we watched this. 

 

Anyone on JKB went to this game? The comments in YouTube makes it sound like bedlam, on and off the pitch. Keen to hear tales. 

 

When Willie played for us, my guess is that it was (err...) "never a duil moment"

 

Deodato

 

 

[colinmaroon]

I remember Provan play acting to get Bud sent off.

 

Just as I remember Danny McGrain ruining Peter Shield's career with an over the top tackle.  Don't think he even got booked.

 

 

 

[Auld Reekin']

5 minutes ago, colinmaroon said:

I remember Provan play acting to get Bud sent off.

 

Just as I remember Danny McGrain ruining Peter Shield's career with an over the top tackle.  Don't think he even got booked.

 

 

 

 

Not defending McGrain's tackle, which as you say was a shocking and career-ruining one, but it was almost certainly retribution for a naughty one by Shields on him: 1:10 into the coverage.   

[Jambo Jim]

I know I am old fashioned but I wish we had played with 10% of that passion on Sunday.

[normando]

Nothing changes when you plat parkhead everyone has a story over the years.

[leginten]

Lovely to see Henry doing a semi-Schumacher on that little shite.

[Hectormasson]

55 minutes ago, colinmaroon said:

I remember Provan play acting to get Bud sent off.

 

Just as I remember Danny McGrain ruining Peter Shield's career with an over the top tackle.  Don't think he even got booked.

 

 

 

cheating kniving dirty wee c....t, yes thats provan,  was there that day  kicked of big time in the parkheid car park, one trip that we didnt lose not our support...🇶🇦🇶🇦🇶🇦after that game.....

[martoon]

I think Bud had ruffled Provan's perm in an Old Firm game 2/3 years before and was just repeating it. On this occasion the cheating swine clutched his face and fell to the ground.

 

I wasn't quite 15 at the time and what a day it was. Through on the Mercer buses with about 6/7 mates from school and fights breaking out all over the shop.

 

Big Bernie and Rover invaded the pitch at HT and the Glasgow Polis came in amongst the "Aggro" and tried to make arrests.

 

Little wonder they don't do that anymore.

 

Inexplicably we were parked in that wasteland that used to be behind "The Jungle". The fighting in between the parked buses afterwards was like a scene from Braveheart.

 

I'm not trying to glamourise hooliganism but the Hearts support in those days were fearless.

[Percival King]

22 minutes ago, normando said:

Nothing changes when you plat parkhead everyone has a story over the years.

My memory's probably faltering but there seemed several times back in the 80s and 90s when we'd be winning or drawing going into injury time at Parkhead and, in those days before fourth officials and injury time boards, it felt like the ref just kept playing until Celtic (Cascarino) scored to deny us a win or draw. 

And to add to our disappointment, we'd then get our bus stoned.

[N Lincs Jambo]

1 hour ago, Deodato said:

Forgive the distraction, but chatting to some Baggies fans at lunch today and they were sharing stories of Willie Johnston and we watched this. 

 

Anyone on JKB went to this game? The comments in YouTube makes it sound like bedlam, on and off the pitch. Keen to hear tales. 

 

When Willie played for us, my guess is that it was (err...) "never a duil moment"

 

Deodato

 

 

 

That might have been my first trip to Parkhead. 4-1 Scottish Cup game? We must have had about 5-6K fans at that one and yeah it was pretty scary. One thing for sure the Hearts fans took absolutely no shit from the Glasgow polis that day, certainly in the ground anyway. Police helmets flying everywhere when they tried it on.

 

1 hour ago, Deodato said:

Forgive the distraction, but chatting to some Baggies fans at lunch today and they were sharing stories of Willie Johnston and we watched this. 

 

Anyone on JKB went to this game? The comments in YouTube makes it sound like bedlam, on and off the pitch. Keen to hear tales. 

 

When Willie played for us, my guess is that it was (err...) "never a duil moment"

 

Deodato

 

 

 

25 minutes ago, Hectormasson said:

cheating kniving dirty wee c....t, yes thats provan,  was there that day  kicked of big time in the parkheid car park, one trip that we didnt lose not our support...🇶🇦🇶🇦🇶🇦after that game.....

 

Celtic support came round after the game to where we were exiting the stadium onto London Road. Didn't take long before they were running like **** in the other direction, bottles flying everywhere and the Gorgie Aggro running after them. After all the games I had witnessed between us and them at Tynie, I was certainly NOT expecting that!

 

18 minutes ago, martoon said:

I think Bud had ruffled Provan's perm in an Old Firm game 2/3 years before and was just repeating it. On this occasion the cheating swine clutched his face and fell to the ground.

 

I wasn't quite 15 at the time and what a day it was. Through on the Mercer buses with about 6/7 mates from school and fights breaking out all over the shop.

 

Big Bernie and Rover invaded the pitch at HT and the Glasgow Polis came in amongst the "Aggro" and tried to make arrests.

 

Little wonder they don't do that anymore.

 

Inexplicably we were parked in that wasteland that used to be behind "The Jungle". The fighting in between the parked buses afterwards was like a scene from Braveheart.

 

I'm not trying to glamourise hooliganism but the Hearts support in those days were fearless.

 

Big Bernie used to like making a dramatic entrance there. He would usually pay through the turnstyles at their end, walk down to the front immediately to the right of the jungle, climb the perimeter wall and walk proudly with his alsation past the jungle, Hearts scarf in full view and into the Hearts end. I didn't know him but balls of steel that guy!

[Sydney Devine]

I was 12 years old and remember being so excited going to the game.  Hearts had the full away end and the atmosphere was poisonous!!  

 

A bit like the semi final on Sunday - we lost an early goal but were in the game up until half time.  Second half Hearts battled away but lost two late goals.  The chaos after the match going back to the supporters bus was crazy......running battles with bricks flying everywhere.   I was with my cousin and as we walked past a group of Celtic supporters one of them spat right in my face............it was a gloopy one!!!  Just checked the attendance and it states that it was only 25k but my memory recalls it being a big crowd????   

[Sir PH]

26 minutes ago, Sydney Devine said:

I was 12 years old and remember being so excited going to the game.  Hearts had the full away end and the atmosphere was poisonous!!  

 

A bit like the semi final on Sunday - we lost an early goal but were in the game up until half time.  Second half Hearts battled away but lost two late goals.  The chaos after the match going back to the supporters bus was crazy......running battles with bricks flying everywhere.   I was with my cousin and as we walked past a group of Celtic supporters one of them spat right in my face............it was a gloopy one!!!  Just checked the attendance and it states that it was only 25k but my memory recalls it being a big crowd????   

I don't recall us having the full away end that day, but I may be wrong. The only time we did get it was February 86, and we pretty much filled it. 

[periodictabledancer]

I was at that game and I'm amazed I can rememeber anything as we'd been drinking since 8.00 am - and I was still in a better state than some others.

IIR , we hit the woodwork three times and had zero luck. Provo was a disgrace and took a blatant dive.

The violence in our end was as bad as anything I've ever seen. A massive support making a helluva noise and  it seemed the polis wanted the singing stopped and started wading into fans with predictable result. It was carnage - police hats being used as frisbees after the polis decided to beat a hasty retreat. Probably sewed the seeds for the Glasgow polis hatred for Hearts fans that persisted for year afterwards. 

As Im old enough to remember Bud in his early says , I'd say he was the better player. Loved a bevvy (aptly named) and my mate from Fife regularly saw Bud on the train back to Fife with a cairy oot. 

 

And then there was this...

 

 

[periodictabledancer]

32 minutes ago, Sir PH said:

I don't recall us having the full away end that day, but I may be wrong. The only time we did get it was February 86, and we pretty much filled it. 

A Celtic workmate was at the game and he said it wasn't a full house but it was a big turnout  and the noise was incredible. 

[martoon]

2 hours ago, periodictabledancer said:

A Celtic workmate was at the game and he said it wasn't a full house but it was a big turnout  and the noise was incredible. 

 

It was in the days when the away end at Parkhead was undivided, iirc.

 

We certainly didn't fill it (it would have taken 15k+ to do that) but the 5/6k of us had it to ourselves.

 

I do recall that some Celtic came onto our terracing from the jungle down on the far right but they were chased back without a punch being thrown.

 

The older lads, the real hard case GA, always took care of us younger lads in those days.

 

As I posted earlier...fearless.

 

PS. I remember the cops hats/helmets flying about everywhere and everytime one was launched the Jungle even cheered.

Edited April 23 by martoon

[The Old Tolbooth]

Is this the game we had the referee suspended from duties for being a cheating Timmy prick? 

[Sir PH]

2 minutes ago, The Old Tolbooth said:

Is this the game we had the referee suspended from duties for being a cheating Timmy prick? 

No. That was Kevin O'Donnell, in 1987.

[Finlay James]

Provan was a cheating and lit the touch paper for the toxic atmosphere that day.

 

I was quite young but remember the doing the Gorgie aggro dished out to the Celtic fans and police that day.  

[Jim_Duncan]

4 hours ago, Sydney Devine said:

I was 12 years old and remember being so excited going to the game.  Hearts had the full away end and the atmosphere was poisonous!!  

 

A bit like the semi final on Sunday - we lost an early goal but were in the game up until half time.  Second half Hearts battled away but lost two late goals.  The chaos after the match going back to the supporters bus was crazy......running battles with bricks flying everywhere.   I was with my cousin and as we walked past a group of Celtic supporters one of them spat right in my face............it was a gloopy one!!!  Just checked the attendance and it states that it was only 25k but my memory recalls it being a big crowd????   

I was spat on by a Celtic fan at about the same age after we lost to Rangers in the semi final at Parkhead in the early 90s. Was standing outside a pub with bottle of coke in hand and Celtic fans must have been coming back from an away game. 
 

Best fans in the world. 

[Jim_Duncan]

6 hours ago, Auld Reekin' said:

 

Not defending McGrain's tackle, which as you say was a shocking and career-ruining one, but it was almost certainly retribution for a naughty one by Shields on him: 1:10 into the coverage.   

That tackle at 1:10 is up there with Stephane Adam’s goal in 98 as great Hearts contributions at Parkhead. 

[Jim_Duncan]

5 hours ago, leginten said:

Lovely to see Henry doing a semi-Schumacher on that little shite.

Saw Henry at Hampden on Sunday. Wonder if he’d like to be subbed on to recreate it on Furahashi in our post split match?

[Tiro]

1 hour ago, martoon said:

 

It was in the days when the away end at Parkhead was undivided, iirc.

 

We certainly didn't fill it (it would have taken 15k+ to do that) but the 5/6k of us had it to ourselves.

 

I do recall that some Celtic came onto our terracing from the jungle down on the far right but they were chased back without a punch being thrown.

 

The older lads, the real hard case GA, always took care of us younger lads in those days.

 

As I posted earlier...fearless.

 

PS. I remember the cops hats/helmets flying about everywhere and everytime one was launched the Jungle even cheered.

There was a large hanging net that separated the two supports. This however didn't extend into the toilets and this provided a route into the opposing section. Hearts support was infamous around this time but that day there was a significant number of Rangers supporters in the Hearts end, whose attendance was obviously organised in a  way that was unusual in those days.

 

 

 

 

[ArcticJambo]

19 minutes ago, Jim_Duncan said:

I was spat on by a Celtic fan at about the same age after we lost to Rangers in the semi final at Parkhead in the early 90s. Was standing outside a pub with bottle of coke in hand and Celtic fans must have been coming back from an away game. 
 

Best fans in the world. 

 

A common theme really.  Been spat on twice, both by Celtic fans, once outside Celtic Park at age 15 iirc, and once just as I turned onto Gorgie Road from Wheatfield St a couple of yrs later - this is all mid-80s. Also got randomly punched in the upper chest near the west end when I was coming back from the g/f's place in Corstorphine (having missed the last bus to Porty!). Just coz I was wearing my scarf. I was 18, he was a fat middle-aged wee man. 

 

Absolute scum, a large number of them.  Was always them!

 

[martoon]

10 minutes ago, Tiro said:

There was a large hanging net that separated the two supports. This however didn't extend into the toilets and this provided a route into the opposing section. Hearts support was infamous around this time but that day there was a significant number of Rangers supporters in the Hearts end, whose attendance was obviously organised in a  way that was unusual in those days.

 

 

 

 

 

Iirc, Rangers also had a Cup tie in Glasgow that day, as did Aberdeen.

 

I doubt the authorities would allow that now.

 

I suppose some Rangers might have fancied the aggro at Parkhead rather than their own game but I've no memory of them.

 

They were not needed, anyway.

 

The Hearts support was more than capable of defending itself in those days. 😁

 

[Jim_Duncan]

6 minutes ago, ArcticJambo said:

 

A common theme really.  Been spat on twice, both by Celtic fans, once outside Celtic Park at age 15 iirc, and once just as I turned onto Gorgie Road from Wheatfield St a couple of yrs later - this is all mid-80s. Also got randomly punched in the upper chest near the west end when I was coming back from the g/f's place in Corstorphine (having missed the last bus to Porty!). Just coz I was wearing my scarf. I was 18, he was a fat middle-aged wee man. 

 

Absolute scum, a large number of them.  Was always them!

 

In 41 and a half years on this planet I've met two likeable Celtic fans. The rest, rich or poor, male or female, Glaswegian or civilised, old or young, have been pretty much scum.

[leginten]

44 minutes ago, Jim_Duncan said:

Saw Henry at Hampden on Sunday. Wonder if he’d like to be subbed on to recreate it on Furahashi in our post split match?

Tag team with big Gilles. Henry reprises his Schumacher moves and then Rousset picks up the diving little prick and executes the full body slam.

 

That’s what I call post-split entertainment.

[Morgan]

5 hours ago, N Lincs Jambo said:

 

That might have been my first trip to Parkhead. 4-1 Scottish Cup game? We must have had about 5-6K fans at that one and yeah it was pretty scary. One thing for sure the Hearts fans took absolutely no shit from the Glasgow polis that day, certainly in the ground anyway. Police helmets flying everywhere when they tried it on.

 

 

 

Celtic support came round after the game to where we were exiting the stadium onto London Road. Didn't take long before they were running like **** in the other direction, bottles flying everywhere and the Gorgie Aggro running after them. After all the games I had witnessed between us and them at Tynie, I was certainly NOT expecting that!

 

 

Big Bernie used to like making a dramatic entrance there. He would usually pay through the turnstyles at their end, walk down to the front immediately to the right of the jungle, climb the perimeter wall and walk proudly with his alsation past the jungle, Hearts scarf in full view and into the Hearts end. I didn't know him but balls of steel that guy!

Bernie (Ian Anderson) from Ashley Terrace was actually a big softie deep down.

 

Heart of gold (if you knew him!).

 

Brave as feck, as you say, but a gentle giant really.

 

If/when, Bernie got challenged in the Penthouse he seldom lost. I saw him get tumbled down the stairs a couple of times and he came out on top eventually, both times.

 

And then there was Arbroath...   

 

But folk on here ‘know of him’  

 

Aye, right.

[Tiro]

57 minutes ago, martoon said:

 

Iirc, Rangers also had a Cup tie in Glasgow that day, as did Aberdeen.

 

I doubt the authorities would allow that now.

 

I suppose some Rangers might have fancied the aggro at Parkhead rather than their own game but I've no memory of them.

 

They were not needed, anyway.

 

The Hearts support was more than capable of defending itself in those days. 😁

 

You are correct about Rangers playing in  Glasgow that day.

 They played Queens Park, at Hampden in front of a crowd of less than 14000. A large part of the travelling Hearts support in these days shared  views and songs that would not have been out of place in Govan. Add to the mix the number of ex Rangers legends in the Hearts team and the fact that the away support were involved in trouble, where ever they went, you could see how the Celtic match was attractive to some from the other side of the Glasgow divide.

[PaddysBar]

6 hours ago, N Lincs Jambo said:

 

That might have been my first trip to Parkhead. 4-1 Scottish Cup game? We must have had about 5-6K fans at that one and yeah it was pretty scary. One thing for sure the Hearts fans took absolutely no shit from the Glasgow polis that day, certainly in the ground anyway. Police helmets flying everywhere when they tried it on.

 

 

 

Celtic support came round after the game to where we were exiting the stadium onto London Road. Didn't take long before they were running like **** in the other direction, bottles flying everywhere and the Gorgie Aggro running after them. After all the games I had witnessed between us and them at Tynie, I was certainly NOT expecting that!

 

 

Big Bernie used to like making a dramatic entrance there. He would usually pay through the turnstyles at their end, walk down to the front immediately to the right of the jungle, climb the perimeter wall and walk proudly with his alsation past the jungle, Hearts scarf in full view and into the Hearts end. I didn't know him but balls of steel that guy!

Big Bernie and his dug were legends. Looked scary as feck but weren’t really 

[N Lincs Jambo]

1 hour ago, PaddysBar said:

Big Bernie and his dug were legends. Looked scary as feck but weren’t really 

 

Definitely scared the shit out of the Celtic support. Not one reaction from the jungle as he marched proudly past with his dog. Christ 40 years ago and i can still remember it. As you say, legends!

[N Lincs Jambo]

2 hours ago, Morgan said:

Bernie (Ian Anderson) from Ashley Terrace was actually a big softie deep down.

 

Heart of gold (if you knew him!).

 

Brave as feck, as you say, but a gentle giant really.

 

If/when, Bernie got challenged in the Penthouse he seldom lost. I saw him get tumbled down the stairs a couple of times and he came out on top eventually, both times.

 

And then there was Arbroath...   

 

But folk on here ‘know of him’  

 

Aye, right.

 

First time I ever saw the guy was a pre-season friendly, early 80s evening game. He stood a few feet in front of me behind the goal at the School End (can't remember a dog at that game) wearing a T shirt with "Long Kesh - Imprisoned for Loyalty" on it.

 

Can only say it made an impression on a very young NLJ at the time. As I said I didn't know him but I made a judgment pretty early on, rightly or wrongly, that he wasn't to be messed with. 

[martoon]

Ftr, Rover was still alive and barking in late 1992. 🐕 

[Shaggy2]

I was at that game and Jeez, I was 10 and don’t remember any of that stuff (tbf my Dad might have sensed something bad about to happen as we were back on bus before Alex MacDonald scored our consolation) other than having the full away end. We weren’t crushed in one half of it until 1985 when Robbo scored the winner. Last time we had the full away end was February 1987, when Wayne Foster scored in a 1-1 draw the week before we knocked them out the cup with Robbo’s free-kick. 
Anyway, I do remember a lot of angry people. No idea if @Skippy Doodle has the whole Sportscene from that night but Archie McPherson definitely questions the impartiality of the stand side lino in regard to the Willie Johnston incident and the Henry Smith one. His call on both occasions iirc because the referee (McGinlay?) did not see the Provan incident and was not going to punish Henry until the linesman flagged and spoke to him. 

[Skippy Doodle]

25 minutes ago, Shaggy2 said:

I was at that game and Jeez, I was 10 and don’t remember any of that stuff (tbf my Dad might have sensed something bad about to happen as we were back on bus before Alex MacDonald scored our consolation) other than having the full away end. We weren’t crushed in one half of it until 1985 when Robbo scored the winner. Last time we had the full away end was February 1987, when Wayne Foster scored in a 1-1 draw the week before we knocked them out the cup with Robbo’s free-kick. 
Anyway, I do remember a lot of angry people. No idea if @Skippy Doodle has the whole Sportscene from that night but Archie McPherson definitely questions the impartiality of the stand side lino in regard to the Willie Johnston incident and the Henry Smith one. His call on both occasions iirc because the referee (McGinlay?) did not see the Provan incident and was not going to punish Henry until the linesman flagged and spoke to him. 

Sorry I only have the game 

 

https://youtu.be/gr6wSINdW_U?si=afkUHe8J1fbYbCeP

[Shaggy2]

9 minutes ago, Skippy Doodle said:

Sorry I only have the game 

 

https://youtu.be/gr6wSINdW_U?si=afkUHe8J1fbYbCeP

Pity. You rarely saw officials being called out back then, unlike nowadays! Archie definitely put it out there that night that both calls were questionable. 👍

[dannymack]

15 hours ago, Sir PH said:

I don't recall us having the full away end that day, but I may be wrong. The only time we did get it was February 86, and we pretty much filled it. 

Definitely had the full end that day as their segregation came into place around 84-85 but there was a no man's land between the Jungle and our end as the police cordoned it off as seen in this picture. 

 

Full end for 1 game in  85-86 and for 1 game the week before the Cup match at Tynecastle 86-87.

Edited April 24 by dannymack

[dannymack]

 

 

 

[Pap]

43 minutes ago, Skippy Doodle said:

Sorry I only have the game 

 

https://youtu.be/gr6wSINdW_U?si=afkUHe8J1fbYbCeP

 

Do you have the Mercer Derby?

[John Findlay]

10 hours ago, Morgan said:

Bernie (Ian Anderson) from Ashley Terrace was actually a big softie deep down.

 

Heart of gold (if you knew him!).

 

Brave as feck, as you say, but a gentle giant really.

 

If/when, Bernie got challenged in the Penthouse he seldom lost. I saw him get tumbled down the stairs a couple of times and he came out on top eventually, both times.

 

And then there was Arbroath...   

 

But folk on here ‘know of him’  

 

Aye, right.

There was also Annfield, Stirling Albion's old ground.

[John Findlay]

16 hours ago, martoon said:

I think Bud had ruffled Provan's perm in an Old Firm game 2/3 years before and was just repeating it. On this occasion the cheating swine clutched his face and fell to the ground.

 

 

Bud Johnston left the then Rangers in 1972.

[Sir PH]

52 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

Bud Johnston left the then Rangers in 1972.

And went back in 1980.

[Sir PH]

1 hour ago, dannymack said:

Definitely had the full end that day as their segregation came into place around 84-85 but there was a no man's land between the Jungle and our end as the police cordoned it off as seen in this picture. 

 

Full end for 1 game in  85-86 and for 1 game the week before the Cup match at Tynecastle 86-87.

Aye, I was there in February 86 when we got the full end. Unbelievable support that day.

[sandyk]

I was there for the 4-1 game where Bud was dismissed.  From where we didn't see what happened, someone said he might have 'followed through' with his head sightly whilst taking a throw in.  

 

After we went 4-0 down, things were getting a bit tasty in the Hears end.  I was only young and my old man decided we should leave before the final whistle, which meant i missed Alex MacDonalds goal.  We had ignored the 'pound to watch your car' street urchin, but it was surprisingly untouched when we got back! 

[luckyBatistuta]

19 hours ago, Deodato said:

Forgive the distraction, but chatting to some Baggies fans at lunch today and they were sharing stories of Willie Johnston and we watched this. 

 

Anyone on JKB went to this game? The comments in YouTube makes it sound like bedlam, on and off the pitch. Keen to hear tales. 

 

When Willie played for us, my guess is that it was (err...) "never a duil moment"

 

Deodato

 

 

Passionate men playing passionate football, miss it. 

[martoon]

2 hours ago, John Findlay said:

Bud Johnston left the then Rangers in 1972.

 

As @Sir PH suggests, John, he did return briefly to Rangers in 1980.

[The White Cockade]

yes I was at the game

Definitely no headbutt and Henry pulled out of challenge he was booked for 

I don’t think Mcginlay made either decision they were both made by the linesman who obviously had his own agenda 

I can remember another game at Parkhead where they go a penalty for a challenge about 4 feet outside the box 

Maybe VAR would have been useful in those days!

[Shaggy2]

1 hour ago, martoon said:

 

As @Sir PH suggests, John, he did return briefly to Rangers in 1980.

He’d know 😂

[Sir PH]

1 minute ago, Shaggy2 said:

He’d know 😂

Why's that? 

[SectionDJambo]

2 hours ago, The White Cockade said:

yes I was at the game

Definitely no headbutt and Henry pulled out of challenge he was booked for 

I don’t think Mcginlay made either decision they were both made by the linesman who obviously had his own agenda 

I can remember another game at Parkhead where they go a penalty for a challenge about 4 feet outside the box 

Maybe VAR would have been useful in those days!

It was definitely the linesman who got Willie sent off, apart from the shameful cheating by Provan, of course. Wilie had to be held back from asking the linesman to justify his decision.

We had a period, at Parkhead, when we had quite a few contentious decisions given against us. No surprise really.

[JTJ]

I watched the whole incident - though from far away behind the goals. Bud was taking a throw in and Provan was jumping up and down right in front of him (supposed to be a yard away) so I thought "something" was likely to occur. Willie's throw-in meant his arms followed through and (softly) landed on Provan's shoulders and his right hand then ruffled the diver's hair. Provan turned round, saw neither ref or linesman watching and threw himself down on the ground.

 

A policeman walking along the track saw it all and volunteered a statement to Hearts for any appeal but Willie's point was we'd lost the game and it wouldn't change the result. Due to retire soon he felt it not worth the effort (added to his notoriety he said to me once when in his Kirkcaldy pub!) When he put out his autobiography he didn't miss Provan when writing about the incident and was never sued by the diver either 😁