Ally Carrie

Many of the ‘veteran’ Forfar Athletic supporters will be saddened to learn of the death of former club captain Ally Carrie at the age of 80.

Ally passed away on Friday of last week at his home near Arbroath after a short illness.

Ally signed for the ‘Loons’ from Arbroath SC in the summer of 1964 making his debut in a 4-2 victory over Ayr United in September of that year. An attacking full back by nature, unusual back in the day, Ally was to spend five seasons at Station Park making 162 appearances.

He was not averse to having a go leading the line and Jake Young who had by that time taken over the managerial reins played him in that role in a famous 4-0 victory over his high flying home town team at Gayfield on New Years Day, 1968. Ally was proud of the fact that he scored one of the goals that afternoon, albeit from just under the crossbar as memory recalls! That was one of the fifteen goals he netted in the Athies colours.

Under Jake Young’s stewardship, the ‘Loons’ of the late sixties with Ally by then skipper had their most successful run by far since the late forties/early fifties. Others in that side included Ally’s fellow ‘Lichties’ Dave Philip and George Potter, Forfar based John Fyfe and John May, the mercurial Ian Stewart on the wing, an excellent inside forward in Dave Keddie and a marksman of some aplomb in Dundonian Jimmy Young, no relation to the manager, not forgetting a young Archie Knox just setting out on a lengthy career in the game.

Ally who was a joiner to trade and held a managerial post with a local window supply company for many a day enjoyed a visit or two back to Station Park in recent times where he was always welcome.

At this sad time the sympathies and thoughts of all at Station Park are extended to his wife Jan and family.