McPake leads tributes to Dens legend Cowie

DUNDEE boss James McPake last night led tributes to Doug Cowie after the club’s record appearance holder and former captain died aged 95.

The ex-defender played 446 competitive games for the Dens Park club, scoring 24 goals, and won back-to-back League Cups in 1951-52 and 1952-53 — and remains their longest-serving player.

Cowie, who spent 16 years on Tayside after joining Dundee in 1945, also won 20 caps for Scotland and played in the 1954 and 1958 World Cups in Switzerland and Sweden, respectively — the only Dark Blues player to feature in two major finals.

Dundee paid tribute to Cowie before yesterday’s 3-0 victory against Motherwell at Dens Park with a minute’s silence and the home players wore black armbands.

‘It was a fitting tribute to the club’s record appearance holder,’ said McPake.

‘You could feel the atmosphere in the stands before the game and we used it in our team talk for Doug.

‘He was a real legend at this football club.

‘That’s at the top of our minds and the win for was him.

‘Our desire and willingness came from the crowd as well given how they were feeling about the loss of a club legend.

‘It’s the wee things… the coaches work in his lounge at the stadium. The players and coaches did the club proud.’

The Dens Park legend nearly won a league title but the team fell short in the 1948/49 Scottish

League championship after they lost on the final day at Falkirk to hand the title to Rangers by one point.

Cowie missed out on a remarkable Treble when Dundee lost the 1952 Scottish Cup Final, which was sandwiched between their League Cup triumphs.

He was inducted into the Dundee Hall of Fame in 2009. A Dundee FC statement read: ‘Near the end of his playing days in 1961, Doug still lived in a Dundee tenement which is changed days indeed from now.

‘It should therefore be remembered that football then was a working man’s sport and they were a different breed of player in those days.

‘No agents, no fancy hairstyles, no perms or aftershave, no fancy cars or lucrative wages.

‘Some came from the shipyards or coal mines to play for their professional sides and Doug Cowie was one of those gems.

‘He was amongst a generation who played with a pride in their team that would put most modern players to shame when the elements rarely caused a match to be cancelled or anything other than a serious injury caused them to miss a game.

‘They played with boots that covered their ankles, kicking and heading a ball that grew heavy if it rained, with a lace that hurt the head if by chance it met the napper straight on.

‘The thoughts of everyone at Dundee Football Club are with Doug’s family and family at this very sad time.’

Cowie left Dundee in 1961 and spent two seasons at Morton as a player-coach.

He was also manager of Raith Rovers in the 1963-64 season.