Footballer

Born: March 30, 1940;

Died March 11, 2020.

DAVIE Souter, who has died aged 79 was a versatile Scottish footballer who played for several clubs throughout the 1960s. He was most associated with Clyde, then in the old first division, for whom he played for six seasons from 1964 onwards.

The high point was being in the side which clinched third place in the league behind the Old Firm in 1967, an outstanding achievement for a part-time team with a small squad. During that season he played in several positions.

As a measure of the quality of the Shawfield outfit, that was of course the year when Celtic became the first British team to win the European Cup while Rangers lost in the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in extra time. Shortly before these finals Clyde held both Celtic and Rangers to draws, the former in a Scottish cup semi-final and the latter in a league game.

In the cup tie, Souter received praise for his handling of Jimmy Johnstone, a player he admired. One press report referred to him as “stout of heart against the elusive Johnstone”.

In April 2014 that Clyde team, including Souter, was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame at a function in Glasgow. A modest character, he had to be persuaded to attend but thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with old teammates.

One of them Dick Staite, now Sir Richard [for services to education], recently commented: “Davie was a quiet, reserved type of bloke, easy company in the dressing-room and one who ‘did his talking on the pitch’. He was always a real presence on the field and his immediate opponent knew he had been in a game.”

David Souter was born at home in Bellfield Avenue, Dundee, to parents John and Mary, nee Smith, and had three older brothers Ian, Norman and Bill. Their father was a train driver who died when Davie was 14. He attended Logie Secondary School in Dundee where he showed promise at football. After school he undertook an apprenticeship as boilerman/plumber while still playing football.

Aged 17 he was signed by junior side Carnoustie Panmure and in 1958 joined Arbroath before brief spells at Berwick Rangers and East Fife. In 1962 he rejoined Arbroath, then managed by John Prentice.

During season 1964/5 Prentice, by then Clyde manager, took him to Shawfield, where he remained till 1970, always in the top division. That summer he signed for Dundee where he was again reunited with Prentice. Cartilage problems bedevilled his time at Dens, letting him play only twelve games for the Dark Blues and bringing down the curtain on his professional career in 1971 after more than 200 games, mostly in the top tier. As a player he was always part time while working in engineering related jobs. Latterly he was janitor at Inverbrothock Primary School in Arbroath.

While playing for Arbroath he met Doris Johnston, a waitress in a local hotel, and they were married in July 1965. They enjoyed a long happy marriage during which they lived mostly in Arbroath and had four children – Jackie, Debbie, Leslie and David. Doris, who died a year ago, latterly had health issues and Davie spent much of his time caring for her.

A warm and supportive family man, he enjoyed following football on television, walking and reading. He is survived by his children and six grandchildren, Heather, Ben, Jessica, Sophie, Morgan and Lily.