Willie Cameron

Before the start of WW1,  Willie Cameron was assistant trainer with a shipyard apprentice’s football team in Tyneside. He grew up in Jarrow, after his family had moved south when he was a child.

In 1923, after returning to Dundee he became club trainer with Lochee Harp, as well as building up a practice outside of club football.

Willie had the opportunity to train the Welsh national team when they played at Dens Park, on the 2^nd December 1936, against Scotland. Wales won 2-1 in front of a crowd of 23,858 spectators. It was reported that on the back of this he was going to get an opportunity coaching and English second division club. He was obviously making a name for himself, as he had been a candidate for the role with Dundee F.C. at the start of the season.

In 1938, he joined Dundee United for a short period, before returning to Lochee Harp where he stayed until he requested to be released from his role, in November 1940, as he had become an Air Raid Precaution Warden and other first-aid duties were taking up more of his time.

As the war neared its end, Willie re-joined Dundee United in 1944. One of his first tasks after resuming his role was to coach an R.A.F. team who were to play a Scottish Command XI at Tannadice Park.

A difference of opinion about the role of trainer caused Cameron to quit Dundee United in January 1946. Dundee F.C. were quick to employ him as assistant to William Arbuckle  who was ill.

The following season, during the close season, Dundee went on a tour of Europe, following an invitation from British Army authorities to play army teams in Germany, Austria and Italy. Willie was included as part of the touring party.

During the years after the war, Cameron was called on to help with other medical problems outside of football, as he was also a trained masseur and “bone-setter”. Boxing matches were often held at the Caird Hall, and he was called upon to reset dislocated shoulders, fingers, knuckles etc., sometimes between bouts. On another occasion, he got a call to help an actor at the Palace Theatre who had dislocated his ankle, he managed to have him back on stage for the second performance. The Dundee Tigers ice hockey team also benefited from his talents, having him on the back-room staff for a spell.

After a long spell of ill health, which started in 1949, Willie had to step back from football. He died on 27^th July 1956, aged 57 years. His standing within the sport was shown by the amount of former players, and management from the various clubs he had been associated with, along with other representatives from within the football community, that attended his funeral.