Alex Ferguson and Dundee’s Scottish title win; Bob Seith recalls famous day and remarkable act of generosity

Now in his 90s, Bob Seith’s life is a broad canvas. There have been numerous achievements, not least a 70th wedding anniversary celebrated last year with his wife, Jean, at the Lands of Loyal hotel in Alyth.

When his son, also Bob, went to pay the bill he discovered it had already been settled – by Sir Alex Ferguson, no less.

Professionally, Seith's playing career peaked in an exceptional 24-month spell at the beginning of the 1960s, when he won the English First Division with Burnley and then, two seasons later, finished top of the Scottish First Division at Dundee.

The latter of these successes occurred 60 years ago today. Seith, who turned 90 last month, is one of only three surviving members of the team – goalkeeper Pat Liney and centre-half Ian Ure are the others - that defeated St Johnstone 3-0 on a sun-kissed afternoon at Muirton Park.

The win not only secured the club’s first and to date only Scottish league title, it also relegated St Johnstone – and Ferguson – in the process.

The former Manchester United manager has not taken Seith’s part in this episode to heart. The Dundee right half, who marked Ferguson that afternoon, made it up to him by helping him take his first steps in coaching. Ferguson has clearly not forgotten this input.

He writes warmly about Seith in his first autobiography, Managing My Life, and describes himself as fortunate to have been in a group taken by Seith as he studied for his full coaching badge at Largs alongside Jim McLean in the summer of 1966.

“I found the course inspiring,” Ferguson writes. They met again at Rangers, where Seith had been appointed coach under Scot Symon.

Ferguson arrived from Dunfermline but his Ibrox career was almost over when it had barely started after he