Berwick mourn the death of 1967 Scottish Cup hero Reid

Sammy Reid, pictured in 1997, holding a photo of his famous Scottish Cup moment. Picture: SNS

It was in January 1967 that Reid netted the only goal of a first-round tie at Shielfield Park which saw Berwick Rangers claim a victory over then cup holders Rangers. It was a result which is still regarded as the benchmark for giant-killing feats in Scottish football.

But while it was the moment for which Reid would always be remembered, there was much more to a career which started with Motherwell, the club he supported as a boy.

Wishaw native Reid signed for the Fir Park outfit as a teenager in 1956, ironically turning down an offer from Rangers at the same time, and joined his older brother Billy in a fine Motherwell team managed by the legendary Bobby Ancell.

A diminutive inside forward, Reid made his first-team debut in the New Year’s Day derby against Airdrie in 1958 at the age of 18.

He was part of a celebrated forward line which included Ian St John and Pat Quinn in a team who became known as ‘Ancell’s Babes’ for their entertaining and free-scoring style of play.

In the 1959-60 season, when Motherwell achieved the rare feat of four victories in four games against Rangers, Reid’s form attracted the attention of new Liverpool manager Bill Shankly.

In February 1960, he became Shankly’s first signing for the Anfield club with Motherwell receiving a fee of £8,000. But Reid spent just six months at Liverpool, fitness issues preventing him making a first-team breakthrough before he returned to Scotland and joined Falkirk.

In two and a half seasons with the Brockville club, Reid scored 25 league goals in 70 appearances before joining Clyde in January 1963. A serious knee injury suffered in a match against Hibs at Easter Road sidelined him for over a year and saw him released by the Shawfield club.

In 1966, he was handed the chance to resurrect his career at Berwick Rangers under their new player-manager Jock Wallace. The rest, as they say, is history. Reid spent just one season at Shielfield but his goal which eliminated Rangers from the Scottish Cup earned him an indelible place in the folklore of the game.

Reid finished his career with a season at Dumbarton before his knee injury finally forced him to hang up his boots in the summer of 1968. But he is, of course, most celebrated in Berwick, where a minute’s silence will be held in his honour before this Saturday’s match against East Fife.

A statement on Berwick Rangers’ official website yesterday read: “News came through on Sunday evening of the sudden death of former club legend Sammy Reid at his Wishaw, Lanarkshire, home.

“Sammy will live in Berwick history of course as the man who netted the only goal in the 1-0 Cup win over Rangers at Shielfield on 28 January, 1967.

“Reid, the former Liverpool and Motherwell player, netted the only goal with a sweetly struck left foot shot in 32 minutes. The club extends sincere condolences to all Sammy’s family and friends.”