Obituary: Robert 'Rab' Gray 1929-2025

Tributes to long-serving football figure remembered for six decades of service

- GORDON BANNERMAN

One of the most popular figures in Tayside junior football has died at the age of 94.

Rab Gray covered the local football scene in and around Perth for more than 60 years.

He provided previews, match reports and weekend roundups for papers including the Perthshire Advertiser, The Courier, The Evening Telegraph, The Sporting Post and the Sunday Post, with managers and secretaries receiving regular calls for the latest team news.

Before a reception at McDiarmid Park, at a celebration of his life held at Perth Crematorium mourners departed to the sound of Scots folk duo Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor’s “Fitba Crazy.”

It was an apt farewell as football - particularly the juniors - had been a constant in Rab’s life.

After playing for Friarton Harp and early involvement with YM Minors and St Johnstone YM juveniles, handling signings and paperwork as a teenager, Rab went on to serve as a bar manager with the busy Jeanfield Swifts Social Club and, at 35, he became the youngest secretary of the Perthshire Juniors before taking on secretarial roles for the Midlands and Tayside Juniors.

He was made a life member and honorary president of Tayside Juniors in recognition of his service to the game.

In 2003, in a ceremony held at the City Chambers, Perth and Kinross Provost Mike O'Malley honoured Rab with a special certificate to mark 50 years' service to junior football.