AnyBODY who won 16 trophies as a manager, while also promoting more than 20 top talents to the Senior ranks, is surely entitled to forgo modesty when talking about his Junior career.

Not so Dickie Brock, the legendary Pollok and Junior Scotland boss who now lives in South Australia.

Business interests ensure he is forever coming back to these shores, yet he would never presume to turn up at Newlandsfield, even though his stock could hardly be higher after a silverware-laden stint in the Pollok hotseat from 1984 to 1990.

Born and reared in Langside, he attended Shawlands Academy and played half-back in a school team that included Rikky Cuthbert and Jim Simpson, who would later step up into the Senior ranks.

Sam Beck enticed Dick to Glasgow United, where he played in the same youth sides as future Rangers star Alex McDonald and Alex Pringle of Hibs.

He said: "Doddie signed for Pollok prior to joining St Johnstone. I went to Pollok too but moved to Neilston after a season. I then went to Carlisle on trial before signing for Hamilton Accies.

"A cartilage injury cut short my career at Douglas Park. I went back to Pollok before a 1973 move to a Cambuslang Rangers team that was hell bent on winning the Scottish Junior Cup for a third successive season.

"We reached the final against Irvine Meadow and I played in the 2-2 first game draw but did not feature in the 3-3 replay or the third game which was lost 1-0 to a penalty kick."

Dick signed for Kilbirnie Ladeside just weeks after that and played at Valefield for a season before coming back to Pollok for a third time. He was there for the best part of five years before signing for Port Glasgow.

A season later he joined Shettleston, then in 1983 he retired as a player and took his first steps on the managerial ladder.

He said: "Pollok were starting a Juvenile team to act as a feeder outfit and I was happy to get involved.

"We had instant success in unearthing talents such as Fraser Wishart and Andy Milne, who were recruited for the Junior side before going on to enjoy illustrious Senior careers.

"Then, in April 1984, I took up the role of Pollok's team manager. I appointed the late George Mackay as my No.2 and the following season we won the Scottish Junior Cup with a 3-1 replay win over Petershill.

IT was the first of many successes, with 16 trophies heading to Newlandsfield during Dick's tenure.

He added: "Our greatest satisfaction was seeing guys like Jimmy Hughes, Chic Charnley, Dougie Arnott, and Stuart Auld go on to play at the highest level.

"The best of them all was Jeff Curran, the sweeper in our 1985 cup-winning side. Jeff and my former Pollok team-mate Davie McKnight are the best Juniors I have ever seen."

In 1991 Dick became the Largs Thistle gaffer but his reign was cut short by the offer of the Junior Scotland manager's job. He remained unbeaten in 10 international games over the next two and a bit years, giving first caps to Tam Brown, Alan Rennie and Raymond Day.

He quit to take over as Beith boss but realised his going to Australia for five weeks at a time was not conducive to making a success of the job, so he resigned in 1995.

Dick said: "I enjoyed a great Junior innings and there are friendships and memories that will endure - even if I am in Australia ."