Sammy Reid: Footballer best known for his goal for Berwick which knocked mighty Rangers out of the Scottish Cup
For his career to be defined by that inspired strike does scant justice to the subtly talented, immensely determined Scottish schoolboy and youth international inside-forward
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Your support makes all the difference.Sammy Reid’s sweetly struck left-footer for Berwick Rangers, which knocked their mighty Glasgow namesakes out of the Scottish Cup in January 1967, remains one of the most celebrated goals in the Scottish game.
The Black and Gold’s 1-0 victory over John Greig and Co at Shielfield Park, with a record 13,000-plus attendance, was the most seismic giant-killing of the 20th century north of the border.
Yet for his career to be defined by that inspired strike does scant justice to the subtly talented, immensely determined Scottish schoolboy and youth international inside-forward. As a teenager he turned down an approach from Ibrox to follow his elder brother, Billy, to Motherwell in 1956. At Fir Park he graduated rapidly to the first team under the guidance of manager Bobby Ancell, becoming an integral part of an exhilarating forward line featuring centre-forward Ian St John, fellow inside man Pat Quinn and wingers Willie Hunter and Andy Weir.
So effective was Reid that in 1960 the new Liverpool manager Bill Shankly paid £8,000 to make him his first Anfield signing, though sadly he suffered injury and never made a senior appearance. He joined Falkirk, for whom he scored 20 times in 33 games as they won promotion from the second tier in 1960-61.
Reid switched to Clyde, experiencing relegation in 1962-63 then helping them to bounce back up at the first attempt, although his Shawfield tenure was marred by knee trouble. In 1966 he stepped down a grade to enlist with Berwick, spending one campaign at Shielfield and relishing that gilded highlight, then another season with Dumbarton before injury forced retirement in 1968.
Samuel Reid, footballer: born Craigneuk, Lanarkshire 13 October 1939; died Wishaw, Lanarkshire 9 November 2014.
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