Keith Rattray: Keith FC legend
KEITH Rattray is my all-time Keith FC hero after the centree forward crashed home a remarkable 101 goals in 175 games from 1969-75.
"The Bustling Bobby from Banff" died at his home in Ballater having suffered ill health for several years following a stroke.
He was one of only nine players to have netted 100 goals or more for the club. He was based with the police at Banff during his time at Kynoch Park, but on a Saturday afternoon his beat was the opposition’s penalty area.
His shooting prowess was phenomenal, I don’t think I have ever seen anybody strike a ball with such venom, his ferocious drives flying into the net with awesome power.
Born in Torphins, he played rugby at school before turning to football joining junior side Parkvale. From there he became a provisional signing at Pittodrie with Aberdeen but was released after a year by Eddie Turnbull.
He spent a season with Buckie Thistle before being snapped up by Elgin City where in his one season at Borough Briggs he won a Highland League Cup winners medal and a Qualifying Cup runners-up medal. That season he also scored the first goal under the new City floodlights against Hawick in the Scottish Cup.
He moved to Nairn County for a season, winning another Qualifying Cup runners-up medal, and starring in goals in one match when Kenny MacKenzie was injured.
Keith joined the Maroons in January 1969, and made the first of his 175 appearances as a substitute at Ross County on 11 January. He notched the first of his century of goals in a 2-1 home defeat against Peterhead in an Aberdeenshire Cup first round tie on 8 March that year.
The following season 1969-70 saw him at his fearsome best, writing himself into Keith FC folkore by blasting home 40 goals. His first hat-trick, he ended up grabbing up five trebles during his Keith career, came in a 5-1 home win against Elgin City on 6 September 1969.
Twice he rattled home four goals against Buckie Thistle that season, the first quartet coming in a 8-1 drubbing at Kynoch Park on 1 November that year. I cycled up from Ordiquhill that day, and I will never forget my excitement as a mere 14 year old, as Keithie’s shots all simply raged into the net, no tippy tappy shots, all blistering drives. That was the day he became my hero. He repeated the feat in a 7-1 gubbing of the Jags at Victoria Park on 17 January 1970. He was Keith’s top marksman by a mile that year, and was top scorer again in 1972-73 with 16 goals.
That season ’69-70, he nabbed 35 league goals, a Club record he held until a certain Cammy Keith equalled it in 2010-11.
Unknown to the "bustling bobby" who used to toot his horn and give me a wave on his way back to Banff after a game as I cycled back home, he caused me great consternation in 1971 when he was given a trial by Morton. Oh, no, the Maroons can’t sell Keith Rattray, it would be like bacon without eggs! Thankfully the striker who was such an "arresting" influence at Kynoch Park decided to stay put.
Although silverware was hard to come by in his early Keith career, he struck rich with two Highland League Cup winners medals in 1973-74, ’74-75, both times against Ross County, as well as an Aberdeenshire Cup winners medal in 1973-74. He also made numerous appearances as a Police International for Scotland and also Britain. The team line-up in that first League Cup win reads like a Keith FC Hall of Fame – Gray, M Cowie, Maxwell, Dalgarno, Wilson, Rattray, Winton, Elvin, Simmers, Pirie, Curran(Rougvie). By this time in his career, Keith was playing further back in midfield, although he still managed to bulge the old onion bag 16 times that season.
Unfortunately, injuries and work commitments took their toll the following season and after his second League Cup medal, appearances became limited and he made his final appearance as a Maroon stalwart as a subsititute against Lossiemouth on 22 March 1975, his last Kynoch Park appearance coming in a 1-0 win against Clach on 11 January that year.
Keith made several visits to Kynoch Park as spectator down through the years, but he suffered a stroke a few years ago, and the last time I saw him was at the Keith FC Centenary Dinner in 2011. I spent ages in his company after the Dinner simply enthralled as he reminisced about his time as a Maroon.
The thoughts of myself and all at Keith FC are with the Rattray family at this very sad time. Farewell to Keith Rattray – "The Bustling Bobby from Banff" who will never be forgotten at Kynoch Park where his legendary status will remain forever.
