The funeral of Aberdeen FC great Alex Kiddie has taken place at St Leonard and St Fergus RC Church, Dundee.
While only 20 people were allowed to attend under current restrictions, hundreds of thousands of people have reacted to the death of the Dons legend, Mr Kiddie’s son, Paul, said.
Hundreds of former pupils and colleagues from St John’s High School, where Mr Kiddie taught in later life, have sent personal messages, recalling the influence he had on many young lives.
Alex Kiddie gained the distinction of remaining an amateur throughout his career to allow him to continue studying maths and physics at St Andrews University.
He was signed by the Dons in 1945.
When the Pittodrie side beat Rangers to win the Southern League Cup before a Hampden crowd of 130,00 in 1946, Mr Kiddie did not receive a penny because of his amateur status.
Instead, he was presented with an engraved watch by the club’s management. Mr Kiddie was believed to have been the only surviving member of that cup-winning team.
That watch still keeps great time, said Paul, and he is considering having it framed in his father’s memory.
Mr Kiddie later had spells with Falkirk, Celtic, Dundee, Brechin and Montrose.
He spent his entire 93 years living in Dundee, said Paul.
Mr Kiddie graduated BSc in maths and physics during his playing career and then went on to become head of the maths department at St John’s High School in Dundee.
Paul Kiddie said hundreds of former pupils and colleagues from his father’s time in education have been in touch with him with messages of his inspiring and respectful teaching.
We said goodbye to this most special person today. Thank you to everyone for their prayers and messages of support – they gave us genuine strength on the toughest of days. We have you in our hearts Dad, God has you in his arms. @AberdeenFC @CelticFC @BrechinCityFC @FalkirkFC pic.twitter.com/uUfSCyE8ZW
— Paul Kiddie (@paulkiddie) April 6, 2021
In addition, there have been 180,000 interactions to three of Paul’s tweets about his father.
Alex Kiddie was born in Dundee and educated at St Patrick’s Primary School, Dundee, and then Lawside Academy before studying at St Andrew’s University. He completed his degree at the university’s Dundee campus while playing football at the highest level.
He scored two goals in the 1946 Southern League Cup semi-final replay against Airdrie, which finished 5-3 to Aberdeen. He then played a starring role in the 3-2 victory against Rangers in the final that year. Paul said he provided the cross for Aberdeen’s dramatic late winner scored by George Taylor.
Mr Kiddie’s other sporting love was golf and he was a member at Blairgowrie and Downfield.
He was a regular worshipper at the Friary, Tullideph Road, and then St Leonard and St Fergus Church.
Communion
Paul said his father played an active role in the life of the church and the community. He was an eucharist minister which involves taking communion to the housebound. He was a very active volunteer behind the scenes.
Mr Kiddie was friends with former Dundee FC player Gerry Fallon and used to take him to mass in later life.
The family’s announcement can be read here.