A pair of 1984 Grand Slam ties which were owned by the renowned rugby commentator, Bill McLaren, have been donated to Scottish Rugby for inclusion in their collection at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
A scorecard is mounted and framed along with the ties which are decorated with designs including an embroidered thistle on a rugby ball and crests of the five nations who then played each other. Scotland won the 1984 Grand Slam with four wins out of four games, collecting a total of eight points.
The framed ties were bought by George Massie, a well known architect and town planner who lived in Aberdeen and Tomintoul. He purchased them at an auction at a Wooden Spoon dinner in Aberdeen after the McLaren family donated the ties for the rugby fundraiser.
George, originally from Elgin, was a great rugby supporter. He sadly died in November last year after treatment for prostate cancer which had developed into secondary bone cancer. He was 77. Now his family has donated the ties to Scottish Gas Murrayfield to put them on public display.
Peter Mitchell, former rugby correspondent for the Press & Journal, was a longtime friend of George’s. He came to Murrayfield with John Massie, George’s brother to hand the ties over for inclusion in the Bill McLaren Study which is now installed in Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
Scotland v France 1984
In a curious twist of fate it was Peter who wrote part of the programme for the final match in which Scotland clinched the title against the favourites, France, at Murrayfield on 17 March 1984.
Scotland had already won the Triple Crown, but the consensus was that France were good – but not as good when playing away from home. Scotland won with a final try scored by Jim Calder by 21 points to 12, securing the first Grand Slam in 59 years.
Peter explained that the Press & Journal was “not a rugby paper, it was a football paper. I was a stray up against The Glasgow Herald and The Scotsman. The other reporters were mildly patronising – but decided I should write the article as I was the French speaker among them, having studied French at the University of Edinburgh. It was a great honour for a country hack from a non rugby paper. I was only chosen because of my French connection.”
Grand Slam ties
The ties, bearing the dates 1925 (when Scotland won the first fixture) and 1984 for the most recent win, were worn by Bill McLaren during his heyday. The mementoes are now displayed in Bill McLaren’s Study which has been moved to Murrayfield intact ahead of the stadium’s centenary celebrations this year. The study itself sits beside the Bill McLaren Press Gallery named on 22 March 2022 in honour of McLaren’s 50-year long career and “the joy he has brought to millions worldwide”.
The framed ties are hung on the wall of the recreated centre of McLaren’s meticulous research along with an appropriate note. Bill McLaren who had previously been a schoolteacher was famed for his excellent and detailed notes from which he crafted his commentary, written in several colours of ink and in small neat handwriting.
Murrayfield was opened on 21 March 1925 when Scotland won 14-11 over England in their first Grand Slam.
Bill McLaren
Our local sports columnist, Bill Lothian, wrote about Bill McLaren, often called The Voice of Rugby: “Bill McLaren was widely respected as one of the best sporting commentators of his time, specialising almost exclusively in rugby.
“It almost didn’t happen though as Bill was struck down by tuberculosis and it was only the emergence of a trial drug that saved his life.
“However, TB did cost Bill his rugby career at a time when, as a back row forward in his native Hawick, he was pushing for a Scotland cap having been selected for a Scotland trial.
“Bill once said he’d have easily traded all his commentary fame and opportunities for five minutes on an international pitch in a Scotland shirt.”
George Massie
George played for Aberdeenshire Rugby Football Club as a younger man and they summed him up in their warm tribute:
“A tribute to George Massie, FRIAS, RIBA, MRTPI and ARFC. All in the club who knew George will be saddened to learn of his passing on 20th November 2024 at the age of 77. George had been ill for some time but bore his illness and treatment with great fortitude and always had an extraordinarily positive outlook on life.
“George was born and brought up in Kingsmills, Elgin and was one of three brothers. He came to Aberdeen to study architecture at The Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, graduating in 1974. It was while he was a student that he first took the field for ‘Shire playing mostly on the wing and turned out regularly until the late 1970’s. I was always grateful that he was on our side because he was a fair size and when running at full tilt, proved difficult to tackle. George could be prone to a variety of injuries and none more so than when he pulled a hamstring in the warm-up before playing Currie. This was in the days before replacements!
“However, a gregarious and outgoing individual, George was always excellent company around the club and would always go out of his way to make new, younger members of the club feel welcome. He never totally lost touch with the club and was still a close friend with Peter Mitchell until his death.
“George started his professional life with Aberdeen City Council Planning Department working there for some 14 years. He then joined Jenkins and Marr, Architects, and became a partner with them before retiring to set up his own Development Consultancy. He was also a non-executive director with Aberdeen Harbour Board for six years. He was a very successful businessman and was highly regarded in his profession.
“Our condolences go to John Paul, Peter, Christopher, Anna and Luke and to his grandchildren.
“Some people make you feel better for just having met them and George Massie was certainly one of these.”
