Davie Rae
Encyclopedia
David 'Davie' Rae is the Scottish
Chairman of Queen of the South
in Dumfries
. Rae is the third of three chairman to rebuild and revitalise the Dumfries club from the mid 1990s, replacing the previous regime under which the club had gone into stagnation and decline from the late 1960s.
, Davie Rae became chairman of Queen of the South when Ronnie Bradford stepped down due to ill health in June 2003. Bradford's predecessor, Norman Blount
had taken over Queen of the South in April 1994. Under the previous regime Queens had been in stagnation and decline since the late 1960s. Blount immediately set about modernising and rebuilding the club. Very quickly new ideas came along that showed that the club was in a new era:-
The highlight on the pitch of the Blount regime was Queens making it to the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup for the first time. This was in 1997 where a battling Queens side lost out by 1-0 to Falkirk
. Man of the match was Queens' Tommy Bryce
. However in November 1999 Blount candidly announced that he felt that he had taken the club as far as he could and resigned from being chairman.
Two time divisional player of the year Andy Thomson was transferred for a Queens record fee of £250,000 in 1994. As Thomson was to say on his return over a decade later, "Things have changed quite a bit while I've been away - a new stand, a completely new set-up and a more modern type of training system". Thomson added, "Norman Blount was an excellent chairman."
The chairmanship was taken over by Ronnie Bradford
who continued the progressive ambition started under Blount. It was under Bradford that the seeds at 'New Queens' further came to fruition, namely:-
Ronnie Bradford left due to ill health in June 2003. The chairmanship was taken over by Davie Rae.
quarter final before losing 2-1 to Hibernian
. At the end of that season Davie Rae announced that Queens were to go full time for the 2007-08 season. This was to produce remarkable success.
Queens surpassed the 2006-07 Scottish Cup run by progressing beyond the quarter finals and then eliminating Aberdeen in the 2007-08 semi final. In the club's first ever Scottish Cup cup final Queens went down 3-2 to Rangers
but still qualified for the 2nd qualification round of the UEFA Cup
. After an injury plagued start to the season Queens recovered to finish fourth in the second tier of Scottish football.
In the 2008-09 UEFA Cup second qualification round Queens were eliminated after a battling away leg against FC Nordsjælland
in Denmark
.
Players to have signed for Queens during the Rae regime include Jamie MacDonald
(capped for Scotland under 21s while at Queens), Steve Tosh
, Neil MacFarlane
and Stephen Dobbie
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Chairman of Queen of the South
Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
. Rae is the third of three chairman to rebuild and revitalise the Dumfries club from the mid 1990s, replacing the previous regime under which the club had gone into stagnation and decline from the late 1960s.
Queens pre Rae
A retired farmerFarmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, Davie Rae became chairman of Queen of the South when Ronnie Bradford stepped down due to ill health in June 2003. Bradford's predecessor, Norman Blount
Norman Blount
Norman Blount is the Scottish former chairman of Queen of the South football club. Blount was instrumental as the new broom that swept through the Dumfries club in the mid and late 90s replacing the previous regime under which the club had gone into stagnation and decline from the late 1960s...
had taken over Queen of the South in April 1994. Under the previous regime Queens had been in stagnation and decline since the late 1960s. Blount immediately set about modernising and rebuilding the club. Very quickly new ideas came along that showed that the club was in a new era:-
- The new stand was built within 1 year of Blount becoming chairman
- The club became the first senior club in the UK to establish a club museum
- Queen of the South became the first club in the world to deploy astro turf on the outside of the touch line on a grass pitch (for linesmen to run along). Initially the Scottish Football AssociationScottish Football AssociationThe Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
agreed this as a 12 month experiment. However such was the success of the astro turf that the SFA brought the experiment to an early close and sanctioned use of this idea for any other club interested
- The first senior club in the UK to use a lottery scheme to decide the annual shirt sponsor. Such was the success of the idea that the club became inundated with calls from other clubs enquiring on the best way to set such a scheme up
The highlight on the pitch of the Blount regime was Queens making it to the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup for the first time. This was in 1997 where a battling Queens side lost out by 1-0 to Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
. Man of the match was Queens' Tommy Bryce
Tommy Bryce
Tommy Bryce is a Scottish former association football player. Bryce had a playing career spanning 21 seasons from 1980-81 with Scottish Football League clubs Kilmarnock, Stranraer, Queen of the South of Dumfries, Clydebank, Ayr United and Arbroath. Bryce also served as player-manager of Partick...
. However in November 1999 Blount candidly announced that he felt that he had taken the club as far as he could and resigned from being chairman.
Two time divisional player of the year Andy Thomson was transferred for a Queens record fee of £250,000 in 1994. As Thomson was to say on his return over a decade later, "Things have changed quite a bit while I've been away - a new stand, a completely new set-up and a more modern type of training system". Thomson added, "Norman Blount was an excellent chairman."
The chairmanship was taken over by Ronnie Bradford
Ronnie Bradford (football chairman)
Ronnie Bradford was the Scottish former chairman of Queen of the South football club. Bradford was the second of the three chairman to re-build and revitalise the Dumfries club from the mid '90s replacing the previous regime under which the club had gone into stagnation and decline from the late...
who continued the progressive ambition started under Blount. It was under Bradford that the seeds at 'New Queens' further came to fruition, namely:-
- Winning the 2001-02 Scottish Second Division to return to the top half of Scottish football
- Winning the 2002-03 Scottish Challenge Cup
Ronnie Bradford left due to ill health in June 2003. The chairmanship was taken over by Davie Rae.
The Rae regime
Queens progressed to the 2006-07 Scottish CupScottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
quarter final before losing 2-1 to Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. At the end of that season Davie Rae announced that Queens were to go full time for the 2007-08 season. This was to produce remarkable success.
Queens surpassed the 2006-07 Scottish Cup run by progressing beyond the quarter finals and then eliminating Aberdeen in the 2007-08 semi final. In the club's first ever Scottish Cup cup final Queens went down 3-2 to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
but still qualified for the 2nd qualification round of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. After an injury plagued start to the season Queens recovered to finish fourth in the second tier of Scottish football.
In the 2008-09 UEFA Cup second qualification round Queens were eliminated after a battling away leg against FC Nordsjælland
FC Nordsjælland
Football Club Nordsjælland is a professional Danish football team from the North Zealand town of Farum, Denmark. Founded as Farum Boldklub from the merger of the town's two football clubs Farum IK and Stavnsholt BK in 1991, the club changed its name to F.C...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Players to have signed for Queens during the Rae regime include Jamie MacDonald
Jamie MacDonald (footballer)
Jamie MacDonald is a professional football player currently playing for Heart of Midlothian. MacDonald, a goalkeeper, signed for Hearts in June 2002 from their youth side.-Queen of the South:...
(capped for Scotland under 21s while at Queens), Steve Tosh
Steve Tosh
Steven William Tosh is a professional association footballer. A midfielder journeyman of many clubs, Tosh is currently with Cove Rangers.-Early career:...
, Neil MacFarlane
Neil MacFarlane (footballer)
Neil MacFarlane is a Scottish professional Association footballer who position is defensive midfield. He currently plays for Annan Athletic.-Career:...
and Stephen Dobbie
Stephen Dobbie
Stephen Dobbie is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Swansea City.Dobbie began his career with Rangers in 2002, but did not play in a first team match. He had more opportunities at Hibernian, whom he joined in 2003 and then St. Johnstone whom he joined, initially on loan, in 2005....
.