REMEMBERED: Legendary Nairn St Ninian goalkeeper of the 1970s and 1980s, Ian Hendry, remembered by friends and family ahead of funeral
A much-loved footballing maverick of the 1970s and 1980s will be laid to rest tomorrow (Thursday) in Nairn.
The legendary Ian Hendry, remembered as one of the greatest goalkeepers to grace the town, spent most of his sporting life playing for Nairn St Ninian in the junior ranks.
Despite reflexes that might have elevated him to a higher level, a love of his local team and stubborn dedication to the social side of the game mostly kept him at Saints.
Before retirement at 40, there were short spells with Forres Thistle and stand-in appearances for Inverness Thistle in the Highland League.
Always, though, an unorthodox approach to training and matches, including a penchant for a pre-match dram, held him back.
In truth, friends and family suspect he never really wanted to leave. His heart was always with his first love, Saints, where he tended to be the life and soul of the dressing room.
Ian, of Queenspark Gardens, Nairn, died at home on August 14 and is survived children Lisa, Neil, Nikki, Craig and Emma, his beloved grandchildren, and is remembered fondly by a great many friends, team-mates and football associates from yesteryear.
A humanist funeral service will be held at David M Ellen's Chapel, Grantown Road, Nairn and Inverness Crematorium, with donations to Queenspark Gardens Amenity Fund and Nairn District Nurses.
Ian doted on his family, and to son Craig Hendry (37), Ian was simply a hero.
Craig was proud to later play for Nairn St Ninian himself and follow in his footsteps to work with him at local firm Norbord for a spell. Ian had previously worked at the McDermott’s yard at Ardersier.
Craig, now of Muir of Ord and working for Siemens Ganesa’s wind turbine operation, recalled: “Dad was football-daft, all his days. Everything revolved around football, his friends and, later, his golf.
“He played school football at Nairn Academy, but he was Nairn St Ninian for as long as I can remember.
“He retired when I was just seven, so I have only hazy memories, but I remember standing behind the goals, handing him the Hubba Bubba. That was my job, refreshing his chewing gum!
“It was a highlight for me, personally, to play a couple of seasons with Nairn St Ninian myself, a big moment representing the same team as him.
“If I’m honest, I grew up idolising dad. All of his friends thought the world of the old boy.”
Ian won three North Regional League titles with Nairn Saints from 1975-76 and it could have been four had it not been for a run-in with the legendary striker Davie Johnston.
Close friend and Saints team-mate Tony Miller (66), a retired site manager who still lives in Nairn, recalled: “When I joined St Ninian in 1975, Ian was already there.
“We’re talking about nearly 50 years we were friends and we would still meet up from time to time.
“He was an exceptional goalkeeper, but very indisciplined, the big man. He could have gone further in the game.
“He had a habit of going to the pub for a few drams before games and training, as well as after. He just loved the social side of football and was very outgoing, full of friendly banter.
“Wherever we went, be it Cumnock, Shettleston or wherever, he would mix the local lads and get on with them brilliantly.
“The great Davie Johnston became our manager and decided to put his foot down and try to get Ian training, but it wasn’t for him.
“He ended up going to Forres Thistle as a result during one of the years we won the league.
“He was a complete one-off, a great shotstopper, with fantastic reflexes and he could command his box.
“Despite him being a big unit of a man, he could really get down to make a save.
He had chances with bigger clubs, but it was always about discipline. He wouldn’t knuckle down or conform. It was just not his style.”
A measure of his ability was the frequency with which he was chosen for north select teams.
Football adventures with Saints took him all over Scotland in cup action, with Tony able to recount many funny moments.
One went like this: “We played Petershill, the top junior side, over at the Showfield.
“Their committee went to the Westerlea pre-match, the bar that gave us back-up hospitality. Ian was there, sitting in the bar having a dram. He was always a very friendly guy and started chatting away over a few drinks, not letting on who he was.
“He told them ‘I’ve got to go’, and when the guys from Petershill finished their drinks and went out to watch the game, to their amazement they realised the guy they had been sitting drinking with was the opposition goalkeeper.”