Reading in the Evening Times of the dream teams selected by well-known Junior characters gave Ashfield boss John Conlin plenty to think about and explains why he took so long to come forward with his own choices.

Understandable really , given "The Monk" is coming up on a 40 year association with the game he debuted in as a 17 year old at Petershill after his displays for Possil Y.M. came to the attention of legendary Peasy match secretary Jimmy Kiddie.

A career switch to Armadale Thistle (even he cannot fathom out why?) was followed by Junior Semple enticing him to Saracen Park for what proved to be an eight year stay as player. coach and finally manager supported by able lieutenants Stevie Rankin and Willie Patterson.

Then came spells in charge of Rutherglen Glencairn , Maryhill, Cumbernauld United and Benburb until John stepped down to Knightswood Juveniles and helped develop the likes of Chris Wilson (Kilbirnie) , Terry Hewitt(Blantyre Vics) and Tommy Martin (Clydebank) before his strong Junior pull enticed him back to Ashfield in the season before last where he and backroom team allies Iain Ritchie and Gerry McLaughlin have attempted to revive the ailing Possil outfit's fortunes.

The following is John's salute to the wealth of talent to have crossed his path.

Goalkeeper:-John was torn between the shotstopping brilliance of Scott Black (Glencairn) and two former Ashfield greats Brian Alexander and Craig Nelson however he opted for Blacky saying

"Such a tough call to make but Scott 's defensive leadership (he always commanded his penalty box) and influence in and around the dressing room earned him the gloves."

Defenders:- Choosing a right back was only problematic because of the fabulous choices available to the Ashfied boss who lauded the qualities of the relatively little known David Frew (St Rochs) whom he had played alongside at Possil Y.M.

He insisted ,"Davie was a huge talent who should have gone on to make a name for himself in Scottish football and I also recall outstanding full backs in Barry Rossiter(Glencairn) and Gavin Duncan (Arthurlie ) however I simply cannot see past Dougie Friedman of Petershill whose overlapping powers were awesome but he also possessed a biting tackle as many wingers of his time can testify."

"On the left , I swithered over Stevie Rankin, or wee Craig Brittain who stepped up Senior from Ashfeld but ultimately I cannot think of a better Junior left back over the past 20 years than big Mark McLaughlin (Arthurlie) ."

John's mindset when it came to his central defensive pairing was to pick a couple of uncompromising types capable of putting the " fear of death" into opposition strikers though he did dabble with the idea of including Gerry Collins alongside classy ex-Shotts Bon Accord sweeper Andy Cunningham who was a team mate in his early Armadale Thistle days.

He reminisced , " Andy read the game so well and always appeared to be a step ahead of forwards but even his qualities are put in the shade by Ian "Tattie" Young (Petershill) who was every bit as adept at winning tackles and hoofing the ball upfield as he was in turning defence into attack with pinpoint passing.

" Big Tattie was a winner and would always be in my team while alongside him is someone of a very similar ilk in Pat Cairney (Arthurlie and Petershill) who took no prisoners and had few peers when it came to aerial challenges."

Midfielders: Byegone greats in Ashfield's hoops dominated John's thoughts for the right flank role and he came ever so close to selecting former Hamilton Accies boss Billy Reid - "a wonderfully skilled winger" but when push came to shove he plumped for the talented Sean Bainbridge whom he bought from Beith and sold to Stenhousemuir.

On the opposite flank , John did not hesitate in penning the name of Martin Nelson whom he recalls having a "wand of a left foot" at Glencairn , Shettleston , Maryhill and Pollok.

He insisted, " People will think I've lost the place but for me Nelly is one of the most truly gifted footballers ever produced in Scotland and he could and should have graced the biggest stadiums in the land ."

John thought long and hard about going for a ball winning type to anchor his engine room - and the names of Tommy Carberry and Dougie Fontana were swirling in his head - but instead he chose to go with classy creative players capable of passing the ball to great effect as well as individualism of the highest order.

He revealed , "Martin McGarvey 's name came to mind but for me , Jimmy Hughes(Pollok) is one of the all-time best Junior players to have played at Junior level and to partner him I cannot think of anyone better than my former Maryhill midfielder Richie McCusker who scored countless outstanding goals bursting forward from the middle of the park."

Forwards:- John said "I played against the likes of Paddy Smyth (Glasgow Perthshire) Andy Dailly (Pollok) and also managed Phil Carvill and Hughie Farrell at Ashfield however the best marksman I ever came across was Paddy Turner of Maryhill so he gets the nod to play up front.

"Beside him I would put someone described by Sir Alex Ferguson as his greatest ever signing at Aberdeen - Frank McDougall (ex- Glasgow Perthshire) and there is surely no higher accolade than that ."

John's team spanning five decades reads as Black, Friedman, Cairney, Young, McLaughlin, Bainbridge , Hughes , McCusker, Nelson, Turner , McDougall. Substitutes:-Collins, McGarvey, Farrell, Fulton, Alexander GK).