I was saddened to hear of the passing of Jim Brogan this week.

Jim and I played alongside one another – and against one another.

Him and I used to often take a team each on a Friday afternoon before a Saturday game and we’d play a five-a-side game on the red blaise at the old Celtic Park.

We would go up against one another at the former Rangers end when there was still a track around the pitch. Some of those games got pretty heated and I can testify to the fact that Jim was as hard as nails.

He was a fair play but he was a tough, tough player. He was late to full-time football after studying which was something that we had in common.

I hadn’t seen him in a long time when I heard of his passing but my thoughts go out to his wife and his family. Dementia is such a cruel illness and there seems to be a link between those heavy old balls and repeated heading of them.