Following in the footsteps of Billy Bremner

Twenty five years after his death, Scottish football legend Billy Bremner still looms large on the streets where he grew up.

Bremner was born in the Raploch area of Stirling in 1942 and went on to become regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

Working with pupils from his former school St Modan's High, and the local community, Stirling University researchers uncovered a swathe of stories connected to Bremner.

The footballer died on 7 December 1997, two days before his 55th birthday.

The new material has been shared in an online exhibition through the university website.

Bremner lived in the Raploch with his adopted parents Pop and Bessie Bremner.

After rejecting Arsenal and Chelsea, he signed for Leeds United shortly after his 17th birthday in 1959 and made his senior debut against Chelsea the following month.

The homesick teenager, who later captained the team, made many trips back to the Raploch.

Leeds United manager Don Revie described the youngster as "a born captain", saying: "Billy on one leg is better than a lot on two."

The midfielder made 585 appearances for Leeds between 1959 and 1976 before becoming manager of Doncaster in 1978.

He returned to Leeds as manager in 1985, staying for three years, and went back to Doncaster in 1989.

Bremner also picked up 54 caps for Scotland between 1965 and 1975.

He was described in a newspaper headline as "10st of barbed wire", but his passionate nature also got him into trouble on several occasions.

The most memorable of these was during the 1974 Charity Shield, when Bremner and Liverpool striker Kevin Keegan were both sent off after a clash.

The new collection includes anecdotes from former school friends, neighbours and team-mates, as well as photos, match reports and school records.

The online archive also includes a new heritage trail, created in partnership with St Modan's pupils, which details sites significant to Bremner's life in Raploch.

Sports heritage expert Professor Richard Haynes said the university was overwhelmed with the amount of material it collected for the project.

He said: "We met close friends of Billy's, who had grown up with him and remained life-long friends, who gave us new insight into his personality and character.

"Billy was a star of the 1960s and 70s and so it was really important to capture these local stories now - as his peers enter later life, these memories were in danger of being lost for good."

Local school pupils interviewed lifelong Leeds fans about what Bremner meant to them.

Comedy writer Philip Differ, also a former St Modan's student, recalled Bremner's visit to the school in the 1970s.

Prof Haynes said: "The school still has a photo of that event displayed outside the head teacher's office.

"But many of the pupils had never heard of Bremner nor realised his significance in the world of sport and to the local area."

Researcher Karen Fraser said the interviewees' pride and affection for Bremner was apparent from the beginning.

She said: "They spoke about his talent, his humour and sense of fun, his loyalty to his friends, his love of Raploch and the fact that he never really left this behind - even when miles away playing and then managing.

"Their generosity in spending time participating in the project enabled us to bring to life the time that Billy spent in the Raploch."