Do You Remember ……………. Scott McKillop

SCOTT McKILLOP

Having previously played for West Bergholt in the Essex & Suffolk Border League Scott was signed by Steve Dowman from Clacton Town and exploded onto the Wivenhoe scene in spectacular fashion on his debut at Worthing on Saturday 5th November 1994 in an Isthmian League First Division match. Having produced an assured performance in our midfield for 60 minutes he was sent off for attempting to assassinate a home player who had pissed him off and was promptly suspended for three games. Having picked up a caution in his first match back following his ban for a “robust” challenge in a superb 2-1 victory at Billericay Town, the Boxing day derby against Heybridge Swifts was next up on the agenda. Scott interrupted a Christmas break in Scotland and travelled back to play only to be rewarded with two dubious cautions resulting in a 56th minute dismissal. Obviously disgusted with it all Scott marched menacingly from the pitch, jumped over the surround wall….and landed straight into one of the large plastic dustbins on the terrace !!. Thus, as the “SOBS” hoots of laughter echoed around Broad Lane, the legend of “Dusty” was born (this nickname coming from the Dusty Bin character from the old “3…2…1” game show).

“Dusty” became a firm favourite of the “SOBS” and the Fanzine “Look For Floodlights” bestowed upon him his own logo as well as regularly  paying tribute to this Dragons hero’s antics. Scott’s Wivenhoe career was unfortunately blighted by injury as well as enforced “lay offs” courtesy of the Essex County Football Association (rumour has it that he gleaned more bookings than Butlins during his first season with us !) all of which combined to result in him making considerably less appearances (77 in total) than he would normally have done over his near three year association with the Dragons.

Although making several appearances at left back, “Dusty” was really at his best in our midfield where his vision and passing ability always made him able to produce that killer pass to open up an  opposing defence while at the same time also being able to be combative in a midfield battle. Although never afraid to have a “pop” at goal, Scott  was hardly what you could term as “prolific”, however, there were a couple of real crackers amongst the six goals he did score, the thunderous effort at Billericay in the Essex Senior Cup especially standing out in the memory and sparking his “3…2…1” goal celebration. In addition to his outfield duties “Dusty” also made one full First Team appearance as goalkeeper. That occasion came on Saturday 20th April 1996 when both of the club’s custodians were unavailable for a home league game against Hungerford Town and Scott very nearly crowned a good performance with a clean sheet as the visitors only managed to beat him for their consolation goal in a 3-1 win with the last kick of the match.

With his aforementioned run-ins with match Officials it was only fitting that the “SOBS” made him guest referee for a supporters game against Billericay working on the theory that he wouldn’t dare book anyone after some of the things we had witnessed him do on the pitch !!. Scott’s last First team appearance came on Tuesday 9th September 1997 in a 0-2 home League Cup defeat at the hands of Purfleet when he looked the best player on the night. His very last game in a Wivenhoe Town shirt came on Saturday 4th October 1997 in a 4-0 Essex & Suffolk Border League victory for the Reserves over Weeley Athletic Reserves before he departed Broad Lane to link up with Gas Recreation. A popular player who really made an impression with the Dragons fans, by way of tribute, reproduced below from Issue 42 of “Floodlights” is a referee’s view of the day he leapt into the Wivenhoe Town Hall Of Fame.

(Click and zoom the below to read the feature taken from ‘Look for floodlights’)

 

Below is a genuine “dusty” caution (worth nothing unless you have the rest of the collection).  We have protected the identity of the match official just in case Scott still bears a grudge after all these years.  This particular booking goes to show that the “magic sponge” really does work.

(Click and zoom to read the above, which is part o a referee’s report in regards to ‘one’ of Scott’s bookings)

Wivenhoe Town 1994/95

Back: (L to R) Elliot Davidson, Steve Dowman (Player/Manager) Barry Wreford (Physio)

Middle: Arthur Wenborn (Assistant Manager), Bruce Reid, Christian Davies, Kevin Foskett, Kieran Johnson, Steve Howe, Carl Kick, Christian Fordred, Christian McLean, Scott Juniper.

Front: Robbie Quinnell, Scott McKillop, Mark Hewitson, David Gray.