The family trees of three of Scotland’s footballing heroes with historical links to Dumbarton have been revealed in a series of books by author and genealogist Derek Niven.

The three footballers are Graham Fyfe in “Pride of the Bears” and Sir Alex Ferguson and the late Walter Smith, both of whom feature in “Pride of the Jocks”.

Derek told the Reporter: “The idea for this series of books honouring the achievements of famous footballing legends, and the ancestors who made them, came from my passion for footballing history and through my work as a genealogist.

“What became fascinating in the research for the books was just how interesting the stories of the players’ ancestors revealed themselves through tales of migration, poverty and two world wars.”

In “Pride of the Bears”, Derek tells how Graham Fyfe, a medal winning substitute in Barcelona for Rangers in 1972, was the son of William Fyfe, a motor lorry driver, and Susan O’Neill.

After seven seasons at Ibrox, Fyfe left in 1976 to join Hibernian, in a short-lived move, and then he moved to Boghead Park to play for Dumbarton between 1977 and 1979.

He then moved to the USA to play in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

In “Pride of the Jocks”, Derek tells how Sir Alex Ferguson, arguably the greatest British manager of all time, was the grandson of John Ferguson who was born in 1880 at 129 High Street, Dumbarton to Robert Ferguson, a riveter, and Catherine Mulholland, whose parents were Irish immigrants.

John Ferguson went on to work as a ship plater’s helper in the Dumbarton shipyards, most likely with the main employer, Denny & Co. John, of West Bridgend, Dumbarton, married Sir Alex’s grandmother Jenny Beaton, a printfield worker, of Main Street, Renton, in Renton Public Hall in 1912.

Also in “Pride of the Jocks”, Derek tells how the late Walter Smith, son of John Smith, a crane driver, and Elizabeth Rogerson, and who gained most of his success as manager of Rangers, was signed by Jim McLean in 1967 to play for Dundee United.

In September 1975, he was brought to Dumbarton FC by manager Alex Wright and former Rangers player Davie Wilson.

Wilson had worked alongside Smith’s father at the local steelworks near the village of Westburn, Cambuslang, and latterly had been a teammate at Dundee United.

To read more about the above fascinating histories “Pride of the Bears” and “Pride of the Jocks” are available in Waterstones Glasgow stores and on Amazon.co.uk in paperback for £9.99 and also on eBook from £0.99.