The Narey modesty surfaced again when it was announced in 1992 that
he had been awarded an MBE for his services to football. "I'm only
a footballer" was the gist of his response. He wasn't only a footballer.
He was one of the most respected footballers in Scotland and there were
thousands of United fans who were delighted when on 18 November 1992
at Buckingham Palace he received his MBE.
For the best part of twenty-two years Dave Narey, injury permitting,
was an automatic choice for the first team and during his long career
he only made three appearances as a substitute. His ability to avoid
injury, or to bounce back easily was a feature of his career and it
was not until Season 1990/91 that a back injury curtailed his appearances
to a just four league and two European games appearances but he came
back and over the next two seasons he made a total of 57 appearances.
In his last season at Tannadice there was a long spell when he did
not feature in the first team but in the Scottish Cup Fourth Round replay
at Fir Park on 1 March 1994 he returned to action, strolled through
the game and stole the show.
On 21 May 1994, an amazing 20 years after Dave Narey had first been
associated with United in a Cup Final, United finally won the Scottish
Cup The scenes at the end included the sight of Dave Narey dancing about
like a sand boy. There were no show of envy towards the players who
had won the one honour which had eluded Dave after 22 years and five
final defeats. What made his evident pleasure in the joy of others so
remarkable was that he had been given a free transfer by United the
day before the Final.
20 May 1994 seemed to be the end of the Dave Narey story but there
was one more episode. In Season 1994/95 he joined Raith Rovers and within
four months was a League Cup winner all over again with a classy display
for the Kirkcaldy men in the final at Ibrox against Celtic.
In a glittering career Dave Narey travelled the world and won many
plaudits, medals and titles but the one accolade he probably savours
most is that he is the best footballer ever to come out of Dundee -
and in a city once famous for bonnet-making he has the caps to prove
it.
