Alan Davidson joined Queens in 1982 and made 364 first team appearances over two spells. Affectionately nicknamed ’Barney’, an excellent all round keeper, he was goallie in the 1985/86 promotion campaign. Davidson was something of a penalty saving specialist - he was a hero of Queens’ first ever penalty shoot out when QoS were on a run to the 1990 League Cup quarter finals. A popular player with team mates and fans, he was also a character of some enigma.
Alan Davidson was born into a football family. His father, Bobby Davidson, was Scotland’s most highly distinguished referee of his era something akin to what Hugh Dallas has been in more recent times. Davidson senior refereed a total of four games from the 1962, 1970 and 1974 World Cups. In West Germany in 1974 he refereed what is a well remembered game by those who watched from the fluid and attractive football played by Johan Cruyff and Netherlands in defeating Argentina 4-0. There was considerable speculation in the Scottish media that Davidson would be asked to referee the 1974 final game itself. However that honour went to England’s Jack Taylor.
Bob Davidson was also a linesman during games at each of these tournaments. The highest profile of the games in which he filled this role was the final itself in 1962. This was won 3-1 by Brazil beating Czechoslovakia, the team who needed a play off to eliminate Scotland in the qualification phase to reach the finals. He was also in charge of England v Rest of the World (2-1 to England), in October 1963 marking The Football Association centenary. His biggest club game was refereeing the 1975 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final. The score was Dinamo Kiev 3, Ferencváros 0, with Oleg Blokhin scoring.
Alan Davidson was playing junior football for Royal Albert in Larkhall before spending the second half of the 1979/80 season with Celtic. There was irony of this in light of who is father was as the similarities to Hugh Dallas didn’t end with officiating in matches on the world stage. Bob Davidson wasn’t the most popular of figures in his day with many in the Celtic support.
Ross Corbett, Travel Club Chairman, said in a 2007 interview with Bill Goldie.
Davidson left Queens to spend 1988 and 89 in Australia with Perth club, Floreat Athena, a side unsurprisingly originally formed by players of Greek heritage. Their best known ex player is Stan Lazaridis from the early 90s. Davidson’s arrival coincided with the club’s first ‘golden period’. Having achieved little before, Floreat were a team on the ascent when Davidson pitched up, having finished third in the two seasons prior to his arrival. Davidson’s presence turned Floreat from up coming also rans into champions, claiming their second ever Western Australia Premier League title. Davidson’s team topped the league again in his second season but rather than top of the league deciding the title, a new top four finals play off was used to decide. Floreat lost in the final to Perth Italia. After Davidson’s departure his ex club endured exactly the same fate for the next two seasons – top of the league but losers in the play off final to their arch rivals.
"In round three it got even better when we beat Premier League Dunfermline at East End Park, winning 2-1. Two Dumfries lads were in their team that night, Davie Irons and [future QoS] manager, Ian McCall. I wonder if the pair of them remember it. It was then Celtic in the quarter finals at Parkhead and we were all excited - only 90 minutes away from a semi-final! It was 1-1 going into the last ten minutes but Joe Miller scored seven minutes from time to end our dream".
Playing under Ally MacLeod among others, Davidson was with Queens until February 1994 followed by a short spell in the North of Ireland with Ards. He then returned to Lanarkshire the following summer this time joining Albion Rovers. He gradually dropped out of the scene at Rovers and so in 1997 he joined Kirkintilloch Rob Roy. In September 1998 he signed for Martin Clark (son of European Cup winning John), at Armadale Thistle after first choice goallie Peter Davis received a 6 year ban.
Alan Davidson’s 364 first team appearances for Queen of the South place him 10th in the club’s all time appearances list. A goalkeeping distinction was his equaling the club record four consecutive shut outs (George Farm, Allan Ball, David Purdie and David Hutton have also achieved this).
Subsequent to the original publication of this article we have now made contact with Barney himself. We will be updating this feature with Alan Davidson’s own comments.