A QUARTET of legendary Athletic Scottish Cup winners took a step back in time on Monday to support West Fifers living with dementia.

Alex Smith, who lifted the trophy with the club in 1961, together with Roy Barry, Willie Callaghan and Bert Paton, who were winners seven years later, were reacquainted with the silverware in the latter’s home village of High Valleyfield when they visited Alzheimer Scotland’s Football Memories Group.

The project, which is run in partnership between the charity, Dunfermline Athletic’s community arm, the Pars Foundation, and the Scottish Football Museum, aims to encourage people living with the condition to attend and reminisce about the game and players from bygone eras.

Old football images and memorabilia – such as photographs, programmes, shirts and boots – are used by the group to stimulate memories and encourage discussions that can often move away from the game itself.

Across Scotland, there are approximately 90,000 people living with dementia, and it is estimated that 20,000 will be diagnosed with the condition every year by 2020.

Janis Brash, community activities organiser for Alzheimer Scotland in Fife, says that the group – which could move from Valleyfield Community Centre to East End Park from next month – says that the response from users and their carers has been positive.

“It has been an excellent day and everyone has interacted and shared their memories,” she said.

“During the session, you don’t know who has dementia and who doesn’t, which is great because it doesn’t matter.

“People that used to play go to some groups, as well as people who just like football. The conversation can move on to be about what bus they took, or who they went with, or, if they open a programme, they remember what pies they used to get or maybe taking the tram.

“Sometimes the conversation goes away from football and that’s great. We’ve had feedback from people that they really enjoy it, and a few of the ex-players are really into it.”

Barry, who captained the 1968 side, said: “It’s brilliant.

“Ian (a group member) asked Willie who his hardest opponent was, and he said it was an outside left who played for St Johnstone, but he couldn’t remember his name. But then that led to me talking about who my hardest opponent was, which would have to be Jimmy Johnstone.

“It stimulates us as well as the people here, and brings a lot of our memories back.”

Richard McBrearty, project director, added: “These are people who have life stories and this is an opportunity for them to tell them, while trying to lose a bit of the stigma associated with dementia.

“People with it are sometimes written off, and can lose hobbies and even access to friends sometimes, but this brings them back into a social environment. If they remember one thing, it’s amazing how that connects with others from that time of their life. It’s very powerful.”

The group’s next meeting will be on February 18 and, for more information, call 01592 204541.