The youngest player to appear in the Spurs first team in the league at the age of 16 years and 301 days (a record that lasted 27 years), Ally Dick did not go on to fulfil his early potential as a tricky winger.
Blessed with a change of pace that left defenders for dead and an ability to dribble the ball, Dick showed what he could do in a Schoolboy international at Wembley for Scotland against England in a 5-4 win as a 15 year old on 7th June 1980 and did the same in a few Spurs games.
But maybe it was a case of being introduced into the side too soon, with only a handful of appearances and injuries starting to limit his progress. Signed by Spurs as an apprentice in 1981, he made his first team debut before he was on a professional contract, but failed to establish himself in the side, suffering from being light-weight when playing up against some of the tougher, more experienced full backs in the division.
Showed that he had talent, but even though he was in the side as a substitute for the UEFA Cup Final in 1984, when Spurs beat Anderlecht on penalties, he almost had to be substituted after getting injured shortly after coming on.
So, after 21 appearances in four years, Ally was released to move to Ajax in Holland, where he was signed by Johan Cruyff. However, his career nearly took a very different turn, with Graeme Souness interested in taking him to Glasgow Rangers, but his Catholic background was a barrier to his signing in the end.
At Ajax, he was playing with Arnold Muhren, Marco van Basten, Ronald Koeman and Dennis Bergkamp, but once more, he was struck down by a serious injury against Olympiakos in the European Cup Winners Cup. Played only 12 times in his three years in Holland, before returning to England to try his luck again, having trials with Derby County and Southampton, before joining Wimbledon. Left the Dons after eight months to sign for Brighton, but didn't stay there long.
Ended up seeing the world by playing in Australia and South Africa, but went back to Scotland to finish his career with Alloa Athletic.
Last heard of taking his UEFA B badge coaching course in 2002, coaching youngsters at Stirling Albion and working for a newspaper distributor in Edinburgh.