Alexander "Sandy" McLaren is normally shown as born in the Perthshire village of Tibbermore. Alternatively his birth is given as Perth itself. In truth it was neither. The actual place was Tulloch, now within the city's boundaries but then in open country-side between village and then town. His mother was from rural Madderty, his father from Perth itself, working at Pullars, its nationally-known Cleaners and Dyers with several works, the latest just down the hill. 

And it was with the Tulloch junior team that Sandy began, to be signed by St.Johnstone at just sixteen, a first-team regular eighteen months later and called up and playing for Scotland at just eighteen. In part it was because the SFA President, Bob Campbell, was St. Johnstone Chairman but it makes him still Scotland's youngest ever 'keeper.