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1970 Ian’s Cracking Performance

The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. I’ve often heard the Ayrshire Regional League Cup being referred to as a competition that “didnae maitter onyway” … usually after the Medda has been unexpectedly knocked out of it. To be fair it was never one of the high prestige …

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George Wall:  Johnny McIntyre put me to left-back

The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. George Wall began his Junior career at Dalry Thistle, playing alongside a young Jim Leighton, who went on to win 91 Scottish international caps during his career with, amongst others, Aberdeen, Manchester United and Hibs.  At the other end of his …

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Robert Smallwood – Re-united with his Past

The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. The wide-eyed 12-year-old Meadow fan reached his hands up as Bobby Carroll held out his trophy for the schoolboy to hold. It was the morning of the 1959 Scottish Junior Cup final and the players were having a pre-match breakfast with …

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The Marymass Derby

The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Over the years Meadow XI has dominated the traditional Marymass Derby against local rivals Irvine Victoria, but it wasn’t like that right at the start.  Up until 1921 both clubs had enjoyed free Marymass Saturdays to allow the people of the …

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Alexander Dickson – From Hero to Villain

In the heyday of Scottish Junior football, it was fairly common practice for fans to celebrate their clubs’ successes by immortalising cup wins and great players in verse.  In 1909 Kilwinning Rangers gave the amateur poets amongst their fans good  reason to sharpen their pencils.  The following lines are attributed to “Garnock”  Hurrah! for the Kilwinning “Buffs,”  The “Buffs” whom …

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Alex “Sanny” Moffat – If the Cap Fits

When Alexander “Sanny” Moffat signed for his local club, Irvine Meadow XI, in 1898 he could have had no idea that he was going to make history for the club.  For as well as contributing towards Meadow’s first trophy success, he was the first Meadow player to be selected to play for his country.  “Sanny” was joining a young club …

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Second Time: A Companion to Time Piece

In December 2019, my book entitled Time Piece, a history of James Blair and the clocks, clock & watchmakers of Kilwinning, 1719-2019, was published by Kilwinning Heritage and launched at an event at Nethermains Community Centre, in January 2020. It sold out in the first year and was subsequently reprinted. It has now been updated and revised with full-colour clocks …

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Kenny Dalglish at Victoria Park in 1967

The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. When Irvine Victoria were drawn to play at home against Cumbernauld United in the 1st Round of the Scottish Cup in 1967/68 they couldn’t possibly have known they’d be facing one of the greatest players ever to be produced in Scotland.  …

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Willie Stewart: Brains in his Head as well as in his Feet

To generations of Irvine schoolchildren he was Mr Stewart the Maths teacher at Irvine Royal Academy, but Willie Stewart had a second career as a player in both Junior and Senior football.  The boot was on the other foot recently, when one of his former First Year pupils was the one asking the questions.  GMcC:  You began your football career …

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Beith v The Buffs – It’s Raining Goals

The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Fans paying to get into Beith’s Bellsdale Park on 19th January 1952, were probably just glad that there was a game for them to go to.  The wintery weather had left the park covered in a blanket of snow, which would …