The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. It was just a run-of-the-mill league game, played out at Dreghorn’s Fordside Park in 1967/68. The atrocious weather was spoiling the play, but the players battled through the wind and rain and gave the rain-soaked fans something to occupy their thoughts …
1959 – A Teddy Bear’s Hampden Picnic
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Recalling the 1959 Scottish Cup final triumph over Shettleston conjures up famous names like Ian Prentice, “Hookey” Walker, Johnnie McIntyre and double goalscorer Jackie Morrison. However, one small but important personality from that glorious day has been sadly neglected over the …
Ayrshire Dockyard Company
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Regular readers of my articles will be aware that Irvine has not always been a two-club town as far as Junior football is concerned. If you go back to Queen Victoria’s Reign you’ll come across names like Irvine Caledonia, Irvine Rangers …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …