BLAIRGOWRIE V BLACKBURN UNITED

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1 Saturday 6 th September, pm at the Davie Park East of Scotland Cup 1 st Round sponsored by BLAIRGOWRIE V BLACKBURN UNITED

2 Today s East of Scotland Cup tie provides a welcome break from the respective league campaigns of Blairgowrie and Blackburn United. It is with great pleasure that everyone at Davie Park welcomes players, committee and supporters of Blackburn United let s hope for an exciting tie. Blackburn United are a relatively new club, being founded in 1978, joining the juniors two years later. Like Blairgowrie, they are striving to gain promotion to the Premier League if everything were to go to plan, the clubs might just be meeting twice a season instead of in the occasional cup-tie! Football in the town of Blackburn, just off the M8 in West Lothian, is very much to the fore the junior club forms the pinnacle of the Blackburn Community Football Club. The Community Club aims to use football to improve the quality of life in the town, and a massive step forward was achieved recently with the opening of five-star facilities (see page 5). While the East of Scotland Cup is a relatively new competition for Blairgowrie, it is actually one of junior football s oldest. It was first played for in 1886 and early winners included long-forgotten clubs like Leith Emerald, Ivanhoe and Edinburgh Hawthorn. For most of its history, the trophy was competed for by clubs from the Lothians it will come as no surprise that Linlithgow Rose have won the trophy most often. Since league re-organisation in the last decade, all clubs in the new expanded East Region, from Montrose to Dunbar, compete for the East of Scotland Cup which makes it a tough trophy to win! Blairgowrie and Blackburn United have met only once before in the 3 rd round of the Scottish Junior Cup in November Blair raced to a 2-0 lead and had opportunities to score more before Blackburn came into the tie. They pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time and proved to be the stronger side after the interval, scoring twice to win 3-2. In the next round, Blackburn suffered an agonising defeat to Rutherglen Glencairn (1 0), who went on to reach the semi-final where they lost 2 1 on aggregate to eventual winners Auchinleck Talbot.

3 Blackburn can boast several players who have gone on to make it in the big time. As the present club is relatively youthful (formed in 1978), some of its predecessors have provided the launching pad for players who turned senior. They include: Alan Irvine played for Falkirk, Dundee United, Liverpool, Shrewsbury Town and East Fife in the 80 s and 90 s; made 239 senior appearances. Chris Innes man of many clubs, including Kilmarnock, Dundee United, St. Mirren and Inverness Caley Thistle. The highlight of his career was to lead Gretna to the Scottish Cup Final in Jimmy Stein played for Everton in the 1933 FA Cup Final a winger, he has the distinction of scoring the Merseysiders first-ever goal at Wembley. Everton won 3 0 against Manchester City. Chris Innes signed for Stenhousemuir from Blackburn United in In 1998, he moved on to Kilmarnock. EVERTON 3 CHELSEA 6 You would be forgiven for thinking that this might be a record score for the Premier League which has its share of dour, hardfought games. In fact last Saturday s goal fest is only the joint 7 th highest-scoring match along with 12 others which also produced nine goals. The top 6 are: 1. Portsmouth 7 Reading 4 (2007) 2. Tottenham 6 Reading 4 (2007) 3. Tottenham 9 Wigan Athletic 1 (2009) 4. Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2 (2011) 5. Arsenal 7 Newcastle United 3 (2012) 6. West Brom 5 Manchester United 5 (2013) Mourinho he didn t enjoy the 9-goal thriller: It was wonderful for everyone watching, but not for me. We cannot make so many mistakes.

4 1. Which sports TV programme reached its half century recently? 2. Which club are holders of the D J Laing East of Scotland Cup? 3. How many foreign players (from outside the British Isles) played on the first day of the then new English Premier League in 1992? Choose from: Allan McGregor played in goal for Hull City in the 2014 F A Cup Final. How many other Scots goalkeepers have done likewise? Choose from: Which student team held Auchinleck Talbot to a draw in the Preliminary Round of the Scottish Cup? *** Blairgowrie s free day last Saturday (due to an odd number of teams in the North Division), saw them fall from second place to seventh. However, this is a marathon, not a sprint! McBookie.com NORTH DIVISION P W D L F A GD PTS Luncarty Newburgh Brechin Vics Downfield Thornton Hibs Kirriemuir Thistle Blairgowrie East Craigie Lochee Harp Scone Thistle Kirkcaldy YM Kennoway Star Hearts Arbroath Vics Lochore Welfare Forfar Albion

5 When Blairgowrie travelled to Blackburn almost two years ago for their Scottish Junior Cup tie, the hosts were just months away from moving to a brand new stadium immediately adjacent to their old one! Named New Murrayfield Park, it has a capacity of 2,400 and is located in the centre of the West Lothian town. Blackburn United Juniors are the pinnacle of the Blackburn United Community Football Club which also caters for all age football, from nine to twenty-one years, girls and special needs football. The new facility boasts a six-dressing-room pavilion, the main stadium pitch, two further 11-a-side pitches and two 7-a-side pitches, one of which is soon to be converted to a floodlit, 3G pitch. Some of Blackburn United s new facilities.

6 TODAY S SQUADS BLAIRGOWRIE Founded: 1946 Gordon O Brien (vice-captain) Rory Myles Mark Brash (captain) Robbie Hood Ben Middleton Stewart Nicoll Gordan Pirie James Simpson Scott Tovey Ground: League: Record crowd: Nickname: Colours: Alternative: President: Hon President: Secretary: Treasurer: Vice-president: Manager: Assistants: Coaches: Physio: Youth Co-ordinator: Davie Park East Region, North Division 5,200 Scottish Junior Cup, 6 th round v Irvine Meadow, 1959 The Blair Blue / Black or white / Black, red Red / Black / Red Billy Mackay John Gray Mike Coyle; Assistant: Martin Mackay Eoin Walker Dennis Elder Billy Mackay Alex McCulley, Campbell Sands Nairn Gellatly, Russell McLeod Campbell Sands Campbell Sands Kit Bremner Steven Findlay Greg McDonald Ryan Menzies Danny Millar Darren Neave Gary Axworthy Jamie Duncan Sean Kelly Paul Maloney Honours: Perthshire Junior League , 52 53, 57 58, 58 59, 59 60, 60 61, 61 62, Perthshire Junior Cup , 49 50, 50 51, 53 54, 55 56, 56 57, 57 58, 58 59, 59 60, 62 63, Currie Cup , 51 52, , 56 57,59 60, 62 63, 64 65, 65 66, Perthshire Rosebowl , 51 52, 52 53, 55 56, Constitutional Cup , , Perthshire Advertiser Cup , St. Johnstone YM Trophy , 63 64, Midlands League , 70 71, Drybrough Cup Tayside First Division , St. Andrews Fives Tayside Regional League Cup Doreen Winter Cup , Tayside Second Division Rosebank Car Centre Trophy Tay Land Rover Trophy Red House Hotel Trophy Tayside and Fife Inter Regional Cup East Region North Division

7 BLACKBURN UNITED Founded: 1978, turned junior 1980 Ground: League: New Murrayfield Park East Region, South Division Capacity: 1,500 Lee Wightman Andy Cooper Lee Suchinskyj Lee Meekison Paul Callaghan Darren McIntosh Alan Brown Stewart Davidson Chris Simpson Liam Allison Jimmy Sommerville Fraser Spence Ross Williamson Jean-Marc Devineau Kevin Wilson Andy McQuillan Danny Campbell Darren Cooke Joe Brady Nickname: Colours: Alternative: President: Vice-president: Secretary: Treasurer: Manager: Assistant: Goalkeeping coach: Physio: Burnie Black / Black / Black, white Yellow / Yellow / Yellow Ian McGinty Bill Dunn Paul Meechan Michael Whelan Mark Campbell Jamie McCormick Peter Dixon Lee Reid Action from the 2012 Scottish Junior Cup tie between Blackburn United and Blairgowrie Andy Cooper

8 Victoria Park Newtongrange This week s Lost Ground played a major part in one of Blairgowrie Juniors most significant episodes. In 1948, Newtongrange Star and Blairgowrie played out what is one of the longest cup-ties in UK football history, a 5 th round Scottish Junior Cup tie and it all started at Victoria Park, Newtongrange. It took five matches to separate the two sides, with Star eventually going through 2-1 in the fourth replay. Victoria Park, opened in 1924, was demolished in 1994 to make way for housing while state of the art New Victoria Park became Newtongrange Star s present home. Go to for more info on Junior grounds, past and present. Victoria Park, Newtongrange pictured some time before Blairgowrie s visit in 1948! FRONT COVER 9 th August The photo came from 1975 and shows Blair captain Sandy Darling receiving the coveted Currie Cup after a 3 0 win over Kinnoull at Simpson Park, Perth, former home of Jeanfield Swifts. Club President David Scott looks on with pride!

9 FOLLOW BLAIR Local press The Berrypickers Weigh-in Winning numbers can be found on our web-site and in the Blairgowrie Advertiser. Draw takes place in the Royal Hotel every Monday at 6.30pm. Tickets available from the Pie Hut or from Committee members. GA CUP DRAW Blairgowrie have been drawn at home to Broughty Athletic in the GA Engineering Cup, 1 st round. No date yet SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP DRAW Saturday 27 th September Kilsyth Rangers v Blairgowrie Supporters please note that this is the Ryder Cup weekend and traffic in Central Scotland will be heavier than normal. Kilsyth play at Duncansfield, G65 9JX. Blackburn United received a bye into the second round. SOME OTHER EAST OF SCOTLAND CUP TIES TODAY (of local interest to Blairgowrie and Blackburn) Bathgate Thistle v Arniston Rangers Bo ness United v Luncarty Crossgates Primrose v Kirrie Thistle East Craigie v Arbroath Vics Haddington Athletic v Armadale Thistle Jeanfield Swifts v Scone Thistle Kelty Hearts v Downfield Kennoway Star Hearts v Forfar West End Stoneyburn v Rosyth Tayport v Harthill Royal Whitburn v Sauchie FIXTURES Saturday 13 th September, 2.30, North Division Blairgowrie v Kennoway Star Hearts Saturday 20 th September, 2.30, North Division Forfar Albion v Blairgowrie

10 Blairgowrie have been drawn away to Kilsyth Rangers in the first round of the Scottish Junior Cup the tie is due to be played on 27 th September. Kilsyth play in the West Region s second tier, the Superleague 1 st Division. Consequently, given the strength in depth of the West Region, they will be an extremely tough nut to crack, but Blairgowrie will travel with confidence and determination. Furthermore, Blair will be determined to make up for last year s dismal Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Deveronside. Blairgowrie and Kilsyth have met twice before in the Scottish Junior Cup. The first occasion was in 1955 in the 6 th round at Davie Park. After Blair s great run, which included victories over Kinnoull (8-1), Perth Celtic (1-0), Wishaw (7-2) and Blantyre Celtic (2-0), it was time to face the Wee Rangers. A crowd of 4,600 crammed into Davie Park, but the home support was to be disappointed. Although Doug Riddoch netted an equaliser for Blair, Kilsyth eventually went through by three goals to one. And they went on to lift the Cup too, beating Duntocher Hibs 4-1 at Hampden, after a 0-0 draw. The combined total attendance for the final and the replay? 95,000! Action from sixty years ago! Doug Riddoch (in white) is denied by Kilsyth s keeper. Much more recently, in 2002, Blairgowrie met Kilsyth Rangers again, this time away at Duncansfield. Blair had earned the title giant-killers after a Scottish Cup victory over high-flying Glenrothes (1-0 at home after a 1-1 draw in Fife), and travelled to North Lanarkshire with confidence. However, Blair found themselves 2-0 down midway through the secondhalf, before mounting a furious late fight-back. Sandy Reid pulled one back and in the last minute, the Blair travelling support hailed an equaliser when Alan Galazzi shot home from 18 yards. With Kilsyth ready to take the kick-off fully a minute later, the goal was inexplicably chalked off. Given that the ball was played to Blair s striker by a Kilsyth defender, and the first-time shot went through a host of defenders, some on the goal-line, offside seems unlikely but this is a mystery that has never been solved! Let s hope for better luck this time!

11 QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Match of the Day 2. Sauchie Juniors 3. Ten (1,517 in total have now played in the Premier League!) including Chic Thomson, ex-blairgowrie for Notts Forest, Chic Thomson, a Blairgowrie great, and one of twenty Scottish goalkeepers to appear in an FA Cup Final. He helped Notts Forest lift the trophy with a 2-1 win over Luton Town in Edinburgh University As outlined in the last programme, the recent ground improvements did not just happen. In addition to the part played by you, our supporters, the club would like to give thanks for their generous contributions to: Euan Bannerman Bannerman s Colour Studio, Dunkeld Road, Perth; Long-time supporter Dave Fernie; Perth & Kinross Council s Unpaid Work Team. Your support is much appreciated! Manager Billy Mackay has secured the signing of local youth goalkeeper Rory Myles (16). Welcome to Davie Park Rory, and all the best! *** Next month, Blairgowrie Juniors commence Thursday training sessions in Dundee, on 4G astroturf at the University on Riverside. As winter conditions prevail, this facility guarantees there will be no let-up in the quest for supreme fitness! *** The AGM of Blairgowrie Junior FC will take place on Monday 8 th September, at 7.00pm at the Davie Park. All welcome! *** After today s tie, Ryan Menzies has one match of his 3-match suspension to serve. He will be available to play Forfar Albion.

12 Blairgowrie supporter David Sands was club mascot for the recent match v Newburgh. He is pictured here with the club captains and the referee. If you know of any boy or girl who would like to be a mascot, please contact a committee member. Gary Axworthy drives forward from midfield in the recent North Division match v East Craigie. Blair won 4-2 thanks to a blistering three-goal burst before the interval. Scorers were Darren Neave, Greg McDonald, Scott Tovey and Paul Maloney. SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP TIME! Some views of Duncansfield, home of Blair s Scottish Cup opponents Kilsyth Rangers on 27 th September.