TT No.205: Mike Latham - Tuesday 3 April 2007: Scottish League Division 3.  Queen’s Park 2-1 East Stirlingshire.  Attendance: 552; Admission: £9; 40pp programme: £2; FGIF Match Rating: 3*

View matchday images 01 02 03 04 05   On a gloriously sunny Spring afternoon in Glasgow there was only one thing to do- take an open top bus tour of the city.  What magnificent sights are to be seen- the architecture is simply stunning and the running commentary very informative.  With free parking by the bus stop next to the People’s Palace, not far from Celtic Park on Glasgow Green, it is an inexpensive and entertaining way to learn more about the city.   It got me thinking about the last time Queen’s Park FC had an open-top bus tour- probably in 1893 when they won the Scottish Cup for the tenth and final time.  Save for a couple of minor league title wins the last 114 years have been pretty barren which means that the Spiders’ fans in a crowd of 552 at Hampden Park, save perhaps for the ancient distinguished man sitting to my left, have never seen them win anything of note.   Queen’s Park are, as every schoolboy knows, the only all-amateur team in the Scottish Leagues and, bizarrely, they play out their games in relative obscurity, attracting just a few hundred fans inside the magnificently redeveloped Hampden Park which holds 52,500.   But times may be a changing.  The Spiders went into this game on the back of a magnificent winning run of seven games, all without conceding a goal- a club record- to put them in with a good chance of promotion.  And they appear to be making inroads into the Glaswegian population with some of the cheapest prices around the Scottish Leagues.   It costs £9 for an adult admission but kids are admitted for only £2 and there is a special offer of an adult and up to four kids for only £10.  Judging by the make-up of the crowd a lot of families had taken advantage of this offer.  The club list 15 youth coaches in the programme and are clearly intent on developing roots in the community.   Visiting Hampden could hardly be easier- it’s just ten minutes’ drive through Rutherglen at the end of the M74 and for Queen’s Park games there is a huge amount of free parking available in front of the main stand.  Just one section of the stand is open for games but, despite the rest of the ground being deserted, there is still a reasonable atmosphere.   Once inside prices of catering are above the norm- a cup of coffee is £1.30 but there is an excellent souvenir shop while the full- colour programme, all 40 pages with a breadth of good reading, is good value for £2.  The club website is also outstanding, with a good mix of old and new and a match report of this game, well-written and informative, is posted soon after the final whistle.   Queen’s Park make a nervous start against the bottom club before an outstanding strike from Steve Canning breaks the deadlock.  Though the visitors equalise through Derek Ure- highlighted as a danger-man in the programme- Robert Dunn’s first ever Spiders’ goal, in his 30th first-team game, seals another win.  At which point the gentleman to my left, who has the look of a university professor and is brandishing a pile of papers under his arm, opens his coat to reveal a Queen’s Park shirt before kissing the badge.  Passion- real passion.   The home side hang on to win but East Stirlingshire play far better football than might be expected, their right-winger, Marc McKenzie, being particularly impressive. The atmosphere is friendly and most of the members of the crowd- save for the small group of visiting fans- seem to know one another.   The game over, the fans soon disappear into the night and a visit to the CAMRA acclaimed Clockwork Beer Co in nearby Cathcart Road is called for.  By chance, it seems to be the haunt of many Queen’s Park fans, including the professor, who is studiously downing a pint of Deuchars.   If visiting during the afternoon a visit to the outstanding Scottish Football Museum is recommended.  They do special tickets that also include entrance to a Queen’s Park game.  And, if time allows, take a look at the former ground of Third Lanark at nearby Cathkin Park where the terraces are overgrown but the setting is little changed from their days in the league- a wonderful, though eerie experience.  A visit to Hampden Park to watch the Spiders in action is recommended.   In a few weeks’ time Hampden will stage the UEFA Cup Final by which time Queen’s Park’s promotion aspirations will have been decided.  Hopefully the professor will be celebrating.

contributed on 06/04/07