TT No.189: Mike Latham - Saturday 20 March 2010: Emirates Airlines Scottish Junior Cup Quarter-Final: Clydebank 2-1 Hill of Beath Hawthorn; Attendance: 623; Admission: £5; Programme: £1; FGIF Match Rating: 4* |
Matchday images (10) >view>
Every so often a book is published that simply blows you away with its astonishing depth of research and mind-blowing collection of historical photographs. Simon Inglis’s football grounds books fell into that category, so too did the Geoff Wilde/Michael Braham history of Southport FC in the Football League, the Sandgrounders; and Gary James's history of football in
Another book has just been published that falls into that august listing- Played in
Clydebank isn’t mentioned in the book for one simple reason- as you venture along the A814 out of Glasgow you exit greater Glasgow and enter Dunbartonshire and before too long the home of Yorker Athletic JFC, Holm Park, can be spotted on the left-hand side close to where the ferry connects the north side of the Clyde to Renfrew and the south. Yoker are an old club, formed back in 1886, their ground adjacent to the
The history of football in Clydebank, the adjoining town to Yoker, is worthy of a serious historical study in its own right- perhaps when the estimable Mr O’Brien has drawn breath from his four years of serious research he may set it as part of his next project. There was a senior club in Clydebank from 1888 to 1902 and Clydebank Juniors formed in 1899 won the Scottish Junior Cup in 1942 before controversially ‘merging’ with
In 1966 a reincarnated Clydebank FC, formed a year earlier gained entry into the Scottish League and played there for a period of 35 seasons, three of them in the Premier League. But lost their ground
Happily there was sufficient will and resolve among the football supporters in the town to keep the flag flying and a new junior side was formed in 2003, initially playing home games at Drumchapel Amateurs before entering into a ground-share agreement with Yoker in 2008. After two promotions
The club website (http://www.clydebankfc.co.uk/) is simply outstanding and match highlights of
There’s a club shop and supporters are bedecked in club scarves, hats and jerseys and the upstairs room of the Yoker clubhouse has been converted into a bar area. The club produces an excellent programme, one of the best I’ve seen north of the border and team news is relayed over the PA system. I’d visited Yoker several years ago and my photograph of the iconic barrel-shaped covered terrace on the
The match offered an intriguing clash of west and east with the visitors beaten just once this season and still having an amazing 16 of their scheduled 22 league matches to play. They won each of their previous ten games and clearly provided a huge test of the Bankies’ cup ambitions.
The early stages confirmed that view, Stewart firing the Haws into an early lead as the home side struggled to impose themselves on the tie. Their frustrations grew with the yellow card count and as the teams trooped off at the break
But the second half brought an amazing change with several away players seemingly struggling with the pace of the game, perhaps a reflection of how little football the sides have played in a weather-ravaged winter. Clydebank equalised when their full-back
Now the visitors looked rattled and their bookings tally mounted (the final count was 5-4). With 20 minutes to go the Haws were awarded a stonewall penalty but Bathgate’s shot was superbly parried away by Gonet in the Bankies’ goal. With that the visitors’ challenge faded and
Last season they were unable to play the home leg of their semi-final at Excuse me but now I must get back to my book. |
contributed on 21/03/10 |