Bathgate2008s v Bathgate2018s

June 2018 represented the 10th Anniversary of Bathgate Thistle's Scottish Junior Cup win over Cumnock at Rugby Park.  And in commemoration, members of the 2008 squad were invited back to Creamery Park for a charity match against the current squad.  

The majority of the cup final sixteen were able to attend, the exceptions being Iain Nicolson (although there was someone awfy like him on the terracing), Stephen Docherty, Scott Bannerman, Kevin Haynes and the late Paul McGrillen.  The club had, rather wonderfully, not only invited members of Paul's family along, but had asked Paul's 18-year old son Josh to play in his dad's position up front.

And the young lad most certainly did not look out of place, scoring Bathgate2008's goal in a 3-1 defeat.

Bathgate Thistle v Bathgate Thistle - June 2018

Bathgate2018

Bathgate2008

Current Pollok goalkeeper Jordan Longmuir (L) was an unused sub 10 years ago.
As he was today, presumably because Pollok's season is still going strong.

Stewart Easton & Andy Carlin

Alan Neill

Graeme Love

Willie Wilson

Willie Wilson & Brian McColligan

I am not quite sure what is going on here.

Josh McGrillen

Johnny Harvey 

Brian McColligan

...and again.

Had this been a cup final against Cumnock, say, one hopes Johnny Harvey and Fraser Love
would have been prepared to take one in the face for the team.

The Two Fearties.

Panorama of Creamery Park, Bathgate

Paul Jack

Josh McGrillen equalises for the Old Guard.

Chris McFadyen

One of Andy Carlin's many stops.

Johnny Harvey

Stephen Menmuir

Chris McFadyen

Fraser Love

Brian McColligan

Robbie Feeney (9) puts the Young Pups 2-1 up.

Willie Wilson

Apologies for not being able to name any of the Bathgate2018 side.

Bathgate Thistle 10th Anniversary Match - June 2018

Back in 2008 (before everyone discovered Pie & Bovril), the Yahoo Group Scottish-Juniors was the main forum for supporters of Scottish Junior clubs.  And I would regularly post what I thought at the time were sharp, witty and pithy (the word gauche springs to mind now) reports on Bathgate Thistle matches.

And I thought it may be fun to perform a bit of archaeology, and dig out those I scribbled down during the 2007/8 Scottish Cup run, and tag them onto this post.

I know I missed the Oakley tie (probably working), but why I failed to post anything after the Shotts match, I have no idea.



Troon 1-3 Bathgate

A solid if unspectacular display by Bathgate saw off a surprisingly tame Troon side yesterday.  2-1 down with an hour to play, you would have thought the hosts should have been able to re-organise themselves to bring some pressure to bear in search of an equaliser.  Even bringing on Peter Crouch's big brother failed to make any impression upon the Bathgate rearguard.

Sub Barry ELLIOT it was, who delivered the coup de grace heading in a corner in injury time.........tut tut Troon, where WAS the marking? 


Bathgate 2-0 Roselea

Stormin' first-half display by Bathgate saw them two up by the break through Menmuir and Haynes - it could have been four with McGrillen missing a penalty, and Harvey thwunking a volley off a post.

Second half was a relatively dull affair, only enlightened by a cringe-worthy miss by the Roselea number 14.  Picking up on a loose back-pass he rounded Longmuir in the Bathgate goal, then contrived to stroke the ball past the empty goal from eight yards. "Taxi for a Fanny!", was one wag's view on the incident. 


Bathgate 1-1 Clydebank 

First-up - credit to Clydebank for bringing through so many supporters to the match. I would gauge the attendance at just in excess of a thousand, with maybe 2/3 from Clydebank.

The "We Hate Airdrie" stuff comes with the Clydebank package, and most folks would agree they have some justification for their gripes.  The "Franchise" mentioned in an earlier post, I assume, refers to the way in which the owners of the name "Airdrie United" were able to effectively purchase Clydebank's place in the Scottish League.  That Bathgate have a number of ex-Airdrieonians players should be irrelevant, although I would be tad disappointed if the Bathgate bench did indeed wear Airdrie caps.

The on-terracing scuffle was actually quite amusing (if you were far away enough from it), as two guttered, overweight, middle-aged guys slapped away at each other.  Former President Irene McNair was the increasingly frantic voice on the tannoy; and she will be utterly delighted at being called a girl!

On the game: A fine opening goal for Clydebank, with a precisely placed header finishing off a pin-point cross - although Johnny Harvey did give the ball away rather cheaply to the crosser.

McGrillen? - he was clipped by the 'keeper as he went round him, but did fall to the ground rather too easily for my comfort.  It was, in reality, neither a blatant dive nor a stonewall penalty, but an extremely difficult call for the Ref.

Thankfully, Bathgate salvaged a well deserved replay when Chris McFadyen stooped to head in a corner late on. 


Clydebank 0-1 Bathgate

I doubt if any of the regulars were put off by last week's "handbags" (which is exactly what it was).

There was not even a hint of unpleasantness at Glenhead Park yesterday, just a sizeable attendance of locals coming out to support their team.  Even the vociferous Boy's Choir seemed rather muted.

I visited Glenhead Park as a neutral two or three seasons ago, and posted then how impressed I was with the professionalism of those running the club.  And I found no reason to alter my opinion.

The game itself was a typical Bathgate performance: little real flair on show, but solid at the back and aggressive in midfield relying on the opportunism of McGrillen and McFadyen to do the business.

Indeed, had Chris McFadyen been wearing his shooting boots rather than his Ma's bedroom slippers, the tie would have been over in an hour.  And as for Easton's sitter?...............least said.

Best for Clydebank were Hailstones (although he tired badly in the second-half), and the big (?English) Lad at the back.

We will be hearing the usual platitudes of "We don't care who we get" in the semi's, but you can bet the other three clubs will all be casting wistful glances in the direction of Thornton.


Bathgate 2-1 Pollok

Nothing to choose between the sides.  Both sets of defences were so effective, it looked for much of the tie if neither side would score.  I doubt if Messrs Downs & Dingwall and McGrillen & McFadyen have ever endured such frustrating and fruitless afternoons.

The effort cleared off the line by Willie Wilson in the first half aside, I just could not see Pollok getting past Graeme Love and Steven Menmuir who were both excellent.  But, with around 10 minutes to go Menmuir had to go off injured, and within seconds, a cross from the Pollok left was poked in by RYAN.

Bathgate's equaliser came in injury time: the Pollok keeper made a real hash of a free-kick, punching the ball up into the air and DOCHERTY tapping-in.  The Pollok defence was also culpable at the winner, three minutes into extra-time, allowing HAYNES turn and run-in on goal.  The big lad (hardly the most mobile of individuals) took the ball round the 'keeper with remarkable nimbleness.

Haynes was later ordered off, was it for two bookings?  Had he been booked before the hand-ball incident?  Don't know.........Don't care.

The attendance was not announced.


Bathgate 2-1 Cumnock

Far from a classic: Cumnock scored with their only meaningful attempt on target - superb strike from BARR, though.  Bathgate dominated possession throughout, but it was 55 minutes before they managed a shot on target.  The last half-hour was total one-way traffic: Alan NEILL* (75) and Paul McGRILLEN (82) scoring.

In my opinion, the winner did NOT cross the line.  Being a slightly eccentric and extremely superstitious individual, when watching from a stand (usually at East End Park) I always sit at one end, positioned exactly in line with the bye-line.  So there were few folks in the ground (officials included), who had a better view than myself.  Maybe Paul McGrillen's trickler did go over, but I didn't see it do so.

But Bathgate were overall so superior, any other result would have been a travesty.

Credit (and apologies, from me) to Willie Hill who retained his faith in a number of the veterans of 2006, whom I felt should have been moved on.  The yummiest Humble Pie I have ever tasted, though. 


*I am aware I got this wrong, back then.

And whilst I am at it here is some video footage I took at the final:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDBDxtwblt4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WeGuWQC3ik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMOcWFOFC-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDOkDIY1sg4