Observer finds the ‘mighty Gowanhill’

Jun 24 2009 by Alan Rennie, Stirling Observer Wednesday

INQUIRIES from Fife about a football cup final almost exactly 50 years ago has opened up a treasure trove of memories about former Stirling team Gowanhill United.

A printers’ strike back then has meant there is only limited information about the 3-1 win for St Andrews Swifts over Gowanhill at Petershill on June 27, 1959, in the Scottish Secondary Juvenile Cup Final.

However, a visit to the Stirling Council archives to look through Observer back copies struck gold with a photo and brief article about the team when they were given a civic reception prior to the cup final.

Then an appeal for information in the Observer letters pages last month paid off again.

Playing in the Gowanhill team that day was Tommy Campbell, who was later to turn professional with Dundee United.

Tommy, who now lives in Braehead and still looks fit enough to play a bit, produced a photograph of the cup final team and a host of colourful memories.

He also had a photograph of the 1957-58 Gowanhill United team which included soccer legend Billy Bremner and Stirling’s “Mr Football” Alex Smith.

Many of the cup final squad have passed on but another survivor with clear memories is Jim Lennon.

“The Gowanhill team was run by Wullie Gordon but among his helpers was John Wynn, who was a very colourful character,” recalled Jim, who now stays in Bannockburn.

“He was a newspaper vendor who would stand at the top of Station Road on a Saturday night. He would have a placard with a large headline saying – ‘Disaster – Read all about it – Rangers lose’!

“John would go round the pubs with the Saturday sports editions. He would carry two scarves, a green and white one for the Celtic pubs and his beloved red, white and blue for the others.

“During Gowanhill’s matches, he could be heard shouting ‘Come aff, yer tea’s ready’ or ‘Take an early bath’ at any player having a bad game.”

Jim revealed that John Wynn also had a notorious part to play in the cup run during the quarter-final against a strong Renton side at Shell Park, a story that was confirmed by Tommy Campbell.

With the game all square, the ball was knocked out for a throw in. But the linesman, namely one John Wynn, kicked it back to Willie “Emmett” McKenzie who, realising there was no flag or whistle, carried on playing.

He then passed the ball through to Tommy Campbell whose goal earned Gowanhill a place in the semi-final.

Jim recalls that many of the Gowanhill squad back then went on to join the senior ranks – George “Podge” Peebles to Dunfermline, Bill Logie to Rangers, Andy Clacher and Wullie Cunningham to Dundee, David McIvor to Stenhousemuir, Tommy Campbell to Dundee United, Tommy Wynn to Partick Thistle, John Philliben to Stirling Albion, John Grant to Celtic, Arthur Hamill to East Stirling, Alex Smith to Kilmarnock and, of course, Billy Bremner to Leeds.

Later tagged a hard man in the pro ranks, Billy was a silky ball player while at Gowanhill. But Jim will never forget the night he came home from down south and joined in one of Gowanhill’s training sessions.

“Within minutes of the start of a bounce game, the park was littered with bodies,” said Jim. “It was a real eye-opener, eye-watering even.”

Tommy Campbell recalled that Gowanhill were given training facilities at Stirling Albion’s Annfield ground prior to the final.

Albion also donated strips although Gowanhill played the final in their traditional blue and gold strips.

Prior to the final, revealed Tommy, a local publican offered the players £1 a man if they won, a tidy sum back then.

Supporters travelled by coach and car in their hundreds from the Raploch on the day to cheer on the team.

After the match, the medals were presented by Willie Woodburn of Rangers and Scotland.

The appeal for information in the Observer also struck a chord with reader Rab McFarlane, who was just 12 when the final was played.

Rab is now retired and he has been living in Toronto in Canada for the past 30 years.

He was brought up at 53 Craighall Street in Raploch and his older brother Pete was in Billy Bremner’s class through primary and secondary school.

“All we did growing up was play football,” wrote Rab, “whether it was ‘lamp-post to lamp-post’ with a tennis ball or, on occasion, someone would get a ‘team ball’ and we would head to the only place you could play with goalposts – the Shell Park.”

Rab mostly remembers casual “kickabouts” but there were some “organised” games.

“Mainly with John Wynn getting the strips and ball,” said Rab. “I remember we all got changed in Billy Bremner’s ‘hoose’, up the close, and sometimes ref Campbell Graham would officiate.”

Rab has lost touch with most of the players but he had news of Tommy Wynn. “My sister Margaret lives in Toronto but I'm sorry to tell you that she is home nursing Tommy because he has cancer and is doing chemotherapy,” wrote Rab.

Fond memories of other players are quite vivid. “Willie Cunningham lived at the end of our street,” said Rab. “He had hands like shovels.

“Willie and Frank Conway, now he was a real centre forward, worked with my brother in Timpsons. I'm sorry that I cannot give you more information but it's been a pleasure just going through the names and bringing back some special memories from my childhood.”

The Observer letter also produced a response from Mrs Josephine Rodger, whose late father, Joe McIvor, and uncles, David McIvor (now also deceased) and Jimmy Lennon, played for Gowanhill.

It was particularly poignant for Josephine as her dad lost his battle with cancer in February this year, aged 71.

“I am so glad, however, that before he died I was able to show him the photo of the Gowanhill team. He was so chuffed to be able to remember the times he played for the team, particularly in the final.

“He was always telling us about the mighty Gowanhill and they seemed to get even mightier every time he spoke of them!”

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this tribute to Gowanhill United and, in particular, to Dougie Grant, who sparked the whole thing off in the first place, although his links are with St Andrews Swifts.