During the week
before the match, a conveyor belt was laid from the Foulshiels
Bing to the Park and the miners loaded enough material from the
bing to construct the new terracing, railway sleepers being used
to form the steps. A squad led by the redoubtable 'Brassie
Brown', actually built a new timber pavilion overnight,
completing it on the morning of the game. Unfortunately the
home team were narrowly beaten and suffered the same fate the
following season against Shawfield in front of another record
crowd.
|
The officials who ran the
club at this time deserve being mentioned for the magnificent
effort they put into its organisation:
The President was John Findlay, Area Manager of Lothian Coal
Company;
Hon. Vice President, D. MacPherson, Manager of Foulshiels;
Hon. President, Charlie Richardson;
Vice President, Dickie Bell;
Treasurer, Jimmy Elder;
Secretary, Albert Dawson;
Financial Secretary, Tommy Fitzgerald;
Representative, Willie Waterson;
Minute Secretary, Joe Colquhoun;
Trainer, Johnny Hanlon;
Committee: William Carmichael, R. Sweeney, J. Douglas, J.
Winning, J. Smith and M. Fitzgerald.
|
After a lull during World
War II, the team enjoyed another successful era again under the
leadership of Charlie Richardson, Jimmy Elder and Mich
Fitzgerald. The finest ever Stoneyburn team should have won
the Scottish Cup in 1950, but lost 2-4 to Blantyre Victoria in
the semi-final, played at Parkhead, Glasgow Celtic's ground in
Glasgow. At one point the scores were 1-1, but they just could
not take the day. They did, however, have some consolation by
winning the East of Scotland Cup yet again, having also won it
in 1946-47. After this colourful post-war period, the team
started to fade and it was finally disbanded in 1956.
|
The team was resurrected in
1983 under the leadership of John McCready, President;
David McMillan, Vice President;
John Denholm, Treasurer;
Tom Mark, Secretary.
|
The team is now playing in
the S.J.F.A. Eastern Region with moderate success and it is
hoped that they can go from strength to strength and emulate the
successful teams of the past.
|
One special point of
interest about the club is that their pitch and perimeter
running track at Beechwood Park are exactly the same dimensions
as those at Hampden Park, Scotland's international venue.
|
Another point is the success
of so many of their players, here listed, who went on to make
football careers by playing for Senior clubs.
|
Delaney - Celtic and Manchester
Utd
Sharpe - Raith Rovers
Watson - Hibernian
Kerr - Partick Thistle
Murphy - Leith Accies
Redmond - Dunfermline
Buist - Dundee
|
Walker - Hearts and Scotland
Higgins - Cowdenbeath
Frame - Hamilton Accies
Weir - Preston North End
Hart - Dunfermline
Dawson - St Bernards
Strickland - Rangers, Leicester City & Hearts
|
The team also produced two
Junior International Caps: Grant in 1932 and Boyd in 1950. In
recent years one of the village boys has carved out a career in
football. Derek Strickland signed for Glasgow Rangers in 1972
and became full time with that club from 1976-79. He then
moved to Leicester City from '79-81 and Hearts from '81-82. He
then moved overseas to play first for Hong Kong and then headed
for America in '83 before returning home to join the 'Juniors'
as player/coach from 1983-87. He then went to Whitburn Juniors
as player/coach from '87-90 and became their manager from then
until 1994 when he became manager of Bonnyrigg Rose. Derek was
capped four time, three in 1986 and one in the following year.
|
Probably the most
internationally famous person to have played for the 'juniors'
but did not become so by his football skills is Bill McCue.
Scotland's famous bass singer. Bill came from the neighbouring
village of Allanton in Lanarkshire and, having played for his
school, came to play for Stoneyburn from 1951-53, when he left
to play for Muirkirk Juniors for a further year.
|
During World War II years
another village team was formed. This was Stoneyburn Wanderers
who kept the game alive, if only by playing against other local
village teams, many of which were all members of the 'Home
Guard'. Some of these players were: J. Bonnar, D. Brown, J.
Pennycook, J. Warren, J. Dixon, J. Smillie, S. Redmond, M.
Allen, S. Raeburn, T. McGuire, D. McMillan, W, Morris, W. Scott,
R. Mooney, R. Watson, T. Baxter, J. Corrigan and T. Haggarty.
|
It is only natural that,
with all this football in the district, it became a firm
favourite with most schoolboys and eventually became a major
part of physical education in schools. One boy, whose passion
and skill brought him into the limelight in schools football was
Tommy Mitchell. In May 1950, whilst a pupil at St Mary's
Academy, he was captain and centre-half of the Bathgate and
District Schools' team which won the Scottish Cup and the East
of Scotland Cup. He was also outstanding at left full back in
the School XI which won the Secondary Schools League. He took
part in several international trials and senior clubs, in both
Scotland and England, were very interested in his prowess.
Nowadays, both the village schools have had teams of very keep
players over the years and many of the boys went on to play in
Junior teams.
|
During the week
before the match, a conveyor belt was laid from the Foulshiels
Bing to the Park and the miners loaded enough material from the
bing to construct the new terracing, railway sleepers being used
to form the steps. A squad led by the redoubtable 'Brassie
Brown', actually built a new timber pavilion overnight,
completing it on the morning of the game. Unfortunately the
home team were narrowly beaten and suffered the same fate the
following season against Shawfield in front of another record
crowd.
|
The officials who ran the
club at this time deserve being mentioned for the magnificent
effort they put into its organisation:
The President was John Findlay, Area Manager of Lothian Coal
Company;
Hon. Vice President, D. MacPherson, Manager of Foulshiels;
Hon. President, Charlie Richardson;
Vice President, Dickie Bell;
Treasurer, Jimmy Elder;
Secretary, Albert Dawson;
Financial Secretary, Tommy Fitzgerald;
Representative, Willie Waterson;
Minute Secretary, Joe Colquhoun;
Trainer, Johnny Hanlon;
Committee: William Carmichael, R. Sweeney, J. Douglas, J.
Winning, J. Smith and M. Fitzgerald.
|
After a lull during World
War II, the team enjoyed another successful era again under the
leadership of Charlie Richardson, Jimmy Elder and Mich
Fitzgerald. The finest ever Stoneyburn team should have won
the Scottish Cup in 1950, but lost 2-4 to Blantyre Victoria in
the semi-final, played at Parkhead, Glasgow Celtic's ground in
Glasgow. At one point the scores were 1-1, but they just could
not take the day. They did, however, have some consolation by
winning the East of Scotland Cup yet again, having also won it
in 1946-47. After this colourful post-war period, the team
started to fade and it was finally disbanded in 1956.
|
The team was resurrected in
1983 under the leadership of John McCready, President;
David McMillan, Vice President;
John Denholm, Treasurer;
Tom Mark, Secretary.
|
The team is now playing in
the S.J.F.A. Eastern Region with moderate success and it is
hoped that they can go from strength to strength and emulate the
successful teams of the past.
|
One special point of
interest about the club is that their pitch and perimeter
running track at Beechwood Park are exactly the same dimensions
as those at Hampden Park, Scotland's international venue.
|
Another point is the success
of so many of their players, here listed, who went on to make
football careers by playing for Senior clubs.
|
The team also produced two
Junior International Caps: Grant in 1932 and Boyd in 1950. In
recent years one of the village boys has carved out a career in
football. Derek Strickland signed for Glasgow Rangers in 1972
and became full time with that club from 1976-79. He then
moved to Leicester City from '79-81 and Hearts from '81-82. He
then moved overseas to play first for Hong Kong and then headed
for America in '83 before returning home to join the 'Juniors'
as player/coach from 1983-87. He then went to Whitburn Juniors
as player/coach from '87-90 and became their manager from then
until 1994 when he became manager of Bonnyrigg Rose. Derek was
capped four time, three in 1986 and one in the following year.
|
Probably the most
internationally famous person to have played for the 'juniors'
but did not become so by his football skills is Bill McCue.
Scotland's famous bass singer. Bill came from the neighbouring
village of Allanton in Lanarkshire and, having played for his
school, came to play for Stoneyburn from 1951-53, when he left
to play for Muirkirk Juniors for a further year.
|
During World War II years
another village team was formed. This was Stoneyburn Wanderers
who kept the game alive, if only by playing against other local
village teams, many of which were all members of the 'Home
Guard'. Some of these players were: J. Bonnar, D. Brown, J.
Pennycook, J. Warren, J. Dixon, J. Smillie, S. Redmond, M.
Allen, S. Raeburn, T. McGuire, D. McMillan, W, Morris, W. Scott,
R. Mooney, R. Watson, T. Baxter, J. Corrigan and T. Haggarty.
|
It is only natural that,
with all this football in the district, it became a firm
favourite with most schoolboys and eventually became a major
part of physical education in schools. One boy, whose passion
and skill brought him into the limelight in schools football was
Tommy Mitchell. In May 1950, whilst a pupil at St Mary's
Academy, he was captain and centre-half of the Bathgate and
District Schools' team which won the Scottish Cup and the East
of Scotland Cup. He was also outstanding at left full back in
the School XI which won the Secondary Schools League. He took
part in several international trials and senior clubs, in both
Scotland and England, were very interested in his prowess.
Nowadays, both the village schools have had teams of very keep
players over the years and many of the boys went on to play in
Junior teams.
|
Willie Redpath played
for Polkemmet Juniors and was then signed by Motherwell
where he soon made his name as a brilliant half-back, and
gained honours in both the Scottish Cup and League Cup. He
also added several international 'caps' to his collection.
In December 1948 a testimonial dinner was held in his honour
in the Welfare Hall, which was to have been attended by the
great 'Geordie Young' of Rangers F.C. to make the
presentation. Unfortunately he was unable to attend and
the presentation was made by David Blake, secretary of the
Testimonial Committee. Willie received a display cabinet,
suitably inscribed to mark his first international 'cap'
against Wales on the 23rd October 1948.
|
Alex McCrae first played
for Parkhead Juniors, the Haddington Juniors and moved to
Hearts - all in the 1941 season. At Tynecastle, the home
of Hearts, he played at inside-right for six seasons but
sadly never won a Scottish Cup medal with that team. He
transferred to Charlton Athletic in London in 1947 for
£10,000, and then moved to Middlesborough in '49. Another
move to Falkirk in 1952 and then across the Irish Sea to
Ballymena for a few weeks as player/manager in 1955, and
returned to Falkirk as manager. He went back to Ballymena
as their manager and took the team to the Irish Cup Final on
three occasions but, sadly, only won the trophy once. He
finished his career as a scout for Liverpool.
|
Freddie Gidden left
school in 1945 and played for Murrayfield Rovers in
Blackburn, playing at inside-right. This team won The Lord
Weir Cup, The League Championship, The Stewart Shield and
The MacDonald and the Ferguson Cups. Freddie then moved to
Whitburn Juniors for a short time and then joined
Newtongrange Star, playing at right-half and was 'capped'
for the Junior Scottish team against Ireland. He was then
signed to play for Hearts with the 'A' team where he was
groomed as centre-half. He excelled in this position and
made a name for himself against Queen of the South. He
became captain, and let Hearts to victory against Celtic at
Hampden Park in the final of the Scottish Cup in 1956,
taking the Scottish Cup back to Edinburgh for the first time
in 50 years.
|
Alfie Conn played for
Bathgate Academy after leaving the Public School and then
for Inveresk Juveniles, before being signed for Hearts. He
won medals in both the Cup and League Cup and was 'capped'
for Scotland against the Irish League in 1948.
|
John Hanlon joined
Celtic from Fauldhouse United and later played for Peebles
Rovers. The Kelly brothers both displayed great skill in
the game. Hugh played for Carnoustie Panmuir while
stationed in that town while serving the RAF. After his
demobilisation he was signed by Blackpool, where he became
team captain, winning an English League Medal, a runner-up
F.A. Cup Medal and missed the Cup Final of 1955 through
injury when his team won the Cup. James signed for
Doncaster Rovers and then moved on to become the Manager of
an English non-league club.
|
George Dawson was signed
for Leicester City and was transferred to Portsmouth for
£10,000.
|
Willie Dickson played
for Armadale Youth Club, winning a Scottish Juvenile Cup
Medal. He then joined Bo'ness United and was 'capped' for
Junior Scotland. He also won a Scottish Junior runner-up
Medal against Peterhill and an Easy of Scotland runner-up
Medal against Stoneyburn in 1946 He then signed into
Senior football, playing for Albion Rovers.
|
William Gourlay played
for Bathgate Juniors before moving to Manchester City in
1956 and went on to win the FA Cup.
|
There is, of course, a
great deal of amateur football played and the current
village team is the Bentswood Amateurs, which was started in
1981 by Brian and Eamon Gallagher, Hugh McGilvary and
Anthony Smith. They team they formed then joined the
Whitburn Sunday League, which they played in for six
years. They were a brilliant success story. They won
both the 1st and 2nd Division Cups and the Cup Winners'
Cup. They became the only team in that League ever to win
that cup for three years in a row, and gained the great
distinction of being the only team ever to win every trophy
in the Whitburn League.
|
In 1988 the team stepped
into Saturday football and became the runners up in the
League and won the League Cup in their first season. In
1989 they gained promotion to the West Lothian League and
came 4th in that year. The team also reached the final of
The Logan Cup where they beat Fountainbridge A.F.C. by
2-0. Their best season was in 1992 when they reached the
5th Round of the Scottish Amateur 'GROUSE' Cup, and then won
the East of Scotland Amateur Cup, becoming the first West
Lothian team to win this cup in 26 years, previously being
won by Cobbinshaw Rovers.
|
The team of that year
was: P. Bakhsh (Captain). D. Brown, E. Burton, G. Ashworth,
R. Brown, A. Kelly, D. Bonnes, M. Harte, S. Mulligan, J.
Greig, E. Gallagher, H. Bonnar, J. Byrne, R. Rice, T. McCabe
and A. Perry. The team is sponsored by The Bentswood Inn
and are now back into Sunday Football, playing on the pitch
at Glenview Road. They also hold the distinction of being
the only team who have all been in prison - and all at the
same time - happily, of course, when they visited Shotts
Prison and beat the Prison Team.
|
But don't forget to come back
|
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