Author: The Author

The 1950’s was an unappreciated Golden Age for Scottish endurance running and this was exemplified by the standard in Dunbartonshire at the time.   Pat Moy of Vale of Leven ran for Scotland in the International cross-country in 1956, 57 and 58, Alex McDougall, also Vale of Leven, was in the international of 1957 and the Empire Games of 1958, Cyril O’Boyle of Clydesdale was sixth in the National but, because of his Irish background, was not selected to run in the international, Pat Younger of Clydesdale was first reserve for the international, John Wright of Clydesdale was Junior Cross-Country Champion for two consecutive years, Alex Kidd of Garscube ran in the international in 1951 when there was only one international fixture on the calendar and only 8 were selected for it, Gordon Dunn of the same club ran in the 1956 international, while young Lachie Stewart of the Vale appeared on the scene in the latter years of the decade.   Look for the names as we go through.    We start with the 1957 road race season. 

The Dunbartonshire County confined events in 1957 started in April with the road race that runners in other clubs wanted to see opened up: the Balloch 12.

On 13th April, 1957, O’Boyle (above) and McDougall renewed their rivalry over the 12 miles from Balloch to Clydebank for the DAAA Road Running championship.     It was a very good field with Willie Gallacher and George Dickson also starting.    

Two weeks later the annual Clydebank to Helensburgh 16 miles road race was held again with another good field and many top runners starting their long distance programme for the summer.   The first three were all notable marathon runners, all Scottish international representatives and all hard competitors.   Report and results: 

The Cross-Country 1957/58 season started with the relays on 19th October at   and the report in the Glasgow Herald read:

It was a remarkable victory – John Wright would go on to win the SCCU Cross-Country Championships twice after being second in his first run in the event, Jackie Hislop was in the same age group – a good runner but not as good as  Wright. Ballance had run for Glasgow University and Oxford too but much preferred the road and track to country.   The Vale team had three internationa class athletes in their four and were a formidable team.   The complete results were as follows:

Alex McDougall is seen in the picture below (source unknown) wearing the Scottish colours and number 20 in the Empire Games at Cardiff in July 1958.   He finished seventh of the 21 finishers in 2:29:58, the only Scot to finish, ahead of such as Ron Franklin of Wales, Arthur Kiely of England and Ray Puckett of New Zealand.   That he was a quality athlete, there is no doubt.   

The actual individual and club championships took place on 14th December and Wright showed that his run in October was no fluke.   The coverage of the race in the Glasgow Herald was quite complete.   It was a remarkable event altogether – even if we ignore the Senior race which was dramatic in its own right – the names in the younger age group are significant.   Doug Gifford, second in the Youths race would be Glasgow University and Scottish Universities cross-country champion before becoming a leading authority on Scottisg literature on a world wide platform, Bobby Bell went on to be a top-class coach specialising in the Hammer event, the winner of the Boys race was none other than Lachie Stewart of the Vale of Leven whose athletics future needs no further comment.

Douglas Gifford leading the field in the Scottish Universities Championships with Don Macgregor of St Andrews in fourth place.

Into 1958 and the first DAAA road race was again the Balloch to Clydebank on 12th April and the duel between O’Boyle and McDougall became a three man race when McDougall’s team mate Pat Moy joined the field.   He had to set a new course record to do so but he was in good form – fit enough to qualify for the Empire Games later in the season.

Then came the Clydebank to Helensburgh 16 exactly two weeks later won for the second year in succession by Bellahouston Harrier Harry Fenion who in 1957  had become the only man to win the Scottish Cross-Country Championships and SAAA Marathon title in the same year) in a new record time – but Alex McDougall was second and both, along with Shettleston’s Hugo Fox, would go to Cardiff in July.   Result:

Pat Moy, right, passing the Edinburgh to Glasgow baton to Bob Steele

Coverage of the county championships were not available in the Press that summer, or most summers come to that, which is unfortunate given the quality of athlete in the four clubs that were contesting the events there.    The following season, 1958/59, Wright lost his title but to team mate O’Boyle who won by approx 40 yards with Moy a similar distance behind Wright.   Detailed results: 

O’Boyle did not contest the Balloch to Clydebank in April 1959 but Wright did – and he like his team mate, finished second to McDougall.   The report read as follows:   A McDougall (Vale of Leven) had his fourth successive win in the Balloch – Clydebank road race over a shortened course, caused by a diversion at Dumbarton which cut about three-quarters of a mile off the usual 12 miles.   His time of 60:40 was 1 min 54 sec faster than his record for the longer course.   JH Wright (Clydesdale) was second, 300 yards behind McDougall, with P Moy (Vale of Leven) 150 yards behind Wright.   A Weekes-Pearson (Blackheath Harriers), an English internationalist who could not take part as it was a confined event, started unofficially 3 minutres behind the runners and his time for the distance was only 5 sec outside McDougall’s time.   Results:- 1.   A McDougall (Vale of Leven)  60:40;  2. J Wright (Clydesdale) 61:40;  3.  P Moy (Vale of Leven) 62:08;  4.  G White (Clydesdale)  63:10;  5.  E Barrowman (Garscube) 65:13;  6.  R Hamill (Dumbarton) 67:32.

The appearance of Weekes-Pearson, who was with the Royal Navy on the Clyde at the time was unusual because as it was a confined event, guests were not usually permitted to run.   There had been a desire by many athletes and officials, including the Scottish Marathon Club to hold it as an open race for several years but it was to continue as it was for several decades to come.

The next County road race was, unlike the Balloch event, an open race, and a popuar one.   The Clydebank to Helensburgh on the 25th of the month when the winner for the previous two years and record holder, Harry Fenion was not present.   It was nevertheless a good quality field with Empire Games representative Hugo Fox of Shettleston, Gordon Eadie of Cambuslang, like Fox a future SAAA Marathon champion, and Andy Brown, a top class track, cross-country and road runner who would hold the Scottish marathon record for a short time later in his career.       Brown was to emerge the victor this time round.   The Glasgow Herald report read.

“ROAD RECORD FOR A.H. BROWN

Clydebank-Helensburgh

AH Brown (Motherwell YMCA) beat the record for the Clydebank-Helensburgh 16-mile road race with a time of 1 hr 23 min 11 sec, 4 min 24 sec better than the time returned by H Fenion (Bellahouston Harriers when he won the event last year.   Fenion was not in Saturday’s race but H Fox (Shettleston Harriers) and G Eadie (Cambuslang Harriers also were inside the previous best time with 1hr 24min 06sec, and 1hr 26min 39sec respectively.   The team contest was won for Shettleston Harriers by H Fox, H Mitchell and W Gorman.”

We could have done with more detail on the race but there is enough there to let us know that it was a hard race if the first three were inside Harry’s record and Hughie Mitchell was unplaced.    The thing about point-to-point races is that they can be seriously affected by the weather – the prevailing wind for this race was west to east and in the runners’ faces if there was one; there was one race in the 1960’s when the wind was blowing in the other direction and almost all runners had personal best times.   No wind guages for road races!

AH (Andy) Brown, Motherwell YMCA

The Cross-Country Relay in 1959/60 season were held on 17th October at Kirkintilloch and resulted in a victory for Vale of Leven over Clydesdale thanks mainly to the sterling work of Pat Moy.   The report in the Glasgow Herald read as follows.   

Dumbartonshire Title

The race for the Dumbartonshire senior relay title at Kirkintilloch, with race headquarters in St Ninian’s High School,  was decided in the third relay of the 4  x  2 miles event when P Moy (Vale of Leven) gave his team mate W Gallacher a lead of 170 yards for the final circuit.   Clydesdale Harriers, who had been in the lead until the half-distance, were beaten into second place, 100 yards behind Vale of Leven.   DL Spencer (Garscube Harriers) was the fastest individual over the course, his time of 10 min. beat that of Moy and C O’Boyle (Clydesdale Harriers) by 4 sec.   Results:-

Note that the reporter headlines the report with the title ‘Dumbartonshire Title’ when the previous reports, and indeed all the DAAA documentation followed the lead of the County Council by referring to it as  Dunbartonshire.   Doctor McPhail, noted historian and proud citizen of Dumbarton was clearly of the opinion that the Dumbartonshire version was correct and made the point that such was the county title until the early 20th century when a decision was made to distinguish the one from the other by changing the name of the county.   Several of the Youths Ian Haddow, Fraser Watson, Bob Montague would go on to have a decent senior career although none would be as glorious or as long as that of Lachie Stewart who had by far the fastest time over the race distance.   Of the seniors, Dougie Spencer of Garscube was the county track 3 miles title holder and a very good all round distance runner.

The photograph below of Pat Younger clearly indicates the fact that cars were not for the many in 1959 – note the two team buses in the background parked beside the High School.   There were more than two used by clubs that day.

Pat Younger running the third stage for Clydesdale Harriers in the 1959 Relay championship.

12th December was the date for the County Cross-Country Championships in 1959, and Dumbarton was the venue.   The course started on the Common from outside the Brock Baths which provided the changing accommodation and officials facilities.    Glasgow Herald report below.   The two W Gallachers for Vale of Leven is not a misprint – they were referred to locally as Willie Gallacher for the older of the two and Billy Gallacher for the younger!   

9th April 1960 saw the Balloch to Clydebank road race won by a distance by Cyril O’Boyle from John Barrowman of Garscube with Doug Spencer third.   We read: “C O’Boyle (Clydesdale Harriers) beat J Barrowman (Garscube Harriers) by more than three-quarters of a mile in the Balloch to Clydebank 12-mile road race, winning in the slow time of 65 min 32 sec.   D Spencer (Garscube) was third, 12 yards behind Barrowman.   O’Boyle, who led from the start, was 200 yards ahead after three miles and he steadily increased his lead thereafter.   W Gallacher (Vale of Leven), who was in second place after six miles) had to retire with foot trouble.   Results:-   1.   C O’Boyle (Clydesdale H) 65:32;  2.  J Barrowman (Garscube H) 69:56;   3.  D Spencer (Garscube) 70:03.”

The only result that we have for the Clydebank to Helensburgh on 23rd April, reads:  “G Eadie (Cambuslang Harriers), who was third last year, won the Clydebank to Helensburgh 16-mile road race in 1 hr 23 min 32 sec.”   

The lack of reporting at times was rather disappointing; even more so was the lack of information about the DAAA Track & Field Championships.   However, we have the information above and the next section will deal with 1960/61 through to 1964/65.

….

The McAndrew Relay was a real classic that deserves its place in Scottish athletics history.   The traditional start to the winter season, it was held on the first Saturday in October for over half a century.   Organised by Victoria Park AAC, it began with changing in the Whiteinch Baths and a start at the side of Victoria Park and consisted of two interlocked rectangles, it later changed to a start outside St Thomas Aquinas Secondary School and went up round Anniesland Cross and back round via Danes Drive, past Scotstoun Showground and up to the school to finish.   The map of this course is below.

It was a very popular race with many clubs entering four or five teams – it was unusual for clubs to enter only one four man team.   

Allan Scally (extreme right) with the winning McAndrew Relay team of 1945.  The runners were Barney Cairns, Harry Howard, Willie Connor and Charlie McLellan

Start of the race in the 1950

On the original trail in October 1947

Alex Kidd and Arthur Warton of Garscube in 1947

The start in October 1947 – George White (Clydesdale) on the left leading the field out.

Tom O’Reilly (Springburn) to Gary MacKay

McAndrew Start, 1950

McAndrew Finish, 1950, Andy Forbes

Duncan Middleton (Springburn

The first of three with Danny Wilmoth (Springburn): here he is with Jimmy Irvine (Bellahouston) in the 50’s

Danny – again in the 50’s

Danny as a veteran on the traditional trail passing the Showground

Brian McAusland, mid 1960’s

Hugh Barrow (VPAAC) running the fastest time of the day in 1965: last stage, winning team

Victoria Park winning team, mid 1960’s:  Ian McPherson, Albert Smith, Hugh Barrow, Joe Reilly

Molly Wilmoth in the middle with Doug Gillon (Reporter) quizzing Andy Forbes (VPAAC), Brian Goodwin (Bellahouston extreme right and Willie Laing (Shettleston) behind Molly.

Race Start: 1960’s

Handover from Donald Macgregor for Fife AC and Alistair Douglas for VPAAC; Alex MacIndoe on the left, and Alastair Macfarlane (68) for Springburn waiting for his runner.

Race start, 1986  –  Alistair Douglas number 37  – record entry of 154 teams

1986: Kilbarchan leads the group

Handover from Donald Macgregor for Fife AC and Alistair Douglas for VPAAC; Alex MacIndoe on the left, and Alastair Macfarlane (68) for Springburn waiting for his runner.

The winning Spango Valley team from 1986: Chris Robison, Lawrie Spence and the Connachan brothers

Dave Cooney (Cambuslang) member of winning Vets team in 1989

The start, mid-90’s:   63 John ‘Cowboy’ Cunningham (Fife), 38 Des Roache (Clydesdale), 30 Tommy Hearle (Kilbarchan), 11 Brian Kirkwood (Racing Club).

Winning Shettleston team with trophy

2006 – this and the next two are from Chris Upson’s at his blogspot (https://chrisupson.blogspot.com/)

Just after the start, 2006, 95 Lindsay McNeill, 65 John McArthur

Gus Cairney (Clydesdale) heading for the finish in 2006.

Paul Carroll

Pete Cartwright

Inverclyde with the trophy in 2013: Dan Mulhare, Michael Houston, Craig Ruddy and Greg Williams

Marathon Club Fixture List for Summer 1966: Championship Races are marked with a Star

The SMC began in 1944 but only two ‘minute books’ survive. These cover 1950 to early 1981. In the early years, the focus was mainly on the Scottish Marathon Championship (which the SMC organised, along with SAAA). Even by 1952, there were at least 26 Scottish Distance Road Races (between 10 miles and the marathon – 26 miles 385 yards).    Scottish Ultras were yet to be invented, although the Edinburgh to Glasgow 44 miles and the Two Bridges 36 miles were to take place before too long.

All credit then, to Scotland and the SMC, since the more famous Road Runners Club (based in Southern England) did not start up until June 1952. In fact, before that date, RRC planners wrote to the SMC for advice on so many aspects of the work involved. For example: appointing office bearers with different responsibilities; committee meetings; minute-taking; collating a fixture list; organising important events and club championships over distances from 10 miles to marathon and ultras;  course measurement; setting up a standard system to encourage more membership and improvement in racing times; certificates and medals; raising funds and managing them; creating a club magazine; maps of courses; officiating at some races; organising water stations, changing facilities, refreshment, prizegiving ceremonies, club socials. No mean achievement, the Scottish Marathon Club being the first specifically road racing club in Britain!  

The first SMC Club Championship (normally between April and August) took place in 1955. Joe McGhee (Shettleston Harriers) won with 24 points, followed by George King (Greenock Wellpark H – 18) and Hugo Fox (Shettleston H – 14). There were four qualifying events, over 16 miles, 20 miles, marathon and 12 miles. The order varied, but usually the 16 miler (Clydebank to Helensburgh) came first and the Scottish Marathon (June) third. 6 points were given for a win; 5 for second; four for third; three for 4th; two for 5th; and 1 point for finishing. Presentations took place during the annual Social Evening, held in Glasgow venues like the Ivy Restaurant or McColl’s Restaurant. Committee Meeting venues varied but eventually most were held in the Glasgow Sports Centre, which became the SMC headquarters. 

J.R. (Jimmy) Scott was a genuine SMC stalwart who served as Secretary/Treasurer from at least 1950 (when the first extant Minutes Book began) until his death on the first of March 1977. He not only kept detailed handwritten minutes of Committee Meetings (including Annual General Meetings) but also typed up precise and painstaking long ‘foolscap’ sheets with race results and charts of all contestants in the SMC club championship. Eight of these charts survive: 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 (when the Macnamara Cup was first presented), 1962, 1963, 1967 and 1968. Samples are photocopied below. Other Club Champions can be found by trawling through the minutes, but the points scores are not always available.

The Macnamara Cup was named in honour of James (Jimmy) Macnamara, a training partner with President Dunky Wright during the war. Jimmy ran for several clubs including Maryhill H, Vale of Leven and Shettleston H. He became a pioneer ‘veteran’, even, aged 63, completing a 14 miles road race. He died in 1958 and had been a long-serving committee man, SMC Captain and Life Member.

1956: Harry Fenion (Bellahouston H) 18 points, George King 15, Tom Scott (Motherwell YMCA H) 10. (Tom Scott is honoured by the famous Tom Scott Memorial 10 Miles race, which used to be from Law to Motherwell but nowadays takes place in Strathclyde Park.)

1978: Davie Wyper and Eric Fisher (Edinburgh AC) tied, and each had the trophy for six months.

(Please note that the 1979 Club Championship had new rules. To be considered, a runner had to a) race the Scottish Marathon Championship and b) complete four of the following fixtures: Balloch to Clydebank 12, Jimmy Scott (Clydebank to Helensburgh) 16, Edinburgh to North Berwick 22, Carluke 10, Strathallan 14, Dunblane 14 and a half, Springburn 12.) Fifteen SMC trojans completed five races!

The second minutes book ended in early 1981. By then, the SMC Club Championship was less keenly contested, as traditional road races waned and city mass marathons started, plus half marathons and 10k races. Yet, in ‘serious amateur’ distance road racing days (1945- 1979), SMC club champion contenders included several Scottish Marathon victors: McGhee (three wins), Fenion, Kerr, Fox (two), Eadie and Stoddart. Other SMC members who won the national marathon title included Donald McNab Robertson (two), Charlie Robertson (two), Harry Howard, Alastair Wood (six), Ian Harris, Jim Alder, Donald Macgregor (three), Colin Youngson (three), Jim Dingwall and Alastair Macfarlane. 

The Scottish Marathon Club had so much influence on the early days of distance road racing in Scotland. Their Club Champions were tough to beat!

1960’s SMC Standards

Club Standards Were Only Issued For Times Recorded in the Four Championship Races.

There were always photographs in the “Scots Athlete” magazine but to start with they were from other publications (newspapers, etc) or obviously taken by athletes/officials/supporters between and before races  Many of the good photographs were by Andrew Pryde.   Then the advent of HW Neale, a professional photographer, started having his good quality photographs published and he and George Barber of Maryhill both supplied the vast bulk of photos for the publication.   There were other very good photographers : HW Neale, an English professional sports photographer, Ben Bickerton of Shettleston Harriers also provided many pictures for the magazine but over a relatively short time frame, Jim Finlayson, Roy Robinson and others contributed..   The picture of George above is of George with Jimmy McNamara.   The first article with one of George’s photos credited to him was one illustrating an article that he himself had written about Jean Bouin of France – a multi-medal winner, Olympian and cross-country internationalist who had been killed in the First World War.  George went on to write several articles for the publication.   That first GS Barber photograph in the magazine was this one:

Neale, Jim Finlayson and Roy Robinson all provided photographs but it wasn’t long before George started to have his work appear in virtually every magazine and usually more than one per issue.   The first group was in the March 1951 issue and was of Eddie Bannon winning the Junior National Championship.

There was a whole page in the November 1951 to cover the Marathon at the Edinburgh Highland Games:

Then in December 1951 he had the cover photograph plus a group of four inside, all covering the Edinburgh to Glasgow

More covers, more groups.   The poor standards of reproduction do not disguise the standard of the photography.  More covers, more groups.

Now one of George but not by George – he had written an article about Emmet Farrell and this was the illustration of the two old friends:

Through it all George kept smiling – he is in every photograph that I’ve seen – and there were more and more of his photographs appearing in the magazine and the quality of reproduction was better and better.

He was not restricted by event either – 

I make that 18 cover pictures – there may have been more for there were several uncredited photographs that looked like George’s handiwork.   As you go through the work above, it is possible to see the style, already good, become even better.   He was a good all round part of the magazine – don’t forget his articles were also good value for money.   It is only a pity that no other print medium used them

The winter season traditionally started with the Victoria Park AAC promotion, the McAndrew Relay.   It was the one where you could see who had not been running all summer – they were the ones with white legs.   No lightweight tracksters or leggings for the men at that time.   The McAndrew was followed the following week by the County Relays – 4 stages of anything between two and a half and three miles.   Then there were the District Relays and later on the National Relays would be added to make a natural progression – several teams per club for the McAndrew to help select the teams for the county championships, with another step up to the District Championships and so on.   And all the while trying to get the runners ready for the eight stage Edinburgh to Glasgow in November.    The Renfrewshire Relays were like the other counties held on the second Saturday in October and the list of past winners was dominated by Bellahouston Harriers and included both Greenock clubs, Paisley Harriers and Strathclyde University.

In 1970 another club was added to the list of victors.    The ‘Glasgow Herald’ tells us “Glasgow Police win the Renfrewshire senior 10-mile relay title at Bellahouston Park by 80 yards from Wellpark Harriers in 55 min. 23 sec.   Bellahouston Harriers, the holders, who were without Mike McLean, were unplaced.   Results:-

1.   Glasgow Police (J McMillan 14:06, N Scott 16:15, D Lang 13:40, S Irvine 13:22) 55:23;  2. Wellpark Harriers (C Spence 13:58, J Stevenson 13:46, W Stoddart 13:45, M Pollard 14:08) 55:37;  3.  Glenpark 56:26.   Fastest Times: 1. B Goodwin (Bellahouston) 13:02;  2.  S Irvine (Glasgow Police) 13:22.    

Youths five-mile relay:  1.  Glenpark Harriers 23:04;  Fastest Lap:  L Spence  6:56.   Senior Boys four-mile relay:  Johnstone High School19:18.   Fastest Lap: R Foy  6:03.   Junior Boys four miles:  Glenpark Harriers 21:41.   Fastest lap:  L Robb 6:40.

It is interesting to note that the reason given for Bellahouston being unplaced in a race held on their own turf, was the absence of their star half-miler.    In the 21st century it would not, nine times out of ten, be a surprise for a half-miler to miss any cross-country event with the distance being seen almost as a sprint.   When it came to the Midland District District Relays however, the Police team with the same four runners finished tenth out of the 40 finishing clubs with Bellahouston, including Mike McLean, seventh

In the Championships for 1970/71 just two months later Bellahouston had a much stronger team forward but nevertheless won neither individual or team honours at senior man level.   They were in fact lucky to be second and not third because there was only one point in it.  Results:-

Willie Stoddart (Wellpark Harriers, the former Scottish marathon champion, easily won the Renfrewshire six-mile title in 37 min. 25 sec.   

Senior Race:  1.  W Stoddart (Wellpark) 37:25;  2. S Irvine (Glasgow Police) 38:15;  3. J McMillan (Glasgow Police 38:23.   Team race:  1.  Glasgow Police  82 pts;  2.  Bellahouston H  92 pts;  3.  Wellpark  93 pts.  

Youths three-miles:  1.  L Spence (Glenpark) 19:19.   Team race:  Bellahouston  14.   Senior Boys:  A Hendry (Glenpark), Team race: Bellahouston;  Junior Boys:  1.  I Robb (Johnstone HS)  7:40;   Team race:  Paisley  12.

Eddie Stewart as a Senior Man running in the Edinburgh to Glasgow

The 1971/72 relay championship featured the first appearance in the Senior Championship of Lawrie Spence who was a first year junior.   He acquitted himself well having joint fastest time with Brian Goodwin and seven seconds faster than Bill Stoddart.    “Glenpark Harriers, Greenock, won the Renfrewshire relay title on Saturday.   Bellahouston were second, and the holders, Glasgow Police,, third, more than two minutes behind the winners time of 55 minutes.   L Spence (Glenpark) and B Goodwin (Bellahouston) both equalled the best individual time for the two and a half mile leg of 13:28.   W Stoddart, the former marathon champion, came third in 13:35.   Glenpark also won the junior three by one and a half miles race in 18 min 52 sec, and P McCarney (Glenpark) proved the best individual performer with a time of 5:49.   Eastwood Secondary School took the Senior Boys three by one and a half miles relay in 20 min 14 sec., and E Stewart of the same school registered the best time of 6:31.”

There was another first appearance in the race – Eastwood Secondary had never won a  trophy in the race before, more evidence of the successful spread of the sport in Renfrewshire, and the fastest time of young Eddie Stewart.   Eddie of course would go on to run for Weat of Scotland Harriers and then for Cambuslang Harriers winning Scottish honours on the road and over the country.   The school would go on from this first team and individual medal to even more success in the RAAA Championships in December 1971 as the report on the event shows.   

RENFREWSHIRE TITLE FOR STODDART

Willie Stoddart (Wellpark Harriers), aged 40, won the Renfrewshire cross-country championships at Larkfield, Greenock, beating the second placed runner, Lawrie Spence (Glenpark Harriers), by about 120 yards.   Glenpark took the team title.   Results:-

Senior Six Miles:  1.  W Stoddart (Wellpark) 33 min 22 sec;   2.  RL Spence (Glenpark )  33:41;  3.  R Hodelet (Glenpark) 34:17.   Team race:  1. Glenpark (2, 3, A Law 4, T Dobbin 7, J Smith 14, R Hyett 20) 50 pts;  2.  Wellpark 67;   3.  Glasgow Police 94.   

Youths Three Miles:  1.   D Gormley (Glenpark)  16:26.   2.   I Porteous (Eastwood High School) 16:36.   Team:  1.   Glenpark (1, 5, 10) 16 pts;  2. Eastwood HS 18;  3.   Bellahouston 21.   Senior Boys two miles:   1.   H Cox (Glenpark) 11:54.   Team race:  1.   Eastwood High School (2, 4, 6) 12 pts;  2.   Paisley Harriers 32;  3.  Glenpark  34.   Junior Boys one and a half miles:  1.   P McCarney (Glenpark) 8:19.   Team Race:  1.  Glenpark (1, 6, 7) 14;  2.  Bellahouston 16;  3. Paisley Harriers 23.”

Glenpark took three team titles out of four (third in the other race) and three individual titles (second and third in the remaining race).   A very good day for the club and the appearance of young Hammy Cox as a Senior Boy – son of Berties and another who would win Scottish honours.   Glenpark had several family ties among their members – look at the second placer in the Senior race for evidence of that.    Hammy (2039) seen below as a Senior racing Alex Gilmour and Graham Crawford (17).

Time for the 1972/73 cross-country relays and this is where it gets difficult.   The Renfrewshire Association is organising the event, the clubs are supporting it but the relevant copies of newspaper coverage are missing from the archive. 

A similar story in the winter 1973/74 season with the bulk of the space on the Monday athletics area going to a discussion on why Lawrie Bryce was not going to be selected for the Commonwealth Games in 1974 which left only enough space to cover the Lanarkshire AAA road relays.   Came the county championships in December and only the Lanarkshire championships were covered in any detail with a brief mention of the Dunbartonshire championships – no Renfrewshire or Ayrshire.

Season 1974/75 through to 1977/78 results were supplied by Colin Youngson from Athletics Weekly and they are presented below.

The individual and team championships were held at Linwood on 30th November and the title went to Cameron Spence.   The County associations all had somewhere in their constitution the remit to develop the sport in their area and one of the signs that the Renfrewshire AAA were doing so was the development of new clubs prepared to take part in the championships, note the appearance again of Eastwood in the event along with the Spango Valley outfit.   It is an interesting report, noting as it does the fact that Cammie Spence’s brother Lawrie won the Lanarkshire title on the very same day.   The team race went once again to Bellahouston Harriers who won from Glasgow Police and Paisley Harriers.

Cammie Spence running in the 6 Stage relay in the colours of Spango Valley AAC

1975 saw a second title win for Cammie but this time from team mate Graham Clark by a mere 22 seconds although the team race title was taken from Bellahouston by Paisley with Greenock Wellpark in third.    Teams making a rare appearance in the prize winners category this year was West of Scotland (2nd in the Youths race) .   Among the young’uns coming through were Peter Fleming of Bellahouston and Willie Toole of Paisley.

The 1976 championships report from the A.W. is reproduced in its entire page setting because there are other news stories of interest to an endurance running population.   For instance the obituary of Pat Spence after her tragic death is there as is the result of the SCCU National Relay Championship.    Note in the RAAA Championships the three Youths from Bellahouston who would be sub 2:20 marathon runners (Fleming, Daly and Getty), the Junior Boy R Hawkins from Kilbarchan who would become Scottish marathon coach and father of Derek and Calum; and Olympic 1500m runner Frank Clement from Bellahouston winning the Senior title from previous winner Cammie Spence.   Note that Eddie Stewart, formerly of Eastwood HS, running for West of Scotland Harriers, on the way up while previous winners Bill Stoddart of Wellpark and Dick Hodelet of Glenpark were further down.

The Renfrewshire Road Race Championship was always well contested and 1977 was no different from any other year.   The report below from Athletics Weekly was supplied by Graham Getty who appears in the Youths race result:

The Renfrewshire Relays were held on 8th October, 1977, but the result was subsumed in a larger report and, like Dunbartonshire, they were below the Lanarkshire Relays in the Herald and only the minimum was included.

If you have been paying atention to the results of age group races so far, you will have noticed Hammy Cox working his way through from the Boys age group to this year when he not only won the Longbar Cross-Country race but had the fastest time in the Renfrewshire Relay Championships.   His team, Spango Valley won from Bellahouston with a team consisting of himself, Cammie Spence, Graham Clark and Martin Coyle.   

Graham Getty was on hand again to provide the results of the RAAA Cross-Country Championships on 2nd December, 1978 – again the whole page will be shown since the other results are of interest; in this context of County Associations, the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire results are also here and the quality in the three events is very high indeed.

The Road Championships went on of course earlier in the year and the numbers and standard remained high.   

Start of DAAA organised Balloch – Clydebank, 1952:  a confined race to member clubs.

The 1951/52 cross-country season ended and the summer season then went on until the end of June (25th) with the Inter-Counties at Westhorn Recreation Grounds in Glasgow when Lanarkshire with 63 points defeated Renfrewshire on 49 points and Dunbartonshire with 43.

The individual clubs held their own open meetings of course with the Helensburgh Meeting being on 26th July and the Milngavie open meeting at Auchenhowie on 16th August.   The latter had top class athletes all the way through the programme with Bill Jack in the sprints, Donnie McDonald the middle distance specialist, Ian Binnie in the long distance events and David Gracie in the hurdles.    The Inter-Counties medley relay was won by Dunbartonshire from Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire.   

In October, on the third Saturday, all the county relays took place on the 18th of the month.   The Dunbartonshire team race was won fairly comfortably by Garscube Harriers from the Brock Baths in Dumbarton from Vale of Leven and Garscube Harriers B Team – details below.    

Finally for 1952, the county took on Lanarkshire in the annual cross-country race sponsored and organised by the Counties themselves, via a Committee representative of these county associations.   What happened to Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Stirlingshire or City of Glasgow is not noted, what is noted is the mammoth defeat suffered by Dunbartonshire. for whom several top men did not turn out.   The ‘Herald’report on the race said that”Eddie Bannon outstripped his rivals yesterday in the Lanarkshire/Dunbartonshire six and a half mile cross country race, held over a course planned by the Shettleston Harriers in the vicinity of their pavilion in Gartocher Road.   It was a three lap trail, almost entirely on grassland, with very little road running.    At the end of the first lap, he held a 70 yard lead, and striding out comfortably continued to widen the gap.   J Finlayson, a team mate was his closest challenger for a time, but over the last lap, a “dark horse” , W Green (Cambuslang) over took Finlayson and finished second, a quarter of a mile behind Bannon.”    

Details from the ‘Scots Athlete’ below.

The actual county championships organised by the DAAA took place on 10th January at the same Dumbarton venue as the relays.   The report and results from The ‘Glasgow Herald’ are below.

On Saturday 18th April the confined Dunbartonshire AAA Road Running Championship over the 12 mile course from Balloch to Clydebank was won by John Duffy of Clydesdale Harriers in 1:10:31 from Joe Walker of Dumbarton AAC.   The quality of the field can be seen from the photograph below with two excellent runners from Garscube Harriers trailing him out of Dumbarton just after halfway.

We know that the County was very active: championship relays in two age groups, championships in two age groups, Track & Field Championships, two road races – the confined Balloch to Clydebank 12 miles and the open Clydebank to Helensburgh 16 miles – teams in inter-counties on the track and over the country when they were held as well as helping individual clubs and organisations within the area.   Unfortunately for reasons unknown, the championships, other than the road races, were not advertised in ‘The Scots Athlete’ as those of other counties were.   There were whole pages of fixtures most years which included Lanarkshire AAA, Renfrewshire AAA and AHCA championships but seldom if ever dates for Dunbarton Championships.    Perhaps related to that, there was a hierarchy of coverage of county events in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ with Lanarkshire getting the lion’s share of the coverage and Renfrewshire next and then Ayrshire.   There are gaps, at times big gaps, in the reports on Dunbartonshire championships.

David Bowman of Clydesdale Harriers at Greenhead Road – halfway – in the Balloch to Clydebank Race

 The Milngavie Highland Games on 15th August 1953 were again a great success with Ian Binnie beating a field of 42 runners in the 10 mile road race in a record time and Eddie Bannon winning the Two Miles as he pleased; Bill Piper had the best performance in the high jump and won the pole vault and Molly Ferguson (later Wilmoth) won the 100 yards but there was no Inter-County Relay race as in previous years. 

Winter 1953/54 started in the traditional fashion with the short relays.   The McAndrew promised a good season to come when Victoria Park won their own McAndrew Relay with Ian Binnie setting a new course record, taking 5 seconds from the existing one.   Their B team was third with Shetleston separating the two.   The first Dunbartonshire team was Garscube in fourth place.    The Dunbartonshire championship relay took place on 17th October at the Garscube Harriers HQ at Westerton.   They turned out the same quartet that had run so well in the McAndrew but not in the same order – Robertson had been on the last leg in the Scotstoun race with Kidd running first.   They all ran again in the Midland District where the team finished sixth – Robertson, Dunn, Coupland, Kidd was the order this time round.  They were a very good team, of that there is no doubt at all, but what is surprising is that not one of the four was in the list of season’s best times for any endurance event on the track as published in the ‘Scots Athlete’.   Alex Kidd had taken up marathon running and performed well in several 20+ mile races.    He had been fourth of the fifteen finishers behind two experienced English runners and Joe McGhee in the Perth to Dundee race and fourth in the SAAA Marathon Championship in a time of 2:43:15 behind J Duffy (Hadleigh), A McLean (Glenpark Harriers) and J McGhee (St Modan’s).   The Dunbartonshire result was printed in that magazine as follows:-

The Championship results are not available at present  so it is on to the following spring and . . . .

The Dunbartonshire Balloch to Clydebank 12 Mile Road Race in 1954 took place on 17th April and was won, as per expectations, by Alex Kidd by fully 600 yards in 68:30.   Fellow Garscube Harrier Stan Horn was the man in second and J Timmins of Dumbarton AAC third in times respectively of 70:23 and 70:52.   FJ Lacey of Vale of Leven was fourth in 71:32, J Duffy, Clydesdale Harriers was fifth in 72:06 and DM Bowman, also Clydesdale, sixth in 72: 09.   Pictured below are Willie Howie, David Bowman and John Duffy of Clydesdale Harriers after the Balloch to Clydebank.

The winter relays were held on Vale of Leven’s territory on 16th October 1954 and the home team won from reigning champions, Garscube Harriers.   The two men whose names stand out over 60 years later were the two men who had the fastest times – Pat Moy and Alex McDougall of the Vale.   Moy was an Irish international runner and a performer of the highest class who won events on the track, over the country and on the roads, while McDougall was a Scottish internationalist, a medal winner at SAAA level and an Empire Games competitor.   They would both be big names for some time to come.    

The Championships were held early in the New Year – 8th January 19545- and were won by Clydesdale’s Cyril O’Boyle, picture below, in 38:16.   Results:

George White to John Wright for Clydesdale Harriers in the DAAA Cross-Country Relay

The Balloch to Clydebank race was on 16th April in 1955 and featured a hard race between Cyril O’Boyle of Clydesdale Harriers and the tough Alex McDougall of Vale of Leven.   O’Boyle won by 700 yards in 64:15 from McDougall (65:49) and Stan Horne of Garscube, the winner in 1953, was third .   Remaining placings:-  4.  G Dickson, Garscube, 71:20;  5.  J Timmins, Dumbarton, 73:54;  6.  W Ross, Garscube,  76:36;  7.  M Stewart, Clydesdale, 76:42.   Alex Kidd, the winner the previous year, did not run.   The report from “Athletic Review” (1/3d) of June 1955 by CS Barber is below the photograph.

Cyril O’Boyle leading Alex McDougall in the Balloch to Clydebank Road Race, 1955

The cross-country relays in October 1955 were held on 15th October and the winners were Garscube Harriers with Clydesdale second and Vale of Leven, the holders were third.   The report in the ‘Glasgow Herald’ covered all three county events that weekend and the report – minus the results for Renfrew and Lanark – is below.

So much for the Relays, the championships were held at Dumbarton with the senior title being retained by Clydesdale’s O’Boyle from Pat Moy of the Vale Harriers.   The ‘Glasgow Herald’ report is below.

The first significant road race of the following summer season (1956) was on 7th April and was the Clydebank to Helensburgh 16 miler.   Another good report on the race from the ‘Glasgow Herald’ 

The Balloch – Clydebank was held on 14th April, 1956, and was won by McDougall after a hard race with Garscube’s Kidd, O’Boyle having dropped out with foot trouble, report below. 

McDougall would run for Scotland in the Empire Games Marathon in Cardiff and have a very good career as a marathon runner domestically.   A hard, tough man he had some very good races with O’Boyle a runner of real class from Ireland.    Along with the immensely talented Pat Moy, McDougall gave the Vale of Leven AAC the foundations for a very good team.    The club had several top class men – Walter Lennie who won the Midland District championship was one and Willie Gallacher was another.   Gallacher, younger brother of the boxer Skeets Gallacher (Scottish and British flyweight champion and unofficial champion of the world) , left the Vale for just over a year and ran for Shettleston Harriers before returning to the club.   

The County Associations were, and continue to be, important to the development of athletics in the West of Scotland.   For some reason they do not seem to feature in the East which has its East District League.    The Counties all sprang up separately, they were local groups which concentrated on developing the sport locally and providing a bridge between club and District Competition.   eg the start of the winter season has always been the short relays and the format in the west in October was McAndrew Road Relays at Scotstoun on the first Saturday, then the County Relays the following week and then the Districts and, from 1974, National Relays,   It was a natural progression with distances varying between two and a half and three miles.    

It was a minor bone of contention when the governing body decided that it was asking fit athletes to run two hard relays in consecutive weeks and brought the District Relays back a week to the slot filled by the County Championships.   The ‘progression’ aspect was defeated.   However the county associations provided county relay championships and championships over the country and track & field championships in the summer; many also provided road races (eg DAAA organised the Balloch to Clydebank and Clydebank to Helensburgh races, Renfrewsire also provided an annual road racing championship as did Lanarkshire).   

These associations are all detailed separately but on this page we have the constitutions of two such organisation – similar but differing in the amount and type of detail.   Compare and contrast!

Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association     Dunbartonshire Amateur Athletics Association

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Name

The Association shall be called the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs’ Association and shall have the short title “AHCA”.

Membership

1. *Membership of the Association shall be confined to athletics clubs affiliated to Scottish Athletics Limited based in Ayrshire and Arran, member groups of Jog Scotland based in Ayrshire and Arran, sports promoting bodies, schools, colleges and youth clubs based in Ayrshire and Arran.                                                                                                 
2. All applications for membership must be made in writing to the Secretary and shall be submitted to the Committee at its first meeting after the application is lodged. The membership fee must accompany the application.
3. Any organisation wishing to resign must give notice to the Secretary prior to the Annual General Meeting. If this is not done, liability for a further year’s subscription will be incurred and if this is not paid then the organisation will be liable for this subscription before it can rejoin.

Objects

The objects of the Association shall be:

1. To further the interests of athletics by endeavouring to secure the formation of new clubs eligible for membership.
2. To encourage clubs by promoting individual and team competitions, county championships, inter-county contests and international matches.
3. To assist schools by encouraging the promotion of athletic competitions.
4. To assist youth clubs by offering advice to members and encouraging the promotion of area and inter district youth panel sports meetings.

Government

1. Each year at the Annual General Meeting a roll of patrons shall be drawn up.
2. The office bearers of the Association shall be appointed annually and shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be invested in one person. Each member organisation shall be obliged to supply a Secretary if this is necessary and shall do so in alphabetical rotation. All office bearers other than  Secretary and Treasurer must be appointed from Delegates duly authorised by member organisations. In addition the AGM may appoint an Honorary President. The Delegates will be elected by the member organisations with each organisation electing two Delegates.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
3. The management of the Association shall be vested in a general committee consisting of Delegates elected as described above and the office bearers. This committee will meet periodically whenever business demands it with a minimum of four meetings each year over and above an Annual General Meeting. A quorum for all committee meetings shall be fixed annually at the Annual General Meeting. The two Delegates from each member organisation shall have one vote each. Office bearers who are not Delegates shall also have one vote each. The Chairman shall have a casting as well as a deliberative vote. Ex-officio office bearers shall have one vote but only when the proposal comes within their area of responsibility and at no other times. Four Delegates/office bearers shall form a quorum at the AGM.

Meetings

The Chairman and Secretary shall decide the times and places of all meetings. At least fourteen days notice of a normal committee meeting shall be given to secretaries of affiliated organisations.      The  Annual General Meeting  shall be held no later than the end of November each year. This meeting will receive the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s annual reports and office bearers will be elected by a show of hands.  At least twenty eight days notice of the AGM shall be given to the secretaries of each affiliated organisation. This notice shall be accompanied by a provisional agenda. Notice of any business which an affiliated organisation wishes to be placed on the agenda of the AGM must be in the hands of the Secretary fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

Special General Meetings

A Special General Meeting may be convened provided the request is signed by the secretaries of three affiliated organisations and is placed in the hands of the Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the proposed meeting. The business to be discussed must be specified. The Secretary will then give all affiliated organisations seven days notice of the meeting and specify the business to be transacted. A majority of the Delegates/office bearers present shall decide such business as submitted except that in the case of an alteration to the rules, a majority of two thirds of Delegates/office bearers present shall be required.

Annual Subscription

The annual subscription shall be fixed at the AGM and shall be paid not later than the end of the calendar year.

Discipline

The general committee shall have the power to suspend temporarily or permanently from AHCA organised or supported events, any person or affiliated organisation considered by the general committee to have brought the sport of athletics into disrepute. The decision shall be based on a simple majority of Delegates/office bearers present at the meeting. Misbehaviour might include betting or unfair practices connected with athletics such as failing to observe the rules. A person or organisation so disciplined shall have the right to appeal to a Special General Meeting. A two thirds majority shall be necessary before any decision shall be implemented at such a meeting. The decision of the Association shall be conveyed to the governing body.

Alteration to the Rules

These rules shall not be varied or amended except by the votes of not less than two thirds of those present at an Annual General Meeting or at a properly convened Special General Meeting called for the purpose.

Executive Committee

An executive committee consisting of the Chairman, Secretary and one other Delegate or Office bearer shall be appointed at the AGM to deal with any matter which may arise when there is insufficient time to call a committee meeting. It may also deal with any business which the general committee may remit to it.

Standing Orders

1. A suitable account shall be opened at a branch of a bank approved by the AGM. This account shall be operated by the Treasurer.
2. Sundry receipts of cash shall be banked whenever the amount exceeds £50.
3. A cashbook shall be kept by the Treasurer in which shall be shown all intromissions supported by relative vouchers for either income or expenditure.
4. The financial year shall end on the 30^th September and a statement of income and expenditure prepared for the approval of the AGM.
5. An auditor shall be appointed by the AGM. He will conduct a complete audit for the year and submit a report to the AGM.
6. The four statutory meetings of the general committee shall be held in the months of November, February, May and August with the November meeting coinciding with the AGM.

Rules For Championship Events

1. Eligibility of competitors shall be as defined by Scottish Athletics Limited.
2. The rules for all events shall be as laid down by Scottish Athletics but in addition the following local rules shall apply:

Individual and team Championships promoted by AHCA or authorised sports promoting bodies shall be open only to (a) all members of our affiliated athletics clubs whether first or second claim, (b) people who reside in Ayrshire or Arran (c) all members of schools and youth organisations in Ayrshire and Arran. However anyone whose eligibility stems from (b) or (c) shall not be eligible if they are a member of an athletics club affiliated to Scottish Athletics which is based outwith Ayrshire and Arran.

1. The venue of Championships shall be the headquarters of (or other premises arranged by) the host club. Each club shall have the honour of promoting the competitions in turn with the host club being decided by the AGM.
2. (a)The trail for all championship races shall be chosen by the host club. (b) The office bearers of the Association shall have the power to change the trail if they consider it unsuitable. (c) The promoting club shall give the Secretary a description of the trail including distances so that member organisations can be informed as soon as possible. (d) A plan of the courses shall be prominently displayed on the day of the races.
3. The distances for all competitors shall be in accordance with Scottish Athletics rules for the various age groups.
4. All entries must show the competitors name, date of birth and organisation. Declarations will close 30 minutes before the start of the event. The Chairman and Secretary may scrutinise entries.
5. The entry fee will be decided at the AGM.
6. The Association shall appoint a referee and not less than two judges, two timekeepers, a starter and such stewards as may be thought necessary. These officials will be responsible for the conduct of the races and/or meeting. Each affiliated athletics club will be expected to nominate at least two officials.
7. The general committee shall decide the number of competitors to count in team events and the number and value of awards for different events.

Winding Up

The winding up of Ayrshire Harrier Clubs’ Association shall require a vote to be taken at an AGM or a properly convened Special General Meeting. At this meeting the Delegates from all the affiliated organisations present at the meeting shall have to vote in favour of the proposed dissolution before it can take place.

Disposal of Assets

In the event of Ayrshire Harrier Clubs’ Association being wound up, any surplus funds left over after all our financial obligations have been met shall be dispersed equally amongst our affiliated athletics clubs.

First things first, the Handbook introduced us to the Committee Office Bearers, preceded only by the Patrons.   Sir Iain Colquhoun was Lord Lieutenant of the County and kept himself informed of what was happening there.   Popular and active, he was first on the list.   Of the office bearers, David Brooke was a well known official who was active right up to and past the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh when he was an official time keeper, and Willie Stevenson was the man who sent round the first letter suggesting that the organisation be formed.    James Gray was a qualified CA who had been a long time member and office bearer in Clydesdale Harriers.

Although it was the Dunbartonshire AAA para 3 (a) indicates that its interests, while mainly in Dunbartonshire, were with athletics generally.   Wider than most similar county organisations which were more restricted.   Para 3 (b) includes Muster runs, again rather unusual, which were joint club runs with all clubs within it taking part in what was basically a pack run. 

As with all organisations, the results of all championships were listed up to date.    These were both cross-country and track and field.

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Why pick on one year and not another?   Because not all events organised and carried through successfully by any organisation are reported faithfully in the Press, many of them are not reported at all.   This can be for many reasons – some events are of a purely local interest, some are so low key that they are not known of at all, there may be too much sport for any paper to write up in its entirety on any given Monday.    Mind you, there might well be a case for a purely multi-sport results sheet to be produced on Mondays.   Remember that ‘The Scottish Referee’ was only published on a Monday to start with before it became a twice-weekly production.   It covered all sports and even reported on most of them.   Perhaps a simple results supplement on a Monday would help sell more papers?   

Renfrewshire, as a member of the SAAA, had to have a permit to hold any real meeting and so we could check out the official roster of events for any year.   The SAAA produced a Handbook every year which covered every aspect of the sport in Scotland for that year as well as having the Constitution in its entirety, the Rules for Competition, lists of coaches, of officials, etc, etc.   The etc, etc includes the fixture list for the year.    Why choose 1979?    It was a time when the various county associations were doing really well – the ‘running boom’ was in full swing, Scottish athletes were performing well and so the grass-roots aspect of the sport involving clubs and schools were also very involved in the sport.   Any year around the end of the 70’s and the 80’s would have done.   

The complete list of Renfrewshire AAA activities that year was listed as follows.

And you can probably add in the County Cross-Country Championships in December.   There were other events held in the county throughout the year by member clubs and usually assisted by the RAAA as well as events not needing a permit from the SAAA such as schools championships and inter-county youth services sports.    

Be that as it may, the coverage of the above events was all but non-existant.   Of course, that may have been down to the local organiser not sending in the results of the track events but road race results are usually sent in immediately after the race.

Graham Getty helped in the quest for results with the “Athletics Weekly” report on the road championships and detailed results.   Note that the date has been altered.

The County Relay result was published in the “Glasgow Herald” and was rather short.   Run on 13th October it clashed with the Glasgow Marathon but the only result given was the Senior race, no age groups results and only the bare bones of the senior event.

The obvious conclusion is that the county association was doing its job well, the number of clubs was growing – note who won the team race in the relay, note too the name Pentastar – and clubs such as Kilbarchan were getting stronger.   The coverage in 1979 was not what it had been but fortunately it would pick up and Doug Gillon’s name would be welcome by all club and international athletes in the country.   Pentastar, by the way, was a club connected with the car manufacturers at Linwood whose symbol was a five pointed star.    

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