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Cyril O’Boyle was a quite outstanding runner who was celebrated in Ireland before he ever came to Scotland.   He came here in theearly 1950’s and joined Victoria Park AAC, returned to Ireland, then ame back to Scotland again to run for Clydesdale Harriers.   His Daughter Moira was also an international runner, first of all as an age group runner for Scotland then as a senior marathon runner for Ireland.   nspired by Moira’s success, and encouraged by Cyril’s enthusiasm, wife Noreen took up running and ran for several Scottish select teams.   What is here is s simple collection of photographs, mainly but not exclusively, of Cyril himself.

A young-ish Cyril in his Finn Valley days, he is second right in the front row.

A Tyrone cross country team in 1950: Cyril is 145 on the left

.As a member of Victoria Park AAC, he is on the left in the back row, with Syd Ellis and Johnny Stirling; Ian Binnie in front.

In the Balloch to Clydebank 12 miles road race, leading Alex McDougall at three miles

.

In the Edinburgh to Glasgow late 1950’s

Handing the baton to Bobby Shields in the Edinburgh to Glasgow, mid 1960’s

At the start of the Babcock & Wilcox 14 miles road race about 1970: Cyril on left next to team mates Ian Leggett (26) and Allan Faulds (27).

Moira running for Ireland, 1980’s

Moira winning a marathon in Ireland, 1980’s

Cyril and Noreen on his 90th birthday in 2016

After Cyril returned to Ireland in the 1980’s he was visited by some of his old friends from Scotland:   here he is outside his farm cottage with Pat Younger.

When you look at the various bodies that contributed to the development of amateur athletics in the country, organisations such as the Universities and School FP Clubs are maybe the first that come to mind.   But the contribution of the YMCA movement should not be overlooked or minimised.   Founded in Anerica in 1844 it believed in ‘muscular Christianity’ and quickly spread all round the world.   In Scotland there were many YMCA Harrier Clubs, possibly strongest in the 30’s and 40’s, founded the length and breadth of the country.   They had their own national YMCA Cross Country relay and championships as well as a national track and field championships.   They all followed the YMCA principles and many young men benefited from them.   Some, like the Kirkcaldy branch, were more obviously part of this wider movement.   Colin Youngson has been busy and produced this account of the Aberdeen YMCA. 

ABERDEEN YMCA HARRIERS

Hunter Watson, the long-time Aberdeen AAC Secretary and Historian, offered relevant information in an AAAC club magazine. “During the two World Wars, the association of local clubs was renamed the North Eastern Harriers Association (NEHA), and the 3-Miles team Road Race usually took place in December. Another regular event was the Round the Town Relay. The YMCA Harriers were often the best team in Aberdeen during the 1930s (others included Aberdeenshire Harriers, Aberdeen University, Shamrock Harriers and Caledonian Harriers). Prominent YM athletes at that time included the Milne twins, Alex and George, who did especially well in five and seven mile races.

The club rented a wooden hut on the south bank of the River Dee, upstream from the Victoria Bridge. This hut belonged to a swimming club. Lighting was by paraffin lamp, and water had to be carried in from the outside and heated over a stove lit by the athletes. A zinc bath was used for sponging after training runs. Track training was carried out on a cinder running track in Linksfield Road. When they all went out for a cross-country or road training run, a ‘Pace-maker’ and a ‘Whip’ were appointed, to make sure that the pack stayed together, until near the end when they were free to race home. (Even when Jim Youngson’s son, marathon runner Colin, ran for Victoria Park AAC in Glasgow in the early 1970s, a similar system operated, with a slow pack going off first, and then the fast pack to chase them round a certain traditional road route.) Then in August 1939 the YM Harriers agreed that the club should go into abeyance until the war situation became clear. War was declared on 1st September; and the club was never formally reconstituted. However, some of its trophies are still competed for by Aberdeen AAC.

An article in the P and J interviews Jimmy Adams, a renowned long-serving SAAA official (and former Scottish High Jump International athlete, who competed in teams with Eric Liddell. (At Christmas 1961, when the article was published, Jimmy was about to retire to Torquay.) Jimmy competed twice for Scotland in the triangular internationals with England and Wales. He tied for the Scottish high jump title one year; and was runner-up on other occasions. Jimmy was in the Scottish team at Stoke-on-Trent in 1923, after Liddell made amateur athletic history by winning three international track events (100, 200, 440) in one afternoon. Arriving at Stoke after competing at the White City, Eric discovered he had left his spikes behind and had to borrow a pair which were to large for him. He made them fit by stuffing the toes with cotton wool. In the quarter mile event, Liddell was fouled at the first bend and was actually forced off the track on to the grass but he recovered lost ground and went on to win a terrific race before collapsing after he breasted the tape. It had been a very hot day it was some time after he had been carried to the dressing room that Liddell recovered consciousness. His tremendous exertions had taken their toll on this great-hearted athlete.

Jimmy Adams considers that to have been Liddell’s finest day in athletics and this was confirmed later by Eric himself when he stayed with Jimmy while on an evangelistic tour of the country. Eric placed his Stoke triumph even above his capture of a gold medal in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.)

 “In 1914, Jimmy Adams had been serving as a range-finder with the Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow, when it was announced in daily orders that anyone interested in athletics would be allowed ashore to train for the fleet championships.

Jimmy showed versatility in the squadron championships by winning three titles – 220 yards, half-mile and high jump. He went on to take the High Jump title in the Fleet Championships at Rosyth. In 1918, he was chosen to represent the Grand Fleet against the American Fleet.

On being discharged from the Navy he returned to Aberdeen and joined the YMCA Harriers. The club’s headquarters at that time was a wooden hut in the Springfield Road area and the athletes did their training in a nearby field which was also used by grazing horses and cattle.

He still remembers that hut in which there was an old coke stove on which a zinc bath full of water was heated while the members were out training. At the end of each session anything from twelve to twenty members washed themselves in that four-foot zinc bath.

The YMCA club later moved their hut to a site in Linksfield Road where they built a running track and football pitch. After the grass field at Springfield Road, it was sheer heaven to have the use of a proper track.”

(After the start of WW2 in 1939, Jimmy Adams helped to organise athletics contests in which people not called up by the Forces competed against various Service units stationed in the area. The venue of these meetings was the new Linksfield Stadium, situated almost exactly opposite the site of the YM Harriers’ home-made track last used five years earlier in 1935. The 1940 Linksfield Stadium, modernised superbly a few years ago, is now in 2019 the Aberdeen Sports Village, where Scottish Athletics Championships have been held.)

“A new Corporation housing scheme, however, forced the club to change quarters again in 1935, this time to a hut owned by the Dee Swimming Club near the Victoria Bridge. The zinc bath was still with them and, on occasion, they filled it with ice from the Dee.

When he first joined YM Harriers, Jimmy engaged in road running and cross-country but later he cut them out and concentrated on the high jump.

His first big athletics meeting outside Aberdeen was the Rangers Sports in 1921 and he took first prize in the high jump. Gaining confidence from this success he then undertook a series of trips to compete at meetings all over the country, visiting such places as Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Sheffield and London.

There was no such word as ‘shamateurism’ in those days. Practically every weekend during the athletics season he left Aberdeen on Friday night and returned home on Sunday morning – paying all the travelling expenses from his own pocket. He gave up competition in 1927 and turned his attention to the administrative side – with YMCA until 1939, and after the war, Jimmy was instrumental in the founding of Aberdeen AAC in the 1950s.”

“Jimmy’s thirty-odd years as an athletics official produced many memorable occasions, but for him the highlight came in February 1958, when he helped to organise the Aberdeen to Edinburgh run in connection with the cities’ anti-TB campaign. A team of athletes from Aberdeen and Dundee carried a torch and scroll from the Lord Provost of Aberdeen to his counterpart in Edinburgh, completing their assignment in a non-stop 150 mile night and day relay run.

Such a project required a tremendous amount of administrative planning, but, thanks to the co-operation of runners and officials, the twenty-one-hour schedule worked out perfectly.

Jimmy will never forget the sight of the runners moving along Princes Street, Edinburgh, under a police escort, to hand over the scroll to the capital’s civic head exactly on time.

Nor will he forget the remark made to him at the time by a prominent official. “I cannot believe that these boys, having been on the road since last night, can come down here looking like a regiment of Guards. They look so spic and span. They are a credit to Aberdeen.

Jimmy was prouder of these few minutes than of anything in his athletics career, knowing that it was a triumph of co-operation between athletes and officials.”

James Alexander Youngson, above left, who had run well on the track for Gordonians in 1933 and 1934, joined Aberdeen YMCA Harriers in early Winter 1934. On December 14th 1933, the Aberdeen Evening Express published a time-warp photo of three ‘Trail-layers’, each with a satchel under his left arm, dropping a trail of shredded paper for a NEHA cross-country course. (Colin knew of this system, but it had stopped by the mid-sixties, when he first ran cross-country. Did all the runners get lost if it was windy?)

It was announced in the EE in late October 1934 that “The Aberdeen Y.M.C.A. Harriers have now everything in apple pie order for the coming season. Although the active membership is 21, there are still a few vacancies for lads who wish to take up the harrier game.”    Who could resist the call? Not Dad!

Then, Eureka! A report of the race in which Colin’s Dad won his NEHA medal! The P & J on Monday 19th November, 1934, described a race which happened on Saturday 17th. Below is a summary.

“DOUBLE HONOURS FOR Y.M.C.A.

In the North Eastern Harriers Junior 3 miles 6-man team championship, held at the Links, Aberdeen Y.M.C.A. Harriers achieved individual and team victories.” There follows an account of the first two miles, led by various nonentities. Then! “In the last mile, the favourite, James A.Youngson, went to the front but could not shake off the Milne twins, who were running in a loose and easy style. These three club-mates had a desperate fight, until the final sprint. Alex Milne won by inches from James A. Youngson, with George Milne a yard behind.

                                    1 Alex Milne YM 16.45 and one fifth of a second; 2 James A. Youngson YM; 3 George Milne YM.

Team placing:  1 YMCA (1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11 = 34 points’; 2 Aberdeenshire Harriers; 3 Aberdeen University”

 The EE on the following Saturday 24th November 1934 comments further, in a weekly column by “Roadside” who deals with cycling, running, race walking and track athletics.

                                     “PROMISING ‘Y.M.’ RUNNERS

Last Saturday’s three-mile junior team race at the Links resulted in another YMCA triumph. Alex Milne, James A. Youngson, and George Milne filled the first three places and the club also won the team event by a comfortable margin.

The ‘Y.M.’ also had the first three men in the two-mile novice championships at Pittodrie Park in October. This would seem to indicate that they have, at present, the best set of youngsters in the city.

To get back to the three-mile junior race. The event was held under ideal conditions and, although the time does not stand comparison with former years, it must be kept in mind that formerly the course was shorter. The lap has now been carefully measured, and it is 854 yards which gives a course of six laps plus 156 yards. The previous course never exceeded 5 and three-quarters laps. The running of the race on the left-hand turn, and the shifting of the finishing line was, I think, quite a successful innovation.

In December 1934, Jim was mentioned in the EE as liable to figure prominently in the forthcoming YMCA Harriers 5 mile club championship over the Torry course. This was “likely to result in a duel between James Youngson, James Thow and the twin brothers – Alex and George Milne”. The route was from the foot of Menzies Road, past Craiginches to the top of Nigg Brae, where the runners took the turning that led to Bridge of Dee, before crossing the bridge and racing down Riverside Road, to finish near Victoria Bridge. However, Jim did not take part. Arthur Lobban won, followed by Alex and George.

The start of the race for the Caledonian Cup, South Esplanade in February, 1935                             (P&J Photo)

There is no mention of Colin’s Dad in early 1935, until the last race of the season, on Saturday 16th February 1935. The EE article states the following.

HARRIERS RACE FOR CALEDONIAN CUP

Six Teams to Compete in Stiff Test

The fifth annual three-mile race for the Caledonian Cup will be held under the auspices of the North Eastern Harriers Association, today at 3 p.m.

The competition is open to all amateur clubs within the area. Teams are of twelve runners each, of whom the first six men home count for places.

Teams are forward from: ‘Varsity, Shire, Aberdeen YMCA, Gordon Highlanders (2 teams) and Elgin YMCA Harriers.

The course is from South Esplanade West, past Craiginches to Harpers’ Works, striking off to the left to take the fields over to the road leading under the railway. Runners then take the country again to come on to the road at the railway cabin, and thence back to the finishing point in South Esplanade West.

Stripping accommodation is at the Dee Swimming Clubhouse, near Victoria Bridge, but ‘Varsity and ‘Shire will strip in the ‘Shire hut at Suspension Bridge.

Trail layers are asked to report at Dee Hut, at 2.15 p.m.”

There follows a full list of entrants, oddly not including Lobban and the Milnes.

Next Monday’s P&J has the results!

Y.M.C.A. Man First Home in Harriers’ Event

 “Varsity won the N.E. Harriers’ Association three-mile junior team championship which was decided over a course at Torry on Saturday afternoon.

A field of sixty runners took part. From the start, A.R. Hewitt and N.R. McLean (‘Varsity) forced a stiff pace, with J.A. Youngson (YMCA) five yards in the rear. Taking the country, McLean went to the front, with Hewitt and Youngson at his heels.

Midway over the country the three leaders were having a tousy duel, the Elgin team being well bunched together for the team award. Coming on to the road again, McLean was clinging to three-yard lead, from Youngson and Hewitt, with H. McDougall (‘Varsity), J. Riddell (Elgin) and W. Grant (‘Shire) ten yards behind.

In the last 200 yards Youngson came away with a terrific burst of speed to pass McLean and carry on to win his first individual honour by twenty yards in the good time of 16 minutes 35 and a fifth seconds.

An exciting duel took place between McLean and Grant for second place, the former just getting the verdict by inches at the tape.”

Well! Where did that sprinting power come from? Perhaps this was Jim Youngson’s greatest-ever victory. Presumably, having won a ‘Junior’ race, he would now be classed as a Senior athlete!

The following Saturday’s EE ‘Roadside’ column emphasises how well Elgin YM had done, to come second to Varsity in the team race. Then he writes “The individual winner was J.A. Youngson of Aberdeen Y.M.C.A., who returned the second-fastest time for a winner of this race. The cup and individual medals were presented to the successful competitors by Mr Alexander Silver.”

Evidence of Elgin YMCA Harriers Club’s rise to prominence came in their promotion of an amateur athletics meeting on Wednesday 19th June 1935. This was the first meeting held since the inauguration of the club, and took place at Boroughbriggs Park, Elgin (where Colin raced a North District cross-country league race at the age of 62 in 2010.) In the previous Saturday’s EE, ‘Roadside’ mentioned that “The ‘stars’ to appear in the one and two miles handicap races are W Fraser (AU), L Davidson (‘Shire) and J.A. Youngson (Y.M.C.A.).” Then the P&J on Thursday 20th reported that the Two miles race (handicap) was won by local runner J. Riddell in 9 mins 41 and three-fifths seconds, from J.A. Youngson (Aberdeen YM) and A. Murray (Elgin).

In November 1935, Dad was selected to compete in a legendary Aberdeen team race. Alex Wilson supplied the following report in ‘The Scotsman’:

            “ROUND THE TOWN RELAY RACE AT ABERDEEN

The North-Eastern Harriers’ Association held their 20-mile Round-The-Town Relay race at Aberdeen on Saturday 30th November 1935. Five teams of six-a-side participated in the event, which was won by Aberdeenshire in the excellent time of 1 hour 44 mins 17 secs.

 Lobban (University ‘A’) led J. Youngson (Y.M.C.A.) by ten yards at the first lap, covering the distance in 12 mins, 12 secs. In the second lap, D. Annand (University) and A. Milne (Y.M.C.A.) ran abreast until 100 yards from the finish, when Annand pulled away to lead by 10 yards at the take-over. In the third lap, G. Milne (Y.M.C.A.) finished 100 yards ahead of L. Murray (Aberdeenshire); and in the fourth, fifth, and final stages C. McPherson, W. Grant and F. Yeoman, of the Aberdeenshire team, secured the lead respectively. Results were:

             1 Aberdeenshire Harriers;  2 ‘Y.M.C.A.’;   3 University ‘A’;    4 University ‘B’;   5 Caledonian Harriers.”

Long-serving Aberdeen AAC Secretary, Hunter Watson, supplied more information. Dad would have worn a royal blue vest with a red and yellow triangular badge.

The P&J listed all the numbers of all the competitors in the five participating teams; and stated that the Shire Harriers had a winning margin over Dad’s team of only a hundred yards, with the University a further 400 yards behind. In addition there is a blurred picture of the five first lap runners, who were (left to right): “A.J. Youngson (initials wrong way round) (Y.M.C.A.); E. Wood (Caledonian); A. Lobban (Varsity A; A. Hewet (Varsity B); and A. Watt (Shire)”. Colin’s Dad is indeed wearing a dark vest with triangular badge and white shorts and white shoes, and looks very young (22), with short dark hair and skinny legs. What a pity the microfilm spoiled the clarity of the photo.

The man who outsprinted Dad – ‘G. Lobban’ of the University, does not exist in the programme. This refers to A.W.C.  Lobban, who was listed as Varsity B but must have run for the A team. There is also an A. Lobban (Arthur, later the club secretary) in the YMCA team. I assume these were two different athletes (both good runners).

1935 was the very first ‘Round-The-Town Relay Race’. Six stages made up a total of around 19 miles. The First lap (2 and a half miles) started at the end of University Road, and went along King Street, up School Road and St Machar Drive to Great Northern Road and along to the end of Anderson Drive to the first take-over. (Dad must have been okay on uphills.) His 1935 time for the First lap was faster than the stage winners in 1936, 1937 and 1938. YMCA won the last two events. The Relay will have stopped after that, due to the start of the Second World War.)

Second lap (4 miles) – over Anderson Drive to the Bridge of Dee. Third lap (3 and a half miles) – Over Bridge of Dee and Abbotswell Road to Balnagask Road, out to the terminus at the end of Victoria Road, and in to the end of Menzies Road. Fourth lap (5 miles) – Out Menzies Road to Kirk o’ Nigg, down Abbotswell Road and over Bridge of Dee to Victoria Bridge. Fifth lap (1 and three-quarters miles) – Along the Quay to the end of Market Street and down to the end of Church Street, thence to the Promenade and to ‘the Dance Hall’. Sixth lap (2 and three-quarters miles) – Along the Promenade to the Bridge of Don and in King Street to the end of University Road, where the race finished.

The Journal for 23rd December, 1935 had the following report of what must have been the hardest fought club championships anywhere in the country: 

 Unique Event In Aberdeen Five Miles Race.   YMCA Championship Event.   For the first time in the history of amateur athletics in the north of Scotland twin brothers – Alex and George Milne of Aberdeen YMCA Harriers – finished in a dead heat in a club championship event.   This unique performance was accomplished in the YMCA’s five miles road championship which was decided on Saturday afternoon.  

From start to finish the twins engaged in a grim struggle that ultimately ended in a dead heat.   Although their time was over a minute outside the course record, consideration must be given to the treacherous ice bound road that prevailed on Saturday.   One of the competitors who competed, RGG Milne, sustained nasty cuts to the hands and shulders when he slipped heavily on the road coming down to the Bridge of Don.   Another feature of the race was the welcome return to form of KA Gray who finished 40 yards behind the brothers Milne.   Result:-  1.  Alex and George Milne; 2.  KA Gray; 3. A Lobban.”

And so ended 1935.   

Monday, 30th January was the date on the P&J when the above photograph was published: the YM’s Milne twins again dead heating for first place.   Two weks later in the East District Championships (11th February) there was no team from the club competing – probably because the venue was Hawick in the Borders.   In a race won by the talented GM Carstairs, the first YM runners were G Milne in fourth and A Milne in seventh.   By 1939 the YM was sending runners to the National championships – or the Milne brothers were travelling on their own initiative.   The Journal of 6th March 1939 reported that the twins disappointed when they finished 15th (A) and 18th (G).   During the summer of 1939 they continued to train and race as usual – on 11th May in the mile team race, the twins led the field up to the last hundred yards when Lobban and A Milen forged ahead and won in a dead heat with the other twin third, af ew yards back.   Time? 4 min 40 5-10th sec – the fastest since 1936.   Although they carried on over the summer, there was more and more news of the impending hostilities with the Kaiser and the Reich appearing in the headlines and throughout the papers.

The YMCA Harriers best years were probably the 1930’s and they continued their activities right up to the start of the War in 1939.   We could find no trace of them in the Press and Journal or Evening News in either 1946 or 1947 so we assume that the Harriers aspect of the YMCA ceased with the start of the War – or maybe during it.   The club was undoubtedly part of the wider YMCA movement given the strength of the Association in Aberdeen at the time – and since – and gained from it.   We attach some sample Press Notes from the P&J for 1913 to show the strength of the club before the War and the types of activity indulged in then, as well as similar notes for similar reasons for 1935.

Aberdeen YMCA: 1913      Aberdeen YMCA 1935

What dollows is John’s competitive record at the games as far as we can get it.   The heights and distances are for the events that he won, he competed in most of the events marked with an  x  but performances are not recorded.   Remember too what Stuart Higg said about John changing from the kilt (worn for all throws) to shorts for the light events.   

1961

1963

1964

1965

1966

LIGHT ATHLETICS CHAMPION

1967

1968

1969

1970

Although John was a good throws exponent, he was not as good as the very top men – Anderson was in a class of his own for instance, Arthur Rowe was quite outstanding all through the 60’s.   He was nevertheless good enough to take part in the events and win prizes – win events too as the following table shows.

There are several venues in Glasgow that are not well known at all nowadays but which in their day were the scene of some wonderful performances.   One of these was the home of Springburn Harriers.   Their club rooms for many years were at Auchinairn Road in Bishopbriggs.

As you can see from the crest above, the club was established in 1893 and by the first part of the 20th century it was recognised all over Scotland as a first rate club with many trophies won and international athletes produced.   But why the diamond?   The club website tells us that the badge and crest (above) was taken from the railway locomotive factories based in the area, and their motto means ‘courage conquers all’.    Ian Young tells us that “the Diamond on the Springburn vest is a copy of the trademark of the North British Locomotive Company in Springburn which was owned by Sir Hugh Reid” .    Reid was the first chairman of the North British Locomotive Works – the largest builder of steam locomotives anywhere in the world.   From its headquarters in Springburn over 18,000 locomotivess were exported to all points of the compass.   The diamond therefore has a real significance for the area and for the country.   

Like all clubs, Springburn wanted premises of their own and, after a spell in the local Public Baths, they actually built the first club headquarters in Scotland.   The better known one in Bishopbriggs was in fact the second pavilion of their own.  This was opened in 1930  in Auchinairn Road, Bishopbriggs.   Hut does not do it justice – a long building, slightly set back from the road, it had a feature that very few clubs possessed.   It had a famous huge plunge bath in which runners from several clubs could all  wash at the same time.   It was unique in my experience to have this facility.    However we should maybe look at the headquarters from its opening.

The Kay Street Baths in Springburn were opened in 1898 and that became the club’s chosen venue.   But the one that most remember is the clubhouse at Auchinairn Road in Bishopbriggs.   It was just down the hill from their current headquarters at Huntershill but was a quite different establishment altogether.   There was an article about the club in the “Scotland’s Runner” magazine of May 1993 which told us that the club had left the Baths after six years and moved to Auchinairn, becomin the first club in Scotland to build its own pavilion.   The club then moved to the new clubhouse in 1930.

 This venue was unveiled to the athletics public, as well as the people of Bishopbriggs, in 1930 with the grand official opening on 4th October, 1930. 

The ‘Glasgow Herald’ of 29th September reported on the trials of several of the teams taking part in the event which had been held on the Saturday.   These included Beith, Hamilton, Shawfield, Cambuslang YMCA, Eglinton, Falkirk Victoria, Glasgow YMCA, Kilmarnock, Monkland and Motherwell YMCA Harriers.    These were by no means all that would take part though.    Read the report.

PLEBEIAN HARRIERS SUCCESS AT SPRINGBURN

Springburn Harriers had a big turnout at the opening of their new pavilion in Auchinairn Road, Bishopbriggs, on Saturday.   The new clubhouse, which has been erected entirely by members and friends is a commodious wooden structure with a roughcast front and is situated within a short distance of the site of the club’s first pavilion, which, it is claimed, was the first to be owned by a harriers club in Scotland.   

The opening ceremony was performed by Sir Hugh Reid, Bt, after which the inaugural event – a relay team contest – was decided.   The race, which brought out 21 teams of four, was over a course of some two and a half miles practically all on the road.   The trail lay to the south of Auchinairn Road, crossing Littlehill Golf Course and passing Stobhill Hospital.   

Being the first Saturday of the season, some of the clubs were not quite at full strength, but this did not have much bearing on the result.   Plebeian Harriers, a club which in recent years has been outstanding at this interesting form of athletics – they are Western District Relay champions – had out a quartette which included SK Tombe, an ex-champion of the club who last year ran for the West of Scotland Harriers.   Their present champion, WJ Gunn, was not included here as he is not yet fit.   The National team champions, Maryhill Harriers, had out a good four which however did not include D McLean and WH Calderwood.   At the end of the first circuit Tombe had given Plebeian a lead of fully 60 yards, which margin was improved upon by other members of the team so the issue was never really in doubt.   For the first three laps Shettleston lay in second but on the last round Beith, thanks to a fine effort by J Calder, displaced them.   Irvine YMCA, the South Western relay champions, were fifth, a position they held at each changeover. ”  

The result was a win for Plebeian Harriers in 51:54 from Beith (52 min), Shettleston (52:10), Monkland (52:35), Irvine YMCA (52:38) and Maryhill Harriers (52:40).   The fastest times were by S Tombe (Plebeian) 12:30, S Anderson (Shettleston) 12:43 and J Calder (Beith) 12:45.   The field had many international runners and national champions such as Tombe, Rayne (Plebeian), F Stevenson (Monkland), and D Fry (Irvine YMCA).   

Some weel kent faces outside the clubhouse: 

Back Row:  Tom O’Reilly and Jack Crawford; Front: Eddie Sinclair, Bob Dalgleish, John McCormick and Danny Wilmoth

It was a unique headquarters – there was not another like it in Scotland and it is appropriate to describe just what it was like.   The description of the building below is taken from information from Ian Young and Eddie Knox – both top class distance runners from the club who knew it well.   

It was a small, brick built clubhouse owned by the Club, but sited on land rented from Glasgow Corporation Transport Department which ultimately meant they could not realise full value for it when we moved up to the Huntershill House changing rooms.    Ian first ‘entered its portals’ in 1960, as a 15 year-old youth, Eddie was a bit later but their descriptions tell us that you entered straight into the main changing room which also doubled as a meeting room.  It also served for social events such as small dances or even whist drives.  At the back of the main room, the building was divided about one-third and two-thirds into a committee room in the smaller portion and the fabled concrete communal bath-tub and behind that, the toilets.  There was a shower and the theory was that you had to shower before going into the bath.   There was also an area in the rafters which was used to store club artefacts – flags, course markers, memorabilia, etc.

Ian cntinues: “Within the bathtub area, on the dividing wall with the changing room was the gas-fired geyser which had to be lit before we went out on our training runs so that the bath could be filled with hot water on our return.  The lighting of this beast was a life-threatening experience since the boiler would slumber as attempts were made to light it before all of a sudden bursting into life with a resounding roar and a burst of flame which could scorch the eyebrows of the unwary.  I must admit, it scared me witless and I don’t ever remember being brave enough to light it and left that task to senior members of the time such as Eddie Sinclair, Danny Wilmoth, Tom O’Reilly and others. The communal bath, unhygienic as it must have been compared to today’s standards, was nevertheless, a great social centre for chat and ribaldry which created a great bond within the club membership and our visitors.  The water level rose as more people entered, endangering the lives of those younger members who were on the small side!

We were blessed as a club with a nucleus of non-competing senior members who looked after the running of the clubhouse and the club itself.  Interestingly most of them also played a significant role in the SAAA or SCCU in those days, namely; Bob Dalgleish, JCR (Jim) Morton, Dr Andrew Kenny and ‘Old’ Jack Crawford.  Other members from those days who were regulars in the clubhouse, not mentioned above, but whom you will probably know, include John Young and John Kerr (both sprinters but who trained on the roads with us through the winter), Moir Logie, Jim Keenan, Tom Craig, Eddie Knox, Duncan Middleton etc.  We always changed our training venue in the spring to St Augustine’s High School in Milton, Glasgow for track training, where we had the advantage of pristine showers and changing rooms, but always welcomed the onset of the road-racing season and our return to the communal bath in the Auchinairn Road clubhouse!”

Eddie Knox comments on the premises: “One shower, one large communal bath which you were meant to shower before entering. However, I remember seeing a layer of mud and grass floating on the surface whilst twelve or so guys soaked some heat back into themselves. The shower came afterwards by necessity.   It was built in 1930 by the members on ground rented from Glasgow Corporation. (I can only surmise that during one of the local government reorganisations this contract got lost.   The ground was sold to the person who built a house there. The club was told they had no right to be there. When it was pointed out we had been paying rent for forty odd years it was claimed there was no record thereof. Fishy!)   

There was a small committee room/kitchen. Occasionally tea and hot drinks were made. There was, of course, a toilet which was entered carefully because there were holes in the wooden floor which small and not so small creatures came through.”

*

The clubhouse was used for over 30 years before the Harriers moved up to Huntershill Recreation Ground where they are still in the twenty first century.   Many races were held from the new pavilion but one that many remember was the Springburn Cup race for a mixed team of Boy (Under 15), Youth (Under 17), Junior (U20) and Senior Man.  See the picture below from the mid-50’s: the natty gent on the left is Doc Macphail of Dumbarton.   It was fairly well supported but the fields were usually small simply because of the old problem – many clubs had difficulties providing a runner from one age group or another with the lack of a Junior Man often being cause of a team not being sent.     The race was fairly poplular but not as well supported as the race which followed and replaced it – a five mile open team race.

Springburn Cup Race, passing alngside Littlehill Golf Course, late 50’s

The open and team race for the Springburn Cup started in the mid-60’s and was immediately very popular with the athletes.   It came after the traditional Beith and McAndrew races which heralded the new year but before the West District championships.   There were times when it had to switch from that date to avoid a clash of fixtures but by and large that was the pattern.   January 1966 was the first date that results are available for and the winners from following five years are as follows:

22nd Jan, 1966: 1st E Knox, Springburn; 2nd A Faulds (St Modans), 3rd H Barrow VPAAC. 

14th Jan, 1967: 1st I McCafferty Motherwell YMCA; 2nd E Knox; 3rd J Brennan, Maryhill.

13th Jan, 1968:  1st: R Wedlock, Shettleston; 2nd J Brennan; 3rd P Maclagan, VPAAC.

11th Jan, 1969:   1st R Wedlock; 2nd H Gorman, Springburn.

10th Jan, 1970:  1st A Blamire, Shettleston;  2nd P Maclagan, VPAAC; 3rd E Knox.

2 Jan, 1971:  1st R Wedlock, 2nd AA Johnston, VPAAC

The race was still being described as being held at Auchinairn  or  Bishopbriggs in the early 1970’s and the results above indicate the calibre of athlete attracted to the events and their return, year after year, suggests that they enjoyed the atmosphere of the old clubhouse.   

Officials at the finish of the SMC 12 at Huntershill

Scottish Marathon Club Fixtures for 1963

Of course in addition to these events, there were club races and the annual Scottish Marathon Club 12 miles road race held from the Pavilion.   The SMC was established in 1944 with the aim of “To foster marathon running in Scotland” and they held their own championship over four races – the Springburn 12, the Clydebank to Helensburgh 16, the Strathallan 20 and the SAAA Marathon championship.   The format was that the athlete had to run in three of the four races, one of which had to be the marathon.   This of course helped to attract some very good runners to Auchinairn.    The date for the race for most of its existence was the first Saturday in June and this pretty well held true until 1967-8 and 1968-69 when there was no race at Springburn and the SMC 12 was held at Cambuslang.   It returned to Springburn in 1969-70 but on May 17th, and the date dotted about in the following years – eg in 70-71 it was May 31st, and in 1972-73 it was May 6th.   The 70’s were of course the time when the ‘marathon boom’was just taking off and the fixture lists were swamped with several races most weekend.   Lots of the best road runners in Scotland ran in these races and – with one exception – I remember it being blessed with good weather.   

Note that in the card for 1966, the race was on 25th June and the SAAA Marathon was on 28th May – this was because the Commonwealth Games were to be held that year in Jamaica and the SAAA Marathon was to be used for selection purposes.   Hence the reversal of the usual order of things.   You will also note the presence of two Springburn Harriers on the Committee of the SMC.   

The race that year was won by Gordon Eadie of Cambuslang Harriers in 68:34 from Hugh Mitchell of Shettleston Harriers (71:04) and Bob Anderson (Cambuslang) in 71:52.   Other leading runners were, in order, Bob Calderwood (VPAAC), Jack McLean (Bellahouston) and R Burt (Cambuslang).   Say what you will about the clubhouse but it fed and watered the runners, friends and officials admirably year after year.     

The club eventually moved to Huntershill in 1973, the “Scotland’s Runner” article saying that it was because of financial reasons.   The author goes on to say that “I remember the hut well, it had those unmistakeable running smells – of sweat, wintergreen, grass and mud.   Above all else it had atmosphere, the nervous tension before training runs, which were as ruthless as races, and the banter afterwards.”    

Ian Young tells us something about the move to Huntershill:   “The land which the Club owned at Huntershill was gifted to Bishopbriggs Town Council which came into being in 1964, to build a playing field and athletics track, in return for a sole right of use of the changing facilities in Huntershill House and the track for training on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in perpetuity.”   

That was the kind of agreement that any club would welcome – somewhere to train in perpetuity – and with changing and showering accommodation too!

Allan Faulds (Stirling) finishing the Springburn Cup race at Huntershill

Barrachnie and Shettleston Harriers were synonymous from 1926 when it was opened until the club’s track men moved to Crown Point in the 1980’s.   It was a unique track and hosted many excellent fixtures with top class times recorded.   The club owned the building but leased the land from the local authority and passed the building to the local rugby club in 2013.   It had been at the heart of the club for 50 years but eventually the facilities and training habits caught up with it.   It was a well known facility with athletes from all over Scotland training and competing there and is well worth a closer look.

The running track directory website has this to say about Barrachnie: 

“The track still exists but has not been used for some time now. Due to lack of space, it is the odd length of 363 yards and is a virtually circular with very short straights although one straight is extended for sprints. It was the home track of Shettleston Harriers until the one at Crownpoint was opened. The track was used extensively in the 1950s and 60s and inter club fixtures with Clydesdale Harriers, Edinburgh Southern, etc. were held here. The surface was reported to be good and relatively good times were recorded on it.”

The entry comments on the odd length and attributes this to the lack of space but it was not the only track of this length in the city – the red blaes track at Mountblow was 330 yards and the as far as the shape was concerned, the track at Knightswood is also virtually circular in shape.   Barrachnie had 4 lanes, and was  363 yards in length. It was opened on 2nd October, 1926, and the report on the official opening read:

“SHETTLESTON HARRIERS 10 MILES RELAY RACE

To mark the opening of their new headquarters at Gartocher Road, Shettleston Harriers on Saturday carried through an invitation relay race.   After the new pavilion which was erected and furnished by club members, had been opened by Mr RM Bryson, Queen’s Park FC, an excellent start was offered by Mr W Docherty.   Mr Tom Riddell, the SAAA mile champion, gave the promoting club a 30 yards lead from R Millar, Mauchline Harriers, with A Allan, Plebeian Harriers, a few yards further behind.   On the next circuit SK Tombe gave the last named club premier position but the third round saw Shettleston Harriers again in front thanks to strong running by W Hart who sent his last man, JW Stanley, away with a useful lead which the latter maintained to win by almost 50 yards.   Result:  1.   Shettleston Harriers (Riddell, Anderson, Hart and Stanley) 61 min 12 sec; 2.  Plebeian Harriers (Allan, Tombe, Connolly,  Gunn) 61 min 19;  3.   Mauchline Harriers (Millar, Dick, McHattie, Lamont)  61 min 45 sec

Hugh Barrow and Duncan Middleton training at Barrachnie with Cameron McNeish in the foreground.

There were hosts of quality athletes that passed through the doors and trained at and from Barrachnie.   Many of them were not members of Shettleston Harriers.   John Anderson, national coach, trained many athletes there including such as Hugh Barrow (Victoria Park), Duncan Middleton (Springburn), Hamish Telfer and Cameron McNeish (West of Scotland).   There were also schools meetings held there by Shettleston Harriers as a recruiting measure and these were also well supported by schools from all over Glasgow.

But the track was unique.   It was used for many Scottish League Meetings throughout the 50’s and 60’s with all the best clubs in the country coming with their top athletes to run on a track which had its full share of fast times.   Edinburgh Southern Harriers, Bellahouston Harriers, Victoria Park AAC, Ayr Seaforth, Clydesdale Harriers, all the Universities came to Barrachnie. David Stevenson, Graham Stark and Ken Ballantyne from ESH, Fergus Murray and his team mates from EUAC, plus the best that all the Glasgow clubs had plus Finlay McCarvel (Ayr Seaforth), Jim McLatchie, Doug Edmunds from Jordanhill and many more.  But in addition to the bread-and-butter fixtures, the club introduced several new events of their own.

THE WINTER TRACK MEETINGS

One of these initiatives was the first open athletics meeting in Scotland ever to be held in January.   There were no permanent indoor tracks in Britain although some meetings were being held in makeshift facilities in England but the thought of sprinting, high jumping, pole vaulting or throwing the hammer in Scotland in January was pushing things a bit.   Tom Mcnab, a triple jumper with Shettleston at the time, was one of the men behind the project which, against all the odds was successful.   ‘Against all the odds’ included the structure of Scottish athletics at the time.   The SAAA was the governing body for athletics, but in winter the responsible authority was the SCCU.   Was the SCCU competent to give permission for a track meeting?   Was the SAAA able to say what happened in winter?   However it was sorted, permission was granted and the meetingwent ahead.   

The first one was held on 31st January, 1959, and the top performer was a middle and long distance runner from Shettleston – Graham Everett won the 3000 metres from Bill Kerr of Victoria Park in 8:25.1.  The other winners included Crawford Fairbrother who cleared 6′ 5″ in the high jump.   The distances were a bit unusual for Scottish spectators and competitors alike – 60 and 120 yard sprints, 300 and 1000 yards and the aforementioned 3000 metres (the more usual distance was two miles).   But the meeting was a success (120 competitors in total) with Fairborther’s high jump the  outstanding feat of the afternoon – and perhaps of the year.   The official history of Shettleston Harriers tells us that the officials called the high jump off because the sand in the landing pit had frozen solid but Fairbrother persuaded them to utilise a pile of red ash instead – and cleared 6′ 5″!   

The next one on 30th Jan, 1960 featured Everett again who had a double victory, the 1000 yards (from J McLatchie and Mike Ryan), and the 3000 metres (From Mike Ryan and J McLatchie), Michael Hildrey who won the 300 yards and was second in the 60 yards, WM Campbell who won the junior 300 yards and Tom Mcnab who was second in both high jump and shot putt.

Hildrey, Everett and Fairbrother were in attendance a year later, 28th January 1961, when Hildrey defeated cubmate Ronnie Whitelock in the 100 yards, and Hay of Edinburgh University in the 300 yards, Everett won the three quarters of a mile from Morrison of Larkhall and McLatchie of Muirkirk as well as the two miles from McLatchie and Summerhill (Shettleston), Fairbroother won the high jump from DD Stevenson (EUAC) who himself won the discus and was second in the shot putt.   Every one of these was a high quality athlete competing in the Scottish January weather on the outskirts of Glasgow.   This might be seen as dedication but in 1962 an Irish athletes, competing in the colourse of Ayr Seaforth competed with distinction.  

On 13th January, 1962, on a wet and windy afternoon, the distances were the most unusual yet and reflected the dimensions of the track more accurately than any yet.   Ireland’s Colin Shillington won the 720 yards (1:34.7) and the 1020 yards (2:35.8) events – the latter from Everett who had won a 3600 yards event in 10:45. ,   Also in action were Hildrey (100 yards in 10.5), N Foster (won the triple jump and was second in the pole vault), DD Stevenson (won the pole vault with 12’0″).    Despite the weather the numbers competing were good, and the quality was excellent.   

Shettleston Harriers Schools Medal won by Hugh Barrow for third place in a 1963 schools meeting 600 yards behind Campbell and Billson

And so it went on – on 25th Jan, 1964, Eddie Knox  of Springburn won the two miles f placerom a top field in 9:31, two miles, Sprinter Les Piggot was there , Wedlock won the half mile and mile, Fairbrother, DD Stevenson and Norrie Foster were all there; in 1965 (23rd January) the meeting had grown to 11 senior, 5 Youths and 4 boys events with many of the big names – Piggot, Graeme Grant, Edmunds, Fairbrother all present.

The meetings continued but it was, of course, a message to the governing body, whether SAAA or SCCU – that there was an appetite for winter athletics meetings in Scotland but it was another 10 years before the temporary track was installed at Bell’s Arena in Perth and another 10 after that before there was a permanent facility in the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.   Tom Mcnab and Shettleston Harriers were ahead of the game on this one.

THE SHETTLESTON MARATHON

The winter track meetings at Barrachnie continued but then along came the ‘marathon boom’ when there were marathons held all over Scotland from Galloway to Wick via Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Motherwell and other points of the compass. In the beginning was the SAAA Marathon – and it was the only annual marathon in the country but While the winter track meetings were going on, the club introduced their own marathon – preceding the boom by 10 years. Scotland had their third marathon in 1967 when the Inverness – Forres event appeared regularly on the Scottish Marathon Club calendar, but the one starting and finishing at Barrachnie was the earliest.    The event ran from 1961 to 1971 and, apart from the first one in September 1961, was held in May.   The first two were won by Andy Brown of Motherwell YMCA in 2:40:04 and 2:25:2:25:58, the third by Alastair Wood of Aberdeen in 2:25:56.   Further marathons were won by Fergus Murray, Sandy Keith and Steve Taylor.   The complete record is at  this link .     

Steve Taylor’s race certificate  when he won in 1971: Time – 2:23:35

The Shettleston Marathon was a good race and fairly well supported by the road running fraternity.   It was unlucky that the weather was not always favourable to long distance running but it served a purpose and at a time when there was only a single competitive race at the marathon distance in the country, and with the Commonwealth Games coming to Scotland in 1970, it was a welcome venture.

The availability of the Coatbridge track from 1975 and Crown Point Track from 1984 meant that attendance at the clubhouse was seriously affected.  Crown Point Track was completed on 7th September 1984 and was by far the best track in Glasgow – the first synthetic surfaced track in the city – it was far ahead of the ageing facility at Barrachnie.   Located in the east end of Glasgow, it was natural for Shettleton Harriers to move in that direction for track training head quarters while continuing to use the track in Gartocher Road.   There were still enough numbers for the Tuesday and Thursday runs from the clubhouse but running costs led to a move to give it up in 1983.   

It was in need of renovation and the club decided to do something about it.   I quote from their history again.   “At the beginning of July 1987 the Barrchnie track was the focus of attention as the club organised an event to raise funds to renovate the clubhouse.   Under the slogan “Run a thousand miles, raise a thousand pounds”, scores of members and former members attempted to aggregate a thousand miles on the hard packed blaes surface in the space of 24 hours.   The occasion was memorable for the massive goodwill shown to the club by friends, locals and former members.   Graham Everett popped in with a generous donation, as did Jim Harkins.   Bill Scally’s wife Jo did her bit on the track.   Brian Scally made an (unsuccessful) attempt on Graham’s mile record for the track and the members of the local football team joined in the fun to mae up some miles.   The highlight was the effort of Pat Houston, a Transport Policeman from Cumbernauld, in running solo for 24 hours, with permitted rest periods, helpng considerably towards the £1200 eventually raised.” 

The improvements led to more usage for a time but there was not enough in the way of greater long term usage of the 50 year old building.  A current club member says:  “It got a mini up grade in the late 80’s but its time was gone as soon as Crownpoint opened.”   It had been a central point for all club members  – but unfortunately few clubs in the 21st century have this type of centre and members never really all get together as a club.  Face book/emails /twitter have changed the face of athletics.   The same athletes use different venues for different types of training. and access to better transport makes this possible.   

Barrachnie should have had nothing going for it.  

•  The top tracks in the city were at Westerlands,  Scotstoun and Helenvale;  and in 1926 there were also good tracks at the major football grounds which were used for training by athletic clubs; big meetings were held at Ibrox was used for the Rangers Sports until 1962. Celtic Park was used for their Sports, while both plus Hampden Park were used for SAAA Championships.
• The Barrachnie track was an odd distance (363 yards), an unusual shape ( most called it ‘almost circular’ others called it ‘oval’), and had  no real straight to talk of;
•  It was difficult to get to from just about anywhere.

So why was it well known and why were such good times posted on it?   You only need to look at the initiatives of the Shettleston committee:

• Frequent schools athletic meetings;
•  The track was made available for the Central Athletics League for young male athletes in the 1950’s and 60’s;
•  Coaches from outwith the club were encouraged to bring their squads at weekends to train there;
•  The winter track and field meetings were the first of their kind ever to be held in Scotland;
•  The Shettleston Marathon brought the top road runners to the east end of Glasgow – not for the value of the prizes but for the race itself.

These events were all successful: the good times were the result of good races with good athletes – not only that but on occasion there was a special attraction – an attempt on the Scottish 600 yards record or similar.   The men on the club committees over the 50 years that it was the club headquarters were the secret.   Every club has had top class men over the years but Shettleston seemed to have many who looked outward at the athletics scene rather than inward to their own wee corner.   It was a good venue – but it was made by the club’s men.

Scottish Marathon Club fixtures, 1963

A Wee Addendum on Track Dimensions.   

Many tracks appeared in Glasgow and its environs in the 20’s and 30’s and they were not all of the same dimensions.   We have already mentioned the size and shape of Barrachnie and commented on Knightswood and Mountblow and it’s the latter that I will comment on.   Given the size of the track – 327 yards – and the fact that standard distances had to be raced over, there had to be some way of measuring out the distances that would not be too time consuming for club championships, inter club contests and on occasion county or other championships.   The track at Mountblow was like Barrachnie and Knightswood, a four lane track and the club had small cards with the dimensions and where the various events started and finished – first we have the layout for the 220 and 440 yards.

The meeting organiser could tell from the card (a) where the race started and finished and (b) what the stagger was for each lane.   He would have cards with the same details for every race on the card that night.    A kind of ‘ready reckoner’ for all the distances that could feasibly be held on the track was also drawn up.

These were drawn up by David M Bowman, a first rate official and administrator, for the track that he was familiar with: there would be similar arrangements for other tracks of less than 440 yards.    That would of course include most highland games meetings which were on tracks of somewhere over 300 yards.   With the shape of the Shettleston track, it was not an easy job to organise meetings with events at standard distances.   Who said being an official was easy?

The following tribute to Steve is by his friend and team mate Fraser Clyne.

The man who made history by becoming Aberdeen AAC’s first Scotland international runner has passed away.

Steve Taylor made his mark in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s as one of the country’s top athletes over a variety of distances.   Although most of his greatest achievements came on the track, he was also an accomplished cross country runner and made his Scotland debut at the 1960 international championships at Hamilton racecourse where he finished 45th.          He made two further appearances in this annual match, which was a precursor to the modern day world championships, finishing 58th at Nantes in 1961 and 35th at Sheffield in 1962.

Taylor enjoyed considerable track success, winning his first Scottish title at Meadowbank in 1961 after an epic battle with close friend and training partner Alastair Wood.   Wood had set a Scottish native record when winning gold in the six miles the night before, but that didn’t prevent him from pushing his Aberdeen clubmate all the way.    Taylor had to use all his pace, power and strength of character to earn victory by the slenderest of margins, stopping the clock at 14min 29.9secs with Wood breathing down his neck 0.01secs behind.

He retained the title the following year when recording 14:10.4 but his fastest performance over this distance came at the 1966 championships when he recorded 13:47.8 to finish behind Olympian Fergus Murray (Edinburgh University) who won in a championship record of 13:46.0.

Taylor had also lost out in the six miles the year before to another Scottish athletics legend, the future Commonwealth Games 10,000m gold medallist Lachie Stewart.   In addition to his two gold and two silver medals in the three miles, Taylor picked up silver (1960) and bronze (1959) in the one mile and bronze (1964) in the six miles at the Scottish championships.   He also represented Scotland in five track internationals between 1961 and 1966.

Moving up to longer distances he won the national 10 miles track title at Scotstoun, Glasgow in 1970, recording 49:52.6 to finish one minute ahead of another Aberdeen runner and future world ultra-distance record breaker, Donald Ritchie.

Taylor was willing to help others, none more so than his old sparring partner Wood whom he paced to a world 40 mile track record at Pitreavie in 1969. The duo also shared Scottish 30km, 20 miles and two hour records along the way.

Taylor also had a fascination with the John o’ Groats to Land’s End relay record. He was part of the Aberdeen AAC side which failed to break the mark in 1972 but was again heavily involved when the club slashed 30mins off the record the following year.

It was late in his career when he dabbled with the marathon, but still achieved a highly respectable best time of 2:19:28 in 1971, which is still the 12th fastest by an Aberdeen runner.

           Steve leading Graham Everett in the SAAA Mile Championship

*

Steve Taylor – A Personal Tribute

by Fraser Clyne

Forty-five years ago Steve Taylor was what was called a ‘mature student’ at Aberdeen University.    At 36 years of age he gave up a job with Aberdeen Journals in favour of taking a bold step into the world of higher education to study for a degree in sociology.   Although his best days as an athlete were in the past, Steve continued to compete with a fair degree of success on the universities circuit.

I was also at the university at this time and had chosen to take up running as a sport, having failed miserably as a footballer. I joined the student cross country club – the Hare and Hounds – and was soon introduced to Steve.   Along with Mel Edwards, he proved to be an extremely influential character in my early development as an athlete, providing me with valuable advice and educating me how to train and race properly.   When he realised I was showing growing enthusiasm for the sport and making decent progress, Steve presented me with one of his Scotland international vests and indicated I should strive to earn one of my own in the future.   I was overwhelmed that he had such confidence in me and I have proudly held on to that vest to this day.

Steve introduced me to interval training and preached its benefits. One of his favourite sessions was 20x200metres with a very short recovery. These were run at a punishing pace, for me at any rate, and I would try to keep a close count of how many we were doing.    On more than one occasion, when we were about to run the 20th, and were thankfully about to finish, Steve would say: ‘No, two to go’. I’m sure he frequently made me do 21.            It was a positive trick to find out whether I could dig deep for an extra effort despite already being exhausted – an important quality to have when it came to racing.

He was also keen on what runners call a tempo run. Steve would take me through Seaton Park and over the undulating Royal Aberdeen golf course at Balgownie for a seven or eight mile session at a sustained fast pace.    He would chat away while I was gasping for breath, barely able to reply. I cursed him, quietly to myself, for making me suffer so much, but I know it made me a better runner.

A few years later, with my fitness in the ascendancy and Steve’s slightly on the wane, I took my revenge on one of those same runs.   I did all the chatting and could tell he was toiling, so I showed no mercy, and I’m sure he didn’t expect it.

Steve was a true gentleman, quietly spoken but with a strong will and a fierce competitive instinct. One of Aberdeen’s finest athletes and a thoroughly pleasant person. I will forever be grateful for the help and motivation he gave me.

Steve leading team mate Alastair Wood in the N-E League, 1961

Westerlands

We already have the Track Rankings for 1966 and 1967 on another page, on this page we have the Mens’s Field Rankings for the same two years and the women’s for 1967.   The women’s for 1966 are already posted.   So it’s the men of 1966 first.

Norrie Foster

The universities’ women of 1967 were not as numerous as the men but there were some very good performances indeed.

It should be noted that many of the very best women athletes of this period wereinvolved in tertiary education at  Dunfermline College of Physical Education, which was in Edinburgh, and not in the universities championships.   They were competing against each other in two- and three-way competitions throughout the season.

The men’s field events for 1967 all-in-all were pretty good – the universities tended to do well on the technical events.   Here we go.

Irvine’s Tom McNeish, left

Having looked at the progress of the club and its members over the period from 1924 to 1950, we can be a bit more selective for the period up to 1972 when the YMCA ceased to exist.   Progress of the Senior team between 1950 and 1955 is noted in the following table.

Team for the Edinburgh to Glasgow, November 1949

Result of the South West District Championships, 1957

Individual success came again in the late 1950’s from Billy Thomas whose career as a runner in Scotland was far too short, although he did perform at a very high level in the USA where he had a scholarship to study English and Athletics.   In season 1955-56 he was third in the National Youths Championship and the following year he was second in the same age group and in 1958 he was fourth in the Junior Men’s race.   Nearer home, he won the Ayrshire Harriers Clubs Association and South Western District Championships in 1958.   His championship credentials were never in any doubt but how was he as a competitive runner?   There was no more competitive environment in Scottish endurance running than the Edinburgh to Glasgow eight man relay race and Thomas ran in it three times.   In 1957 he ran on the very tough second stage (probably the toughest in terms of the standard of runner put out by the various teams) and moved the team up from 11th to sixth – a quite amazing run for a Junior Man in his first go at the event.   The following year he again ran the second stage, and again he picked up places – two this tims, bringing Irvine YMCA up from 20th to 18th.   His last run was not a typical Thomas effort: he was on the first stage, which tells a tale on its own – you never put one of your two top men on that stage – and finished 15th.   Clearly a top talent, we are told on the Irvine AC website that “Billy joined the RAF where he excelled at 800 and 1500 metres, before accepting a scholarship to study English and Athletics at Howard Payne College in Texas, where he was nominated as a member of the National All-American cross-country team in 1963, 1964 and 1965.”

Result of Youths National, 1957

As a group, the club’s Youth teams won the South West District championships in 1954, 1955 and 1957.   The names of the 1957 team are shown above with Thomas, Taylor and McKenna all appearing in both District and National teams.   

The club’s record throughout the 1950’s in Senior, Junior and Youth groups as very good indeed and can be seen from the following lists of results at District level.   District has been chosen simply because it is not a parochial competition nor is it the highest level in the land – it is second only to the National in terms of relative importance..

Seniors in Black, Youths in Blue

* In this race Danny Lapsley finished first but had moved to West Kilbride: had he stayed, then Irvine YMCA would have had the first three places 

* 1958/59 was the first year that a Junior (U20) award was made to the first Junior in the Senior race.

The 1960’s would not be as kind to the club as the 1950’s had been.   In 1963 the YMCA building, home to the club, burned down and they had to the Woodlands Pavilion as a temporary home.   I quote from the club website’s history of the period:   “Spirit was low and the membership had lapsed to no more than 10, however by 1968 the club had rallied and a few short years of success followed, with team victories in the 10-mile relay championship, the Ayrshire 6-mile team championship (twice), the Scottish YMCA 10-mile relay championship (twice) and the Scottish YMCA 6-mile team championship (twice).”   The club had rallied, it was winning again, and the successes of the time should not be under valued.  It was not turning out in the national cross-country championship and for more than half the decade there were no teams at all from Irvine in the National Championships.   

Towards the end of the decade however the talent that was Brian Morrison appeared in the Irvine YMCA colours.   His peak year was 1969 when he was third in the Scottish Junior Cross-Country Championship.   This won him selection for the Scottish team competing in the international to be held in Clydebank.   He was a scoring runner for the Scottish junior team when he was 19th finisher.   He  had local victories in the AHCA Championships in both 1969 and 1970.   He was also a good class track athlete, ranked ninth nationally in 1969 for the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:24.0.   He was also ranked in 1970 and 1971 with 9:39.0 and 9:31.2.   Unfortunately, like Billy Thomas before him, he emigrated, in his case to South Africa.   

Then In the spring of 1972 the club resigned from the National Association of YMCA’s and renamed the club Irvine Athletic Club, eventually being incorporated into Irvine Sports Club in 1974 as a member section.   

Irvine YMCA had been a good club which produced more Scottish international athletes than any of the many other YMCA clubs in the country except Motherwell YMCA and contributed to Scottish athletics for 48 years before ceasing to exist.

From the Irvine Running Club website  (http://irvinerunningclub.co.uk/history-1.html )

1938 Ayrshire Cross-Country Championship at Benwhat

When I came into the sport in 1957 Irvine YMCA was a strong club that competed in Scottish athletics at every tier of competition – County, District and National and their athletes were to be seen at almost all events around the country.   The Edinburgh to Glasgow eight man relay was the top club road event in the calendar from its inception in 1934, and it was an invitation only event: in the very first race they were fourth. one place ahead of Motherwell YMCA, but their next appearance was not until 1950 when they were 14th.   That year there were four YMCA teams in the race –  Irvine 14th, Kirkcaldy 15th, Glasgow 18th and Motherwell did not finish the race.   The club record in this prestigious event was a notable one, indeed  their contribution to the sport in general was a notable one.   

Irvine YMCA harriers was founded in 1924 when the Irvine branch of the Y.M.C.A. movement was established in a building  in the High Street.   It was a very good time for cross-country running in Ayrshire with many more clubs than the county could just now: Mauchline AC was a very good club indeed, Kilmarnock had a good tradition even in the 1920’s Beith Harriers was also a very good club, Saltcoats had its own club with talented athletes, Ardeer was asuccessful club until well into the 1950’s, Barleith was considerably good, West Cumnock had its own club and so on.  Indeed, shortly after the formation of the Irvine YMCA Harriers the Ayrshire Harrier Clubs Association was founded and its first championship was on 17th January 1925.   More than 60 runners took part on a 7 mile circular course starting and finishing in Rugby Park.   The race was won by Satcoats Harriers.   The AHCA  is still in the twenty first century a major harrier and athletic force in Scottish athletics.   But we can give the new club a chance to find its feet and start our look at it from season 1927-28.

1927-28:   The West District Relay Championships were held on 21st November but the Irvine YMCA team was not in the first six teams although of the Ayrshire teams, Beith was third and Barleith was fifth, one place ahead of Shettleston.   Closer to home, the Ayrshire Clubs Relay was held on 10th December but Irvine was not in the first three, these being Doon, Beith and Barleith Harriers.   The first signs of the talent lurking in Irvine came in the Scottish YMCA Championships on 17th December, 1927, when the Irvine team was sjust out of the medals in fourth place, with CP Wilson fifth individual.   This was a bit of a drop from the previous year when the team had won their race with Wilson the individual champion.   We should have a look at this result since the club was just over a year old when it happened and to have both titles (individual and team) come its way was quite a feat.   The Scotsman report for 16th December 1926 read as follows:

“The fifth annual team and individual championship held under the auspices of the Department for Physical Education of the Scottish National Council of the YMCA’s were held at Motherwell on Saturday.   For the team event, which carries with it the JOM Clarke Trophy, there was an entry of eight clubs, all of whom were forward, while there were also seven individual entrants.   Teams comprised eight runners, the placing of the first four counting.   Altogether 64 runners set out on the 6 mile trail.   Mr H Lightbody, general secretary, Scottish National Council, acting as starter, while Mr John Craig, CBE, vice-president of the same body, was referee.   Results:-

Team Championship (JOM Clarke Trophy – 1.  Irvine YMCA Harriers (CP Wilson 1, R Wilson 2, W McMaster 4, J Hamilton 11 ) 18 points; 2.   Motherwell YMCA (holders) (JM Aitken 3, W McEwan 5, J McCulloch 7, JNH Gardiner 8) 23 pts;  3.  Paisley YMCA Harriers (A team) (C Hamilton 6,  D Cadenhead 16, JL Ritchie 17, A McGlashan 22) 62 pts; 4. Glasgow YMCA  63 pts; 5. Paisley YMCA B  127;  6. Renfrew YMCA 140; 7. Kirkcaldy YMCA 156; 8. Irvine YMCA Harriers B Team) 176.

Individual Championships (T Birrell Medal)   1.  CP Wilson, Irvine YMCA Harriers, 37 min 10 sec;  2. AD Brooke, Glasgow, 37 min 27 sec; 3. PS Findlay, Motherwell YMCA, 37 min 35 sec. “

They not only had the two champions but also had enough runners to enter two teams of eight men.  Against that fifth team and fourth individual were a bit of a come-down.   It also showed that CP Wilson had a bit of a pedigree.   

However, if we go back to 1927/28, there was no team from Irvine in the Western District Championships on 4th February, 1928, at Hamilton Racecourse.   It was not a long way to travel and again Beith (fourth) and Doon (sixth) carried the Ayrshire banner.   In the National Championship, again at Hamilton, there was no complete team from Irvine although we know that CP Wilson was 10th in the Junior National: this was a very good run as the winner was RR Sutherland of Garscube Harriers and the Scots Guards, from JF Wood of Heriot’s CCC.    

1928-29 The third annual West District Relay was held at Thornliebank on 17th November, 1928, and with 32 teams from 25 clubs, Irvine was almost certainly taking part but did not feature among the prize winners.   The Ayrshire Relay Championship took place at Beith on 8th December but there was no Irvine team competing.   Beith won from Barleith and Doon Harriers were the first three, other participating clubs were (in order) Kilmarnock Harriers, Eglinton Harriers A, Eglinton Harriers B, Doon Harriers B and Barleith Harriers B.   As in the previous year, the club turned out their runners in the Scottish YMCA Championships, held at Paisley, home of the previous year’s event on 15th December and performed slightly better than the previous year – fourth team behind Motherwell, Glasgow and Kirkcaldy YMCA’s, and in front of teams from Dundee, Paisley, Renfrew, Glasgow B, Motherwell B and East Kilbride.   CP Wilson in third was their best placed runner behind Suttie Smith and Frank Stevenson.   Their counting runners were A Aldie 8, D Kerr 15, J Watson 16, D Aldie 17.     

The next big championship was the Western District Championships, where CP Wilson finished first to win the first major championship for the club.   The Glasgow Herald report by Ggroe (George Dallas) read: “CP Wilson, Irvine YMCA, exhibited excellent judgment and fine pace in winning the thirtieth annual seven miles Western District Cross-Country Championships by 60 yards at Hamilton. He never showed any anxiety to be with the leaders until the five miles turning point, and the way he set about his rivals over the last two miles was a revelation.   This was undoubtedly Wilson’s best race of his career.”   Wilson won by 10 seconds (42:43 to 42:53 by J Gardner of Motherwell.   The club only had five runners when the team required six and there was no team position.    Came the National Championship on 2nd March and there wasno team from Irvine in the results column but CP Wilson started and was running with the leaders when he fell and suffered a knee injury that forced him to drop out.   Fortunately his form up to that point in the season had been good and he was selected for the Scottish team for the International (to be held that year in Paris) where he finished 30th and was a counting member of the Scottish team which finished fifth.

On March 9th 1929 the second annual Renfrewshire  v  Ayrshire Inter-County Cross-Country meeting took place and the result was a win for Renfrewshire by 14 points despite having only 14 runners to Ayrshire’s 16 following a number of call-offs.   CP Wilson was the Ayrshire captain and he finished second behind R Henderson who had been his predecessor as Western District champion.   

1929-30 The season started with the cross-country relays as usual but there was a change in the organisation of the Districts and the Western District was split into the Midlands District and the South West District.   The South West was made up of teams from Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and all points south.   It was a tough competition – Greenock Glenpark and Wellpark clubs were both in there along with all the Ayrshire teams that they had come to know so well.   The District Relay was held for the first time in 1929 at Largs – and was won by Irvine YMCA from Greenock Wellpark Harriers by a margin of 27 seconds.   The winning team was made up of R Wilson, J Watson, D Kerr and CP Wilson.   Quickest was D Kerr who was second overall, followed by CP Wilson fifth overall.   The race was exceptionally well organised and tea and the medals were presented at McKay’s Restaurant in the town.   

The Ayrshire Relay was next Irvine won comfortable with their second team 5th.   Teams and runners were A Team: R Wilson (14:21), J Watson (15:18), D Kerr (14:55), CP Wilson (14:51).  R Wilson was fastest on the day, CP Wilson 9th and D Kerr 12th.     B Team:  R Campbell (15:27), D Aldie (14:39), A Aldie (15:42), J Fletcher (14:58)  D Aldie was 4th fastest overall.    The press report read: “Irvine YMCA accomplished just what was expected of them in the Ayrshire relay except that their win was more striking than anyone believed possible.   The hero of the team was young R Wilson, borther of CP, also a member of the winning team.   He not only gave his side a winning lead but accomplished the fastest effort of the 40 competitors engaged.”   

The new District’s championship was held on 1st February 1930, ‘within the policies of Eglinton Castle’, and to no one’s great surprise, Irvine YMCA ran out the winners.   The team was R Wilson (2nd),  D Kerr (8th), D Fry (9th), J Watson (12th), D McGowan (15th), R Campbell (16th).   The race was over a distance of 7 miles, com posed of two laps with two stretches of plough in each and there were 130 runners.     

In the National at Hamilton where there were 18 teams and 29 individuals entered the team was ninth.  R Wilson was the top man in 4th, big brother CP Wilson was 41st, D Fry 55th, D McGowan 71st,  and the team was completed by another pair of brothers, A Aldie 76th, D Aldie).   There was however another big event to come: 26th April 1930 was the date when the first Edinburgh to Glasgow relay was run.   This was to become, along with the National, one of the highspots of the winter season.   It was an eight stage relay, entry by invitation only, and it would eventually settle for a date in November.   It started out in April 1930 and Irvine YMCA was one of the clubs competing in it.   The stages were of different lengths with the second (6 miles) and the sixth (7 miles) being the longest.   The irvine team on the day was R Wilson, D McGowan, D Aldie, A Aldie, D Kerr, CP Wilson, D Fry and D Watson.   It finished fourth of the 17 taking part behind Plebeian, Dundee Thistle and Maryhill Harriers and three minutes ahead of the fourth team, Motherwell YMCA.   

1930-31   The following winter, 1930-31, began earlier than usual.  On 4th Oct 1930, the new Springburn clubhouse in Auchinairn Road was opened with all the dignitaries present and the opening event was a  4 x 2+ miles relay.   The race was won by Plebeian Harriers with Irvine finishing 5th.  Runners that day were D Fry, D McGowan, D Kerr and R Wilson.   It was a good run in top company and two weeks later they held their own Club Novice Championship and Ballot Team race as a preparation for the National Novice Championship on 1st November in which they were a disappointing 31st team of 37.   It has to be remembered of course that it was a novice championship and men like the Wilson brothers would not be eligible.   They were now entering the championship season proper and on 15th November the South Western District Championships were held at Largs.  The race was run but declared void with a re-run to be held the following week.   The reason?  The leading three runners – D McGowan of Irvine, J Millar of Beith and W Ballock of Greenock Glenpark –  all went off the trail on the third leg, cutting a slice off the scheduled course.   They were well clear of the field at that point and the rest of the runners followed the correct trail.   At the end the first across the line were Beith, Glenpark and Irvine but a protest went in, the committee met and the race was declared void.   There had been ‘plenty paper’ laid but the strong wind had scattered it leading to the confusion.   The next championship was the Ayrshire Championship Relays at Benwhat where Doon Harriers won from Irvine YMCA by one minute.    The YMCA Championships were held on 19th December at Renfrew and Suttie Smith from Dundee won his fourth title.   First Irvine man to finish was D Fry in 5th place.   Because of the rules for this championship, which were a bit different from every other championship, he could not count for the team race in which Irvine, represented by AS Aldie, J Fletcher, D Duncan and McKinnon, were fifth.   Irvine were the reigning champions but the rules for the championship stated that members of a winning team could not count for the club the following year.   

The South Western Championships were held at Irvine on 7th February, 1931 and it would be thought that Irvine, reigning champions, would have won again.   Unfortunately not – there were not runners from the club in the first ten and the team finished tenth of eleven with only Barleith behind Whatever the club’s failings in the District Championship they performed well enough to be ninth team in the National at Hamilton.   Individually they were better than they had ever been with two runners in the first eleven – CP Wilson was 10th and D Fry was eleventh and both  were selected for the international to be held at Baldoyle Racecourse in Ireland.   The Thirties was a good decade for the Scottish international teams and in 1931 they finished equal second with France.   That meant that the two men from Irvine came home with medals from the international.   Fry had finished 22nd and Wilson 28th.  In the Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay held in 1931, 25th April and there were twenty two clubs entered.   Unfortunately the Irvine team dropped out and failed to finish.

1931-32 

Came the autumn season and in the National Novice Championships at the start of November the Irvine team was 18th of 42 clubs.   The South Western District relay saw the Irvine club finish third but, as the Glasgow Herald report said, “Irvine YMCA club, winners two years ago, were under strength owing to the absence of R Wilson who had to call off at the last minute.   Unexpected difficulty in getting a good reserve to fill the vacancy caused the club to lose the race which they might well have won.”   The club’s runners and times were D Fry  15:39, D Kerr 15:55, CP Wilson 16:00, J Dunlop 17:10.   The report might have bee a bit harsh in its tone as far as the replacement runner was concerned but nevertheless they finished just 32 seconds behind the winning Beith team and 23 seconds behind second placed Glenpark Harriers.   “Benwhat, a small mining village high in the hills to the north of Dalmellington”  was the venue for the Ayrshire Championships and this time the club had their top four men out – Fry, Kerr, CP Wilson and R Wilson – but could only finish second to the Doon Harriers team who defeated them by exactly one minute.   On the 19th December at Kirkcaldy in the YMCA championships their luck was no better when D Aldie was their first finisher in sixth place with the team down in sixth place of the seven competing.   Consolation was in the form of D Aldie being a member of the winning ballot team with Suttie Smith (winner for the fifth time) and George Pickering of Cambuslang YMCA.   

In the District Championships on 6th February the team could do no better than seventh of the eleven teams present and there was no runner in the top ten finishers.   Would the pattern of the previous year – poor District, good National – be repeated?   The answer is in the negative – there were only five finishers for the club so there was no team position and no runner was in the top twelve.   There was one man from Irvine YMCA selected to go to Brussels with the Scottish team – Trainer T Rae.    He did his job well – the team was third and  again brought home international medals.

The club was mainly a Harrier club but it did send some athletes to the Scottish YMCA Track and Field Championships on 21st May, 1932.   They were up against a situation where many ‘YMCA’ clubs included members of other athletic clubs – eg T Blakely, an international class member of Mryhill Harriers turned out for Glasgow North West.   The Irvine won none of the medals up for competition but there were some events labelled ‘First Claim Members’ and they picked up a second place in the 100 yards.   It should be noted that there were four events for first claim members while the ‘all who will may enter’ events numbered sixteen.

1932-33

In preparation for the National Novice Championship in November, Irvine, like many a club, held their own club novice championships and ballot team race on 15th October, and on the 29th of the month held their relay trial which was won by D Kerr from the two Aldie brothers.   In the actual Novice Championships on 5th November they could do no better than 19th of 36 teams, and there were no club men in the top ten.   There was a junior road race held at Mauchline on the 12th in which Irvine YMCA was equal third team with Beith Harriers.   In the South West District Relays on 19th November, they were without CP Wilson, R Wilson and D Fry and were never serious contenders, finishing ninth of 15 teams.  The YMCA Championships were held as usual on the third Saturday in December and D Kerr in fourth was the first Irvine YMCA man home; he could not count for the team however and the squad of A Aldie, GS Pringle, W Duncan and J Fernie was sixth of ten teams.   

The first of the two big championships of the cross-country season was the District Championship on 4th February when the team was sixth, A Aldie 13, D Aldie 20, S Pringle 29, J Finnie 54, J Storrar 56, and T Grier 63 were the men in action.   In the National Championships on 4th March, the team was 19th but that year a race for Youths was held in conjunction with the Senior event and in this one Irvine YMCA was eleventh of 24 teams.   There was an Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay on 8th April but the field was small and did not include Irvine.   

In the Track and Field Championships on 20th May, some events were labelled open and if that meant that the others were all for first claim members only, then that would seem to be an improvement.   Irvine won second place medals in the Mile Relay with a team of D Fry, R McCormick, J Lennox and J Dunlop and in the Two Mile Relay they were again second.      If it helped their morale, it should be noted that Irvine Meadow won the five-a-side football match.

1933-34   1933-34 started with the Diistrict Championships and Irvine finished third behind Greenock Glenpark and Eglinton Harriers with their team of Pringle, Kerr Aldie and Fry with Fry turning in the fastest time of the day by 15 seconds from Millar of Beith.   The Ayrshire County Championships took place on 2nd December and Irvine won from Eglinton by only ten yards.   Their top man was D Fry who had fastest time on the day  with R Pringle, D Kerr and D Aldie making up the team.   The last championship of 1933 was the Scottish YMCA Championship on 16th December where Irvine was fifth behind Kirkcaldy, Motherwell,Paisley amd Glasgow YMCA’s.   (Pringle, Aldie, McCulloch and Storrar were the men responsible.   Into the new year and in the District Championships and the club was eighth with D Aldie the top man in 101th place.   There was no team from Irvine in the National Senior Championship but D Fry ran as an individual and crossed the line in 26th place.   Nor were there any team or individual in the Youth event.   

The championship results from 1934-35 to the start of the War in 1939 can be looked at in tabular form.

This brings us up to the end of the last complete cross-country season before the 1939 – 45 War.   There was some athletics held in those years but athletics proper did not restart in Scotland until after the War.   We will pick up the story again in 1947.

The club picked up slowly after the War and there was no team from the club in the South West District Championship in Fenruary 1947, nor in either Novice Championships or District Relay in November and December 1947, and no team in the Senior National in March 1948 although there were three Youths in that race.   They were Hollas, McLeod and Raeside.   There had been a team in the District Championships on 7th February 1948 which finished sixth with runners placed 16th, 24th, 25th, 31st, 51st, and 54th.   These places are noted because the change that took place over the 1948-49 season was so dramatic.   It was called Tom McNeish.

The first championship of the winter was always the National Novice Championship in November and on the twentieth November 1948, Irvine was third = (with HMS Caledonia) of 35 teams in the event.   More to the point, Tom McNeish won the race and there were eight men racing.   He was described as ‘the well-built Tom McNeish’ by Emmet Farrell in the ‘Scots Athlete’ magazine and he went from strenth to strength that winter.   The others in the team that day in the Novice Championships were E Allan 21st, J Lawson 28th and D Lawson 51st.   The South West Relay was held on 4th December that year and the team was down in sixth place despite McNeish running second fastest time of the day.   How so?   J Lawson gave the club a lead on the first leg and D Lawson dropped one place on the second but they were still in contentio before the third leg runner, J Jackso, had a fall and as the report said, ‘put them out of the running’ despite a sterling effort by their top man.   The Ayrshire Harriers Clubs Association had their championships at Dalmellington on 18th December and Irvine YMCA won firly comfortably with a team of E Allan, D Lawson, J Lawson and T McNeish who had the fastest time of the day.   It was into 1949 and the first championship was the District Championships at Kilmarnock where McNeish won by 500 yards from internationalist Tom Stevenson of Wellpark Harriers..    The team took their cue from him and won the team race – J Lawson 8th, D Lawson 12th, E Allan 13th, H Diamond 18th and D Clotworthy 24th.   It was all good stuff with very good team performances and an outstanding runner in McNeish.   The club could have been expected to have a good turn out in the National Championships at Hamilton on 5th March.   But unfortunately not.  There was no team in either the Senior or Youth races, McNeish ran exceptionally well to be fourth in the Senior race and gain selection for the International, and there were two runners in the Youth race entered as individuals – A Diamond 26th and D Clotworthy 51st.   Emmet Farrell in the @Scots Athlete’ was most impressed with McNeish’s run and said as much in the April 1949 issue of the magazine:

“Tom McNeish was with the leaders right from the start and at one stage of the last lap looked as if he might pull off a surprise victory That he tired somewhat in the latter stages is no shame to him after such a hard season.   Discreetly handled, and with an easier programme, Mc Neish might prove a phenomenon.   He is a deceptive runner of amazing speed and stamina, and when he acquires more experience may reach even higher heights in long dtsitance running.”

McNeish in the National, 1949:  On the left in both pictures

In the left hand picture, McNeish is running with George Craig and Jim Flockhart in front of Andy Forbes, Jim Fleming, Jimmy Reid and Tom Stevenson; on the right, he is seen on the last lap with Reid and Fleming.   The caption writer draws our attention to the ‘long but powerful limbs’ of McNeish.    He ran in the international at Baldoyle Racecourse in Dublin and finished 44th to be a scorer for the team which finished ssixth.

It had been a very good season for McNeish and his club had run well, backing him up in all sorts of races with the exception of the National.   

Winter of the 1949-50 season started early for Irvine YMCA (1st October) when they entered the McAndrew Relay race at Scotstoun for the first time: the club finished 17th of the 49 teams who completed the course with McNeish their fastest man – but only 5 seconds quicker than J Lawson, the other runners being F Muir and S Cuthbert.   One month later (5th November) they ran in the South West District Relays at West Kilbride where they were third and McNeish had the fourth fastest time of the day.   Then, for the first time in a long time, the club was invited to run in the Edinburgh to Glasgow eight man relay when it was held on 21st November 1949.   They finished 17th with the team, in running order being T Garry (19th of the 22 starters), S Cuthbert (17th), H Kennedy (17th), J Malcolm (16th), H Clotworthy (17th), T McNeish (15th), A McLeod (16th) and D Andrew (17th).   The eleventh Scottis Youths Cross-Country Championship was held at King’s Park in Stirling on 3rd December and the Irvine team of D Andrew (23), H Kennedy (29), F English (79) and H Gibson (108) was 17th of the 20 teams.  There was no team entered for the South West Championships on 4th February but McNeish was out and finished fourth behnd Reid, McLean and Williamson. The National was held on the 4th March and again the Irvine team was absent although McNeish was there, ran well enough to be 16th but not well enough to make the team for the international.   

Irvine YMCA  Part Two

No coaching yet and too much of a novice to get much attention but the pictures here are of the people I learned from, trained with and raced with.

David Bowman

Every club had men who were great role models and they were often hero figures to club members.   Pat Younger inspired many in Clydesdale Harriers, as did Cyril O’Boyle, George White and Frank Kielty.   My own personal hero was David Moir Bowman who was a great club man – runner, official, administrator, club representative and more besides.   The first couple of pictures here will be of David.   The one above is during the SAAA Marathon, 1952.

David leading the Marathon at the Edinburgh Highland Games

David and Willie Howie at the Babcock & Wilcox Sports

Club Men’s Section, outside Bruce Street Baths.

Pat Younger coming down Ben Nevis

George White leading the first leg of the Edinburgh to Glasgow: handing to Duncan Stewart

George White to Pat Younger at the end of the first leg the following year

Rangers Sports: John Maclachlan, Iain Cooke,  George Rodger, ? , Ian Logie

John Maclachlan winning from Pat Younger at Singer’s Sports

Aird (7), George Rodger (7), John Hume (8), John Maclachlan (4)

George White to John Wright in the Dunbartonshire County Relay Championship

Pat Younger in Inter Department Relay at Singer’s Sports

Donaldttt Mackenzie: we trained together until he emigrated to NZ

Start of the first Edinburgh to Glasgow I witnessed

Junior National, John Wright and McParland of Springburn Harriers

John Wright behind George Govan, Shettleston, and in front of Joe Connolly, Bellahouston.