In these uncertain times, the curiosity of a second Scottish Groundhop for 2021/22 was a very welcome addition to the football calendar, particularly as for once the weather Gods were shining upon us. The earlier edition in October had been postponed from March 2020, with the same six home teams hosting games some 18 months later. I used to fret about the four game Saturday roster, but given this was my third Scottish Groundhop which would see the entire fixture card fulfilled (my first hop back in 2018 had been weather hampered, with a curtailed three games, even if the unique advent an indoor game had been colder than the games outside!). The essence of this hop was a five game weekend in the proud Kingdom of Fife. I had only ever been to three Fife non-league venues before this groundhop got underway, so it had the potential for all the trimmings of many new experiences, even for someone like me who lives a mere 30 miles away from the furthest ground on the route.
The official groundhop got underway on the Friday night on the edges of Strathclyde Park in Lanarkshire, where the so called Caledonian Braves play. Pleasingly, when the dust settled on the six game package, this match had the lowest crowd by some margin, with just over 200 in attendance. I have written my thoughts on this club previously, but suffice it to say, a team without roots, a proper name and any discernible fans is purely some form of vanity project for someone who foresaw a path upper in Scottish football. The Lowland League is as high as they will ever go, and as more and more heavy hitting ambitious clubs with tradition and fans come into the fifth tier in Scotland, the Braves will just drift away, and you know what, not many will care.
Many visitors chose to do a Fife six, with Dunfermline v Morton a Friday night alternative, or take in Edinburgh City v Stranraer across the bridge in the capital. The numbers were certainly swollen for both these fixtures, where oddly, both were charging £5 to get in. These were cheaper than any hop match, wth the entire takings at Edinburgh City being donated to help Ukraine. Chapeau to them for such a fine gesture, something that was repeated the following day at Elgin too.
Saturday morning saw the sun shining brightly, and with a morsel of uncertainty where some of these venues in Fife were, en route to the 11.15 kick off in Glenrothes, I did a little field reconnaissance on the subsequent grounds in Crossgates and Cardenden. The quartet on the Saturday I guess had to be arranged in the order they were scheduled due to the lack of floodlights at the first two, but it did lead to small amounts of doubling back on ourselves, but totally understandable. The distances between the games was relatively short, and indeed during lulls in play or between games, chat would suggest that Fife could yet host another entire roster for a hop with that many other clubs available for selection. The lack of floodlighting might be the issue though, but a 10am/1pm/4pm kick off roster might allow all three of the 4 to be played without need of lights in mid to late March.
All roads led via a raft of roundabouts to Warout Stadium, Glenrothes for the Fife opener, a ground with a 5,000 capacity (730 seated). This was the fourth Fife venue to host a hop, after Burntisland, Kelty and Inverkeithing were involved in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Back in 2018, Kelty were in the 6th tier, the only “Junior” side to have mapped across to the seniors at that time. They will be in the third tier of Scottish football by the time you read this article. It has been a stunning rise, even more so when you consider one season was covid hampered/lost and they had to play another season to progress, despite finishing top in a more complete campaign when football was halted in March 2020. Kelty are also holders of the Scottish Groundhops biggest win, whacking perennial strugglers Tweedmouth Rangers 11-1, having fallen behind!
Glenrothes was one of Scotland’s designated “new towns” of yesteryear, and very akin to the others, Livingston, East Kilbride, Irvine and Cumbernauld, they are all quite spread out, with emphasis on leafy to an extent, and an obligatory proliferation of roundabouts. Town planners back in the day obviously thought this was the way to go. As a complete aside, I recall getting myself tied up in knots with an overly clever American on a train who had just been to Paris and couldn’t fathom how a roundabout works? The one that centred our attention for some reason was around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Apparently the roundabout doesn’t exist Stateside, and he delighted in picking holes in my explanation!
With a population of around 40,000, Glenrothes was easily the biggest town hosting the 21/22 hop, with the rest of those involved being no larger than villages to be honest. The local team, Glenrothes FC, like almost every team involved in this hop, had once been a “Junior” team, and the highly coveted Junior Cup has the Glens, as Glenrothes are known, on its roll of honour following a 1-0 win in 1975 versus Rutherglen Glencairn at Hampden in front of nearly 18,000 fans.
For Glenrothes, this morning fixture was a vital league encounter, with a win edging them closer to the leaders Oakley, who by sheer coincidence would be the Sunday game to bring the curtain down on the weekend’s action. The Perthshire visitors, Kinnoul had their own battle too, as staying in the top 6 (they were 5th at kick off) means they won’t fall down another level from the East of Scotland First Division (tier 7) next season, with the creation of an 8th tier in the East from ‘22/23.
Both teams walked out side by side to warm applause from a very healthy 410 crowd, considerably lower than a 5,600 stadium record in 1974 versus Cambuslang Rangers for a Junior Cup Quarter Final. The tunnel from where the teams emerged in the substantial stand saw them walk across a grassy perimeter that presumably once housed a running track. The sun was getting hotter, jackets were being shorn, the mood was getting lighter as these two teams opened the Fife five in exactly the style we all love to see, with plenty of attacking endeavour. Glenrothes came out of the traps quickly and doubtlessly had people thinking a big score was on the cards as they quickly raced into a two goal lead. However, Kinnoul, who would have had to be up quite early to get here for an 11,15 start, began to find their feet and started to thread some nice moves together themselves. Alas, they were thwarted on every occasion they came close to scoring through a combination of fine saves, poor finishing or just picking the wrong final pass. Glens scored a third to seal the win, allowing them the luxury that they could sit back and await the Oakley game knowing they were back to within a point of them, with a game in hand too. That said, the race for the one promotion slot from this Conference is a three way gig with Preston Athletic still in the mix from third place, but while they have many games in hand (5 in all, and 9 points behind) it isn’t necessarily a given for picking up points in the part-time world of football, just ask Boreham Wood.
The hopper entourage then headed less than 10 miles south and west to the village of Crossgates for the first of three fixtures from the 6th tier, the East of Scotland Premier League. These “hop” fixtures had been carved out at the start of the season, but no one could have scripted the next three games any better if they had tried, with the three clubs jousting for the league title and a shot at promotion to the Lowland League all swinging into Fife one after another for the rest of the day. The curiously named Humbug Park, Crossgates became the unlikely venue for my 300th “stadium”, although I use that term loosely, as the home of Crossgates Primrose is about as basic as a venue could be. It was hard to grasp that 7,600 had once been squeezed in here for a Junior Cup tie with Auchinleck Talbot in the early ‘50’s. That said, what the ground lacked in its match viewing experience (basically just a fence around a pitch with a morsel of “terraced” grass behind one end), it more than makes up for in its friendly warm welcome.
The warm sun of Glenrothes was cruelly exposed here in Crossgates, where a lack of trees, unlike around the Warout, had lured your writer into a false sense of expectation, which even saw me half contemplating an interval return to my car for a jacket, but then I was reminded that I am a northern lad and how cold was it?! Ahead of kick off for the Humbug encounter (the ground takes its name from a pit at the nearby Cuttlehill Colliery that was once the villages main employer), the ICT contingent had swollen from merely me to two, as I got chatting with the clubs number one fan (according to the app anyway), a lad who travels up from Stoke on Trent to watch his hometown team, respect to you Alan. Neither of us had decided to venture to Kirkcaldy (just along the road too) for what would turn out to be a dramatic late 3-2 win, a pivotal afternoon for our club. A combination of solidarity with the stay away Raith fans following the David Goodwillie debacle, and dedication to a Football Weekends tale were certainly my rationale.
With Crossgates mid-table they doubtlessly had one eye on the following Sunday’s Cup Final with Leith Athletic. Success in this game creates a potential route into the Scottish Cup, meeting South and West winners after that in a competition designed for clubs who don’t meet the regular SFA requirements for licensing for one place in next season’s Cup. The visitors Penicuik Athletic by contrast were in need of a pick me up win to stay in contention at the top. Cuikie as the commuter town of Edinburgh is known had comfortably been leading the league earlier in the season, but a series of poor results, mostly at home have seen them slip off the top recently, and they were now second chasing Linlithgow. The small band of Penicuik fans, some of whom continued on the hop after this one to see their rivals, were certainly happy with their club’s efforts at Crossgates. They deservedly took the lead but trotted off at the break level at 1-1. A much more controlled second period saw them re-take the lead and while they couldn’t add to it, Rose (as Crossgates are known) rarely looked as if they would get level again. The final whistle was greeted by those in blue and white favours with great delight. We all headed back towards Glenrothes but cut off a few miles before for the third match in Cardenden.
The quaintly named Moorside Park is home to Dundonald Bluebells (a lot mining town teams took the name of the flower associated with their pit to form part of the club name). The village is high up in the hills and the views from anywhere around the ground afford fabulous rural vistas. Upon entering the ground, busying myself amid the array of signage to grab a Football Weekends photo or two, I was somewhat disappointed to overhear a “groundhop” organiser berating two club officials for only having one gate open for the incoming masses. Some of this chat left an unsavoury taste with me, with the essence being that the club “should be lucky we are here” kind of attitude. I am sure the clubs fully appreciate the extra revenue generated with a swollen crowd three or more times as many as a normal day, but don’t dress down volunteers at a small, friendly club just because you think things should be different for your visit. If anyone had to wait more than a few minutes to get in, I would be very surprised.
Moorside has a Kop! Well played, a first ever visit to a Kop for me, although I will one day stand on the Kop at Haigh Avenue, Southport! We watched the entirety of this encounter from the top of the Kop, affording fine views of the action with the considerable high grassy bank aiding those who couldn’t quite squeeze into the area themselves, but the back of the Kop did act as a fine windbreak as the sun started to dip and the temperature was heading down too. Tranent were making a second “hop” appearance of the season having struggled to a 2-2 draw at the then bottom club Newtongrange Star back in October. They have been heavily tipped for promotion and they are also heavily financially backed, but as yet they haven’t had any time on top, however they are still very much in the mix. As the season starts to reach its conclusion, this was a “must win” game for the East Lothian club, and they went about their business here in a determined mood. Occasionally squabbles would break out as the tension started to rise, but a 3-1 away win was no more than deserved on the day.
The Bluebells could take consolation from a good crowd, as well as having had a reasonably successful campaign. They have floodlights and are now regulars in the Scottish Cup, even hosting a TV match a few years ago versus Queen’s Park, albeit the game was played at Kelty on the artificial surface to guarantee the game would go ahead. Like all the East Juniors sides who moved across earlier than the West, I am sure they are all seeing the benefits of a more expansive league structure, with different cups and greater media exposure. The BBC Scotland TV programme “A View from the Terrace” was at all four Saturday games for a piece to feature on their show, and more than likely it will get an even greater audience with a slot on the BBC Football Focus show soon too. In the pandemic, football was ravaged much more at a local level where every pound is a prisoner and the clubs greatly appreciate these hop events. I am sure everyone at such games scoffs at the sheer horror of how a team can even complain about having to make do on a restricted travel bill of £20k!! Your heart bleeds for them, not!
Game four of the Saturday quartet was back in the direction of Crossgates, but a mile closer to Cardenden in the small village of Hill of Beath. Parking anywhere in the vicinity quickly came at a premium as this was always going to be the biggest crowd of the hop. With all other games now finished around the country, as well as the visitors being Linlithgow Rose, (Lithgae as they call it) a very well supported club. Those who found a space at the entrance to Hill of Beath would have come across the statue of Scottish International legend Jim Baxter lit up on the roadside beside the village pub, and also rather splendidly, a wee van selling wood fired pizza. I am sure he just parks there expecting local trade on a Saturday night, but he ended up being busier than most courtesy of the now ravenous hoppers. That said, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, to give the club its full name (HoBH or Haws from now on) put on quite a selection of fillings for their pies, with also stovies available to warm those who were now experiencing a nearer normal Scottish March evening as the temperature plummeted.
Keir’s Park is home to the Haws, a ground that continues to buff up and looks increasingly fabulous. They might not have a stand (only Glenrothes did), but three sides of the ground are covered, more than adequate should a bleak night set in. Similar to Glenrothes, HoBH have a Scottish Junior Cup to their name, as recent as 1990 when they beat Lesmahagow 1-0 at Kilmarnock to claim the prize.
The official capacity of 1,080 at Keir’s seems a little low, but these health and safety boys take no chances. As it was, 584 were on hand to witness the game of the weekend, a rousing, full blooded, no holding back style affair. Knowing that their championship chasing rivals had both won doubtless heaped more pressure on Linlithgow who had started the season slowly, before clawing themselves right back into contention, eventually going top. Unfortunately a late loss recently at the Swifts seems to have started a wobble themselves. HOBH’s need was certainly more pressing than Dundonald and Crossgates, fighting hard to avoid the four relegation places, and ahead of kick off they were just outside those places.
The action ebbed and flowed, with the Haws going 2-1 in front just after half time. That was the signal for Rose to throw everything at their hosts but the keeper and some poor finishing saw the storm peter out. A last minute home penalty put the seal on a win 3-1, seeing the home fans delighted, while the Rose faithful were left muttering about the ref, and the hoppers doubtlessly headed off hopefully warmed by this cracking game. Rose were off the top and having played a game more than the other duo.
Amid the fury of Linlithgow trying to get back into this game, I found myself having to change my viewing position as I was in constant earshot of a chat bombarding questions at these two unassuming other hoppers who seemed more intent on enjoying the game than he was. They had to listen to the drivel about “had they been too…….”, it was one after the other, relentless, and while pleasingly everyone of the Highland League towns and stadia mentioned were described as lovely, it was too much. You could have filled a notebook with the verbal download of where to go in each town, it became like white noise. I have pontificated on the life of a hopper in previous Scottish hop articles, and in a nutshell this chap was encapsulating everything that isn’t healthy about it, almost bringing a sense of bragging to the table. That said, I have found myself re-evaluating a lot in the last couple of years. First the pandemic, and now this hideous, needless war in Ukraine, where I have had an all too close ringside seat watching in horror how the constant propaganda in Russia has basically fried the thinking of some of the most western looking individuals there. None of that compares to the suffering in Ukraine, but it just puts perspective on everything we do. One minute you might be fretting about not getting the information you wanted for your records at a football match, the next it’s a worthless piece of trivia lost in a fight against tyranny. I am sure we all hope this will all conclude soon and never spreads any further, but in the meantime I try to be more accommodating of everyone, but this chap was just too full on, and he didn’t seem to be watching what was the game of the weekend.
The Sunday wrap fixture on the hop has rarely found a game to end it all on an absolute high. Maybe by then we are all a bit bleary eyed and punch drunk. Perhaps it would never be considered the best game, even if it was by virtue! The Western edge of Fife, another mining village, Oakley, considerably west of Dunfermline was host to another bright sunny early afternoon game, albeit tempered by a cool wind. Oakley does seem quite high above the Forth valley and perhaps more likely to catch a breeze than most. A magnificent line of fir trees act as a natural windbreak from a northern breeze inside Blairwood Park, home to Oakley United. Unlucky for us perhaps, this wind was a westerly one, even if the sun tried its best to take the edge off the chill. No one could berate the volunteers at little Oakley as the ground only has one portacabin entry point, and I never witnessed anyone feeling they were having to wait more than a few seconds to gain entry.
The league leaders Oakley were hosting Easthouses Lily, a club who benefitted from the hop last time out. Perhaps more than 4 times the normal crowd were here enjoying the decent action unfolding, especially in the first half, in a ground with just a little more character than Crossgates, but oddly both have this 2,000 capacity as opposed to the much smaller figure for Hill of Beath, who have superior facilities, which still leaves me perplexed!
Oakley twice took the lead in the first half, and might have been pegged back a second time had it not been for a penalty miss by Lily, but it was a fine save with the aid of the post and an ensuing melee. The second half failed to live up to the first half, and it ended 2,1. Oakley will be happy with the result, keeping the pressure on Glenrothes and Preston to win those games in hand. If I was to judge the top two based on what I saw over the weekend, Glenrothes look slicker. As to who will win the East Premier, well your guess is as good as mine, but with Tranent still to play Linlithgow, those two head to head games will have a huge bearing and a couple of drawn games could help Penicuik take full advantage, even though they also have Linlithgow still to play at home, ensuring exciting weeks ahead before it is all sorted out.
So there we have it, another Scottish Groundhop is over. The number of goals might have been less than some, but then again, all five games in Fife had something riding on them. Attendances were along usual lines, as well as a welcome additional income for the clubs. It is hoped that those who ventured from afar enjoyed the trip, and might well be tempted back. Rumour has it that East Lothian will be the main hub next time around, with the possibility of a second Scottish hop in 22/23 as well, a cracking idea.
Football Adventures with James Rendall 