Fringe Benefits!!!

Warning ... this photo is a photo of a photo. I took this photo of the photo today, Whensday 2nd May. Oooops, Wednesday!

The original photograph was taken in May 1974 in the garden of Heathery Knowe Primary School, East Kilbride. I was in the third year of my teaching career and coached this group of talented young boys as part of my contribution to the school’s extra-curricular activities programme. Playing football, cricket and badminton as well as taking part in athletics training ensured that they were very fit!

The boys went through the local football league competition with a 100% winning record and were runners-up in the League Cup (the only defeat of the season) but their biggest triumph was in winning the Lanarkshire County Cup. It was a most memorable night with the match being played at the ground of junior side Carluke Rovers, on grass, which in itself was a big deal for boys more used to playing on red blaes or ash pitches!

In the final played against Cathedral Primary School from Motherwell, the team took time to settle into the game but scored twice towards the end of the first-half. In an exciting second-half Cathedral mounted a comeback and scored twice to level the game to take it into extra-time.

Extra-time proved to be even more tense but once again the boys’ skill and determination resulted in them taking the lead only for the equally determined opposition to equalise yet again. In the closing minutes Heathery Knowe finished the stronger of the two sides and with the final whistle only moments away the winning goal was scored!

The goalscorer was the hero of the moment and indeed in later life he became a hero (and occasionally a villain!) in several films as well as starring in many television series. Can you spot a famous face in the team photo? As well as having a film star in the line-up two boys went on to play football professionally in the lower leagues.

In addition to winning the two football trophies the same group of youngsters triumphed in the cricket competition organised for the primary schools in the town. One of the boys went on to play at international level for Scotland. I taught him how to hold the bat!

I was fortunate to coach several other sides over the years that won league or cup competitions as well as a girl and boy who both became Scottish Badminton champions and internationalists. It was, of course, their coaches in later life who taught them to play the game at the highest level. But I can, at the very least, claim to have shown them how to grip the racket!

Lots of happy memories of sporting successes over the years but none more so than that wonderful night 44 years ago almost to the day!