SCHOOLS FOOTBALL

As is the case throughout Scotland the breeding ground for potential football players has always been the school playground or football pitch.  Schools football in Douglasdale, and the secondary schools for Douglas Primary, have continually produced players throughout the years for the amateur, juvenile, junior and senior ranks.

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The Starks Cup seemed to be a prize much sought after by South Lanarkshire Schools Teams.  Douglas West had a really good side and won this competition on a several occasions in the late 30's 

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  On this occasion the West boys lost to Forth in the semi final

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In 1948 Douglas JS defeated Biggar by 4 goals to 2 with the following report on the game

Back Row left to right - Jimmy Stitt, Bill Anderson, Tommy Cunningham, Hyslop, I Tweedie, R Tweedie, Marshall, Gardiner, Bert Shanks, Willie Harvie

Front row left to right - W Brown, McBride, Telfer, Hughie Brown, Watson

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           Lanark Grammar School team in the '50's

John Jackson is in the centre of the picture in the front row with Jimmy Harvie on his right. Nelson Foster is in the back row third from the left

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Jimmy Harvie extreme left front row in Lanark Grammar School team

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                        Lanark Grammar School team 1954

Back Row L - R    R Biggam, J Turner, J Milne, E Steele, J Bryce, W Bryce (Douglas Water), D Moffat (teacher)

Front Row L - R   I Stewart, J Aikman( Douglas), R Harvie (Douglas), R Brown (Douglas Water), J Harvie (Douglas)

Douglas lads Robin Harvie, Jimmy Harvie and Jack Aikman all went on to become PE teachers, as did W Bryce from Douglas Water 

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                      Douglas JS school football team 1956

Back row left to right  -  Jake Ramage, Sanny Morrison, Victor Fazzini, Andrew Fergus, Jackson Smith, Bobby Blackwood, Tossle Cook

Front Row left to right -  Plunker McLay, Mick Cronin, Jim Dick, Jimmy Shepherd, Bomber Anderson, Bert Jackson,  Stuart Prosser

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                  Another Douglas JS school team photo

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 Lanark Grammar School won the Scottish Secondary Shield in 1959 by two goals to one after two replays. Douglas boys Will McDonald and John Hastings( now resident in Australia) were in the team along with John Gold, Roger Hynds and Lex Gold (SPL Chief Executive) from Rigside/D Water.  Hynds, L Gold and Alex Brooks went on to sign for Rangers

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In 1959  Douglas JS beat Blackwood 3-1 in the district cup.

Douglas team: T Smith, Hutchieson and Chapman; Cronin, Anderson and Cook; Sneddon, Frame, J Smith, McLay and Shand       

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In April 1961 both Douglas schools played Blackwood in a double header.

The Primary side won 4-0, team:

 Back Row l to r -  T Houston, T Cronin, A Graham, I Bairner, J Mackie, R Anderson, R Grant.

Front row l to r - M Hunter, P Smith, G Prosser, K Newbigging,  I McPherson, D Taylor, W Crawford

Scorers were Cronin,Mackie, Newbigging and Bairner

The secondary side drew 2-2 and the team was T Gold, E Scott, D Brown, G Stratford, R Anderson, T Marshall, R Mitchell, I Roberts, A McPherson, J Sked, J Ballantyne

Scorers were Roberts and McPherson

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In 1962 Douglas JS won the Lesmahagow Cup against Blackwood at Lesmahagow by 6 goals to 1.  They had previously beaten Lesmahagow 3-1 in the semi-final

Scorers: McPherson 3, Ballantyne 2, Gold 1

The 'Canaries' team was run by Andrew Fergus, School teacher and one time Sunday Mail columnist

Back Row left to right - Francie Scott, George 'Buster' Stratford, John' Zeke' Jackson, Raymond 'Gunner' Anderson, Tom Marshall, Ian ' Pobbles' Roberts

Front row left to right - Bobby Mitchell, Jim ' Buff' Johnstone, Alan McPherson, James ' Bally' Ballantyne, Tom Gold

                          Alan McPherson with the cup

       Andrew Fergus having a celebratory drink from the cup

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         Douglas PS football team 1962/3

Back row left to right  -  Dan Ramage, Robert Hastings, Billy McLay, Robert Muir, Ronnie Ingles

Middle Row left to right  -  Hunter Robertson, Mike Hunter, Tom Wilson, Davie Webb, Robert Anderson, Jim Kirkhope