paulbrucerick Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Johnny Doyle in the reverse penguin strip. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-2 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Inspired by Mr Heliums superb post here's a couple of pics nicked from the WAP forum... Fred Aitken, Kenny Aird, John Connolly, Henry Hall and Willie Ormond. Regarded by many as the finest forward line and manager Saints have ever had. Muirton Park. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel wickson Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 3 hours ago, Mr Heliums said: The video above, taken at Muirton Park ‘circa 1973–74’, is a series of haphazard clips that doesn’t capture much goalmouth excitement, never mind goals. But I love it. Televised games at Muirton were rare in any case, but homemade footage is a priceless journey back in time. Shorn of anaesthetic highlights to dictate to you how it was, this captures something more recognisable. The film was made a couple of years before my first Saints game at Muirton, but this is how I remember it: the lazy atmosphere around the ground, the football a little less aggressive. And that early scene outside the ground had me holding the impossible hope I’d see my grandad, who held a season ticket for 70 years. A wee bit of digging adds a colour to the footage. The opposition is clearly Dumbarton, and from the autumnal trees it’s possible to say confidently that it was filmed on October 7, 1972; Dumbarton won 2-0 with a goal in each half. That makes it a significant game for both sides. Dumbarton, who had won the old second division title earlier that year, were struggling in the top league. This win would end up their first of the season and would prove crucial: the Sons would eventually stay up on goal difference. Significant for Saints fans too, because this is the last footage I know of of Willie Ormond-era St Johnstone. A few weeks later, Tommy Docherty would resign as Scotland boss and Willie would step up to replace him. And the manager who’d succeed Ormond was Sons’ boss Jackie Stewart; perhaps it was his team’s performance on this day that impressed the Saints board. This was the autumn of a Saints team etched into memory. John Connolly had gone earlier in 1972, but here are Donaldson, Lambie and Argue, and Henry Hall wearing that number 8 shirt. Kenny Aird and Jim Pearson too. What a privilege to get a last shuddery glimpse of them. For Dumbarton, this game marked the breakthrough of Tom McAdam, later of Celtic. He was just 18 and got one of Dumbarton’s goals. He’d prove a long-lasting tormentor of Saints – 17 years later, in November 1989, he scored the winner for Airdrie at McDiarmid that blew the 1989-90 First Division championship race open. (McAdam was injured and sitting in the stand for Saints’ famous 3-1 victory later that same season.) Thanks very much for posting this. I've quoted you in the League One Sons Sorrow thread where it might pick up some traction. I was at this game sitting in the stand. I was only allowed to go to away games on my own in the early '70s on condition that I always avoided the terracing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 3 hours ago, Mr Heliums said: The video above, taken at Muirton Park ‘circa 1973–74’, is a series of haphazard clips that doesn’t capture much goalmouth excitement, never mind goals. But I love it. Televised games at Muirton were rare in any case, but homemade footage is a priceless journey back in time. Shorn of anaesthetic highlights to dictate to you how it was, this captures something more recognisable. The film was made a couple of years before my first Saints game at Muirton, but this is how I remember it: the lazy atmosphere around the ground, the football a little less aggressive. And that early scene outside the ground had me holding the impossible hope I’d see my grandad, who held a season ticket for 70 years. A wee bit of digging adds a colour to the footage. The opposition is clearly Dumbarton, and from the autumnal trees it’s possible to say confidently that it was filmed on October 7, 1972; Dumbarton won 2-0 with a goal in each half. That makes it a significant game for both sides. Dumbarton, who had won the old second division title earlier that year, were struggling in the top league. This win would end up their first of the season and would prove crucial: the Sons would eventually stay up on goal difference. Significant for Saints fans too, because this is the last footage I know of of Willie Ormond-era St Johnstone. A few weeks later, Tommy Docherty would resign as Scotland boss and Willie would step up to replace him. And the manager who’d succeed Ormond was Sons’ boss Jackie Stewart; perhaps it was his team’s performance on this day that impressed the Saints board. This was the autumn of a Saints team etched into memory. John Connolly had gone earlier in 1972, but here are Donaldson, Lambie and Argue, and Henry Hall wearing that number 8 shirt. Kenny Aird and Jim Pearson too. What a privilege to get a last shuddery glimpse of them. For Dumbarton, this game marked the breakthrough of Tom McAdam, later of Celtic. He was just 18 and got one of Dumbarton’s goals. He’d prove a long-lasting tormentor of Saints – 17 years later, in November 1989, he scored the winner for Airdrie at McDiarmid that blew the 1989-90 First Division championship race open. (McAdam was injured and sitting in the stand for Saints’ famous 3-1 victory later that same season.) Sitting watching your video right now, with this view I'd be in the old main stand, this makes me sad. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flybhoy Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Jackie McNamara in action against Rangers in 2005, he was probably booked here..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiepiemuncher Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 3 hours ago, tree house tam said: Sitting watching your video right now, with this view I'd be in the old main stand, this makes me sad. That's a bit heartbreaking. Genuine question: what was the feeling at the time of the move? I remember it quite well, and the coverage was all positive because McDiarmid looked smart and novel. It also conicided timewise with Hillsborough of course, which put it ahead of a newly necessary time. These images do however point to something valuable being lost too. History also tells us that such grounds are many, and forgettably soulless. Was there resistance back then? Did Muirton need to be moved from? Is there genuine regret beyond understandable nostalgia? I've obviously seen plenty debate on such things regarding sides like Falkirk, Dumbarton and Airdrie. With St Johnstone as trailblazers though, I've rarely seen much attention to a downside. What was and is the feeling around it all? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 1 minute ago, Monkey Tennis said: That's a bit heartbreaking. Genuine question: what was the feeling at the time of the move? I remember it quite well, and the coverage was all positive because McDiarmid looked smart and novel. It also conicided timewise with Hillsborough of course, which put it ahead of a newly necessary time. These images do however point to something valuable being lost too. History also tells us that such grounds are many, and forgettably soulless. Was there resistance back then? Did Muirton need to be moved from? Is there genuine regret beyond understandable nostalgia? I've obviously seen plenty debate on such things regarding sides like Falkirk, Dumbarton and Airdrie. With St Johnstone as trailblazers though, I've rarely seen much attention to a downside. What was and is the feeling around it all? Not much resistance because it was a fantastic deal for St Johnstone. We'd just about went bust, were in the bottom league getting crowds of just over 1000. Things started to pick up, we had a great battle with Ayr to get out of the bottom division, a semi final where we held Rangers 0-0 with 9500 saints fans there and we were beginning to build something special. Geoff did a great deal with asda and we moved in when in the first division. Totten had us flying and we moved into McDiarmid with average crowds of 6 or 7000. It basically built the base of the St Johnstone we see today. I miss the old ground but there's no doubt it changed saints for the better. Basically we were on the way up and McDiarmid catapulted us further. We were competing with the likes of Ayr, Airdrie and Partick back then, I'd say we've eclipsed them all by some distance now. So it worked out fine for us. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 19 minutes ago, tree house tam said: Not much resistance because it was a fantastic deal for St Johnstone. We'd just about went bust, were in the bottom league getting crowds of just over 1000. Things started to pick up, we had a great battle with Ayr to get out of the bottom division, a semi final where we held Rangers 0-0 with 9500 saints fans there and we were beginning to build something special. Geoff did a great deal with asda and we moved in when in the first division. Totten had us flying and we moved into McDiarmid with average crowds of 6 or 7000. It basically built the base of the St Johnstone we see today. I miss the old ground but there's no doubt it changed saints for the better. Basically we were on the way up and McDiarmid catapulted us further. We were competing with the likes of Ayr, Airdrie and Partick back then, I'd say we've eclipsed them all by some distance now. So it worked out fine for us. That's interesting. It's kind of how I remember it, but without the detail. Unlike with some other clubs then, the upside was huge. What was the last game at Muirton like? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranaldo Bairn Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Big crowd, Saints completely froze, and lost 1-0 to Ayr United, John Sludden scoring the winner. I've still got the wee commemorative badge they handed out as you went through the turnstiles. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 1 minute ago, Ranaldo Bairn said: Big crowd, Saints completely froze, and lost 1-0 to Ayr United, John Sludden scoring the winner. I've still got the wee commemorative badge they handed out as you went through the turnstiles. I think I'd be a bit distraught at such an occasion if it came our way. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranaldo Bairn Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 2 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said: I think I'd be a bit distraught at such an occasion if it came our way. Here's the badge. I was upset/sad at losing Brockville no doubt, but it had to be done I think. There were guys I saw waiting to go through the turnstiles for the last time utterly distraught. Completely inconsolable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AYRSHIRE_ANGUS Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 5 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said: I think I'd be a bit distraught at such an occasion if it came our way. I agree, ditch the plastic perhaps but definitely not that ground. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-2 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 38 minutes ago, tree house tam said: Not much resistance because it was a fantastic deal for St Johnstone. We'd just about went bust, were in the bottom league getting crowds of just over 1000. Things started to pick up, we had a great battle with Ayr to get out of the bottom division, a semi final where we held Rangers 0-0 with 9500 saints fans there and we were beginning to build something special. Geoff did a great deal with asda and we moved in when in the first division. Totten had us flying and we moved into McDiarmid with average crowds of 6 or 7000. It basically built the base of the St Johnstone we see today. I miss the old ground but there's no doubt it changed saints for the better. Basically we were on the way up and McDiarmid catapulted us further. We were competing with the likes of Ayr, Airdrie and Partick back then, I'd say we've eclipsed them all by some distance now. So it worked out fine for us. Apart from being out of town, the one real whinge I remember was that McDiarmid was 'only' going to be 10,000 capacity! Geoff new what he was doing though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbermoresaint Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 12 minutes ago, Ranaldo Bairn said: Big crowd, Saints completely froze, and lost 1-0 to Ayr United, John Sludden scoring the winner. I've still got the wee commemorative badge they handed out as you went through the turnstiles. I was too late to get the badge. I've got the first day cover somewhere though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7-2 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) We went to the Half A Tanner, had some bottles of champagne to send the old place off in style and made a right mess of the bar trying to get blue food dye into the glasses. Thankfully Jack was in understanding mode as per usual. Was too late for a badge too. Edited October 23, 2018 by 7-2 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbermoresaint Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 16 minutes ago, Monkey Tennis said: I think I'd be a bit distraught at such an occasion if it came our way. People were sad but we knew where we were going - McD was approaching completion so we could see the future. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 14 minutes ago, Ranaldo Bairn said: Here's the badge. I was upset/sad at losing Brockville no doubt, but it had to be done I think. There were guys I saw waiting to go through the turnstiles for the last time utterly distraught. Completely inconsolable. I lost the badge years ago (or my Saintees mate at school nicked it) Funnily enough I still have the small plastic sleeve for it... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ah-dee Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Inspired by Mr Heliums superb post here's a couple of pics nicked from the WAP forum... Fred Aitken, Kenny Aird, John Connolly, Henry Hall and Willie Ormond. Regarded by many as the finest forward line and manager Saints have ever had. Muirton Park.henry hall looks the same there as when i met him 13/14 years ago when he was Montrose manager. i had a lot of time for the man 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbermoresaint Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Still got my mum's Centre Stand seat. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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