I don’t think I have ever shared in this column that I am a big football fan.
Living in Scotland, we are spoiled with so many beautiful green open spaces and, while in Glasgow a fortnight ago, I took some time to cross an item off my bucket list by visiting Cathkin Park.
From 1903 to 1967, it was home to Third Lanark Athletic Club.
In 1954, it registered its highest attendance when Third Lanark entertained Rangers in the Scottish Cup in front of 45,455 spectators.
It was amazing to stand on those tall, old terraces which are still there, and I thought of the thousands who would have seen Third Lanark win the league the season they moved there in 1903-4. The experience was also haunting as I thought about the way supporting football has changed.
My first experience of a terrace was at Dens Park before the Taylor Report enforced all-seater stadiums following the Hillsborough disaster which, although necessary, saw us lose a crucial element to the beautiful game.
More than 50 years on, this season has brought the demise of Bury FC due to unpaid debts and poor ownership, the same reasons as Third Lanark, reminding us that there is nothing new under the sun.
However, beautiful new models are emerging such as fan ownership as modelled by Hearts and Motherwell.
Run for the fans by the fans – that is the way it should be.
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