Relatives of former west Fife junior footballers have provided details of teams following an appeal from the son of a player, with many tales showing that some went on to a higher grade.
Tom McDonald contacted The Courier in a bid to trace more information on two sides his father Willie played for in the 1930s Blairhall Colliery FC and Crossgates Primrose FC.
His father worked on HMS Caledonia and turned down an offer to join Heart of Midlothian FC.
Mr McDonald has his father’s medals from that era and some photos, including one with members of Blairhall after winning the Cowdenbeath Cup. His appeal struck a chord with several readers.
John McMillan, of Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, said his brother James played for Blairhall during this period before going on to sign for Celtic and Chelsea.
“My brother played for Blairhall and was capped at junior level for Scotland,” he said.
“He also played for Celtic and Chelsea. There were other players in the Blairhall team who went on to play for Celtic, like a chap named O’Neill.89-goal season”My brother still holds the club record of scoring the most goals in one season 89. Blairhall was a great team in those days.”
Catherine Sneddon of Dunfermline said her father James (Jim) Birrell, also went on to play for Celtic, and she spoke of how times have changed in football.
“My father played for Blairhall in 1938 and then signed for Celtic and made his debut against Partick Thistle,” she said.
“Then this stopped with the call-up for the Second World War. I know he also played beside a man called O’Neill and George Niven.
“Most of the players then were very unassuming and all got along for the benefit of the team. There was no grandeur on those days.
“A lot of footballers now seem to be in it for the money. My father also worked on HMS Caledonia so he probably knew Mr McDonald.
“You got big crowds in those days and my father played for the team, like most people did in those days. My father never spoke of his football career and my mother used to go to watch him on clips at the picture house.
“There were a lot of good footballers from Blairhall in those days.”