1 week ago
19
Tread softly because you tread on someone’s dreams.
The scene is a bright Saturday morning and I am standing on a pristine expanse of grass. This is Eastgate Park, the home of Gartcosh United, newly arrived as a West of Scotland League side.
The surface is unblemished but it is a symbol of toil, aspiration and ambition realised.
More than two hours before kick-off, it is serene, only a whisper of wind breaks the silence. Outside in the Gartcosh Social Club, however, there is a buzz of labour that would shame a dozen beehives. This is the first match in the new facility.
Gartcosh is spurred on by history, hope and a torrent of tales that contain both glory and tragedy.
This is the club that produced such as Pat Nevin, Tommy McQueen, Derek Ferguson and Dave McPherson. It is also the club that knows that such onfield triumph can be accompanied by profound loss. There are tributes paid to young lads who died prematurely as United players.
Gartcosh United won 6-0 over Livingston Community in the first match at Eastgate Park
The two teams are piped into the ground on what was an emotional day for the host club
Pat Nevin (front row, far right) is one of many professional players produced by Gartcosh
The day at Eastgate is thus emotional, even draining for the cadre of committee members.
I am led on to the pitch by David Quate, club chairman. His voice cracks as he says: ‘I have mixed feelings. I am proud, obviously. But I am sad my mum is not here to see it as she passed four years ago and she worked in the social club. That club was everything to the family.’
He pays tribute to Billy Cairns, the former secretary, who worked hard to help bring the new ground to fruition and was keen to point out that the United journey started in 1962 under the driving force of George Dingwall.
The road to the revamped Eastgate was long and arduous. ‘It started more than 26 years ago,’ says Quate, a service manager for a recycling company. The land, owned by British Steel and passed onto the social club, had to be protected from the grasp of entrepreneurs. The dream of the club had to withstand brutal reality.
Quate and a core of committee members did just that by dint of resolute strategy and in co-operation with sportscotland.
‘I have been involved here forever,’ says Quate, 54, looking around the pitch and onto the narrow terraces. ‘I played under-16s here, then went up the ranks and off to the Juniors. Then I came back.’
He was the instigator of a new Gartcosh United. ‘I do it because it is in my blood,’ he says. ‘My dad was involved in football. The family has always been community oriented. My auntie ran the Highland dancing around here. My grandfather ran the boxing. I do it because someone had to do it so I could play football.’
There is more, though, than just chasing a ball. ‘When the steelworks was here this was the centre of the community and we want to get it back to that,’ he says.
He is aware of the scale of the task that has been completed. A copy of the Miracle of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinniss has been given to every player and the coaching staff. It tells of the rise of an Italian side but miracles can happen in Gartcosh too.
The hospitality is frankly overwhelming. Sponsors, groundhoppers and opposition officials sit in a room that is festooned with club memorabilia.
There are two impossibly poignant items. A shirt is framed on the wall and carries the signatures of team-mates.
‘That is in memory of Adam Bain,’ says Brian Smith, a committee member. The player died after collapsing on the former pitch nearby in 2013. Smith then points to another photograph. It shows the side that went all the way to the Scottish Amateur Cup final in 2005. ‘That is Adam Bowman,’ he says, pointing to a figure. ‘He died shortly after from cancer.’
These ghosts do not haunt Gartcosh, they are part of an ethos that pushes the club on. ‘It has been a long haul,’ says Smith. ‘We are glad to be here.’
Pat Nevin was grateful to be in Gartcosh. ‘I was about to give up football,’ he says. He is speaking over the phone before he heads south to commentate on the delights of Everton v Manchester United. But the lad who went on to play for Chelsea, Everton and Scotland always has time for Gartcosh.
‘I was 16 or 17 and had been at Celtic on S Form, player of the year for the boys’ club etc. Then they dumped me,’ he says. ‘I was preparing to go to university and about to give up football when a guy at Gartcosh, Dave Skinner, said: ‘’Come and play with us’’.
‘I went along one day and met the lads. One was Stevie Evans who went on to play with Clyde with me. Dave McPherson, who went on to play for Rangers and Hearts, and Tommy McQueen, who went onto West Ham, were also there.
‘We won everything,’ he says. The glittering triumph was the Robbie Cup. Played in Toronto, this is a huge charity tournament contested by teams from across the world. ‘There were sides from Brazil and all over Europe there and we battered the living daylights out of them,’ says Nevin. ‘This all helped resurrect my love of playing football.’
It also led to senior football. ‘We played Clyde reserves in a bounce game and when I came off this wee round figure asked me if I wanted to play for him.’
That was Craig Brown. ‘I told him I wanted to do my degree and was just playing for fun. He told me: ‘’I’ll give you 35 quid a week’’. ‘I asked him if he had a pen.’
Nevin was to go on to star in England and win 28 caps for his country. But, at 62, he has one mission to fulfil.
‘I have searched for more than 30 years for Davie Skinner. He was a good guy, a fun guy. I would like to talk to him again but I have searched online but never found him.’
Impromptu detective work by your correspondent failed to uncover any clues. But one of Nevin’s team-mates from that era produced a photograph of young Pat in all his glory. Gerry Hart also came up with a glowing testimonial.
‘Pat was just fantastic,’ he says. ‘There are levels and he was on a different one. As was Dave McPherson. He just seemed to glide through games.‘ McPherson, of course, also went on to play for Scotland.
The sights are set slightly lower on a day when Gartcosh cruises through to the next round of the South Challenge Cup with a 6-0 win over Livingston Community.
‘We want to get out of this division,’ says Bernie Mulligan, the manager, referring to the West of Scotland fourth division.
Mulligan, who has been coaching at the club for ten years, adds: ‘Most importantly we have our home back. We are also here for the community and that is so important.’
He pays tribute to the committee who refused to let a dream die. ‘It’s been hard work,’ he says. I ask Mulligan, a joiner, if he had been enlisted in any of the off-field work.
‘Oh God aye,’ he says. ‘I had to help out. Everybody had to put their shoulder to the wheel.’
Gartcosh United rolls on.
