Greenfield Park (Shettleston v Thorniewood United)

Even though the weather we have had in Scotland lately has made it feel like autumn or even winter it is definitely springtime. That means the days are longer and we can go to midweek junior games with evening kick-offs. Most junior grounds do not have floodlights and games are usually only played on Saturday afternoons but come May they are played on basically every day of the week. The ones on Friday nights are my favourites as it means a perfect start to the weekend and I am not really bothering my wife.

On Friday 20th May I decided to go to Shettleston v Thorniewood United, an encounter in the West Region Central District First Division. I took a train from Paisley to Glasgow Central, then walked to Glasgow Queen Street and jumped on the train to Edinburgh, the new connection via Bathgate that is. Unfortunately there had been line problems and the train was six minutes late. I was on a tight schedule and it meant I would miss kick-off. After a very short train journey of only a few minutes I got off at Carntyne station, in the east end of Glasgow, and walked to Greenfield Park which took me less than ten minutes.

Greenfield Park is a great junior ground: it has two enclosures, a lot of crumbling terraces and supposedly a good social club as well (which I did not have time to visit). Tonight's game was important for both sides. Thorniewood, who were already promoted, were still in with a chance to win the league. If they beat Shettleston and Kilsyth Rangers lost the next day the title would be theirs. Shettleston needed a win to be still in with a chance to avoid relegation. Unfortunately both sides did not get what they wanted and the game ended in a 1-1 draw, although I think this was a fair result on the night.

After the game I walked back to Carntyne station and discovered the next train was due in 30 minutes. After a half-hour wait that felt like a two-hour wait I was on my way home.

Tonight's game: Shettleston v Thoniewood United.

Greenfield Park seen from outside.

The two enclosures.

No junior ground is complete without a brick wall painted white.

Another look at one of the enclosures.

The social club behind the white wall, beautiful crumbling terracing in front of it.

Shettleston score seven minutes before time.

The leafy east end of Glasgow...

Friday 20th May 2011
West Region Central District First Division
Shettleston 1 Thorniewood United 1
Shettleston: McCormick 83.
Thorniewood: Devlin 87.
Att: 150 (est.)

Ravenscraig Stadium (Greenock Juniors v Thorniewood United)

On Saturday I saw my first game at Ravencraig Stadium in Greenock, a ground I have been passing by on my way to work for the last ten years but I had never seen it from inside. Ravenscraig is the home ground of both Greenock Juniors and Port Glasgow Juniors. It is also an athletics stadium with a running track and a large stand which seats about 650 spectators. Unlike Dam Park in Ayr, which I visited two weeks ago, this athletics venue is in a terrible state of disrepair. I just found out however that Ravenscraig is about to undergo a major refurbishment and Saturday's game was Greenock's last at the stadium for the time being. I am glad I was still able to take a few pictures of the 'old' Ravenscraig but the refurbishment, which is set to start this week, looked long overdue.

The game I saw on Saturday was an encounter in the Central District First Division, the third tier in the West Region set-up of the Scottish Juniors. Home team Greenock Juniors were playing Thorniewood United of Uddingston in Lanarkshire. It was a very entertaining six-goal thriller and it was a shame only about 50 people, many of them supporting Thorniewood, turned out to see it. I do not know what kind of numbers Port Glasgow Juniors usually attract in terms of home support, however looking at the distance between Ravenscraig and the town of Port Glasgow it cannot be much more than that either. Despite the small crowd there were still pies and Bovril (but no tea or coffee) on sale during the interval. After the game I headed to Branchton train station again, a ten-minute walk, for the 25-minute train journey back to Paisley.

Approaching Ravenscraig Stadium.


The stand seen from outside. It is in dire need of a bit of TLC...

The stand holds about 650.

Wooden benches in the stand.

The view from the stand. Small terraces can be seen on the other side. The high-rise building that dominates the Greenock skyline is Inverclyde Royal Hospital.

Lee Mitchell scores for Greenock: 1-0.


Thorniewood's Steven Mullen scores the equaliser: 1-1.


Thorniewood take the lead after Chris Queen's scores: 1-2.


After the interval Greenock's Thomas Docherty equalises again: 2-2.


Thorniewood go 3-2 up again thanks to a Chris Lafferty free-kick.


Greenock player manager Stevie Mooney was then sent off after picking up a second booking...


...however Greenock still manage to draw level. Ryan MacDonald scores 3-3.

Saturday 19th March 2011
West Region Central District First Division
Greenock Juniors 3 Thorniewood United 3
Greenock: Mitchell 20, Docherty 54, MacDonald 80.
Thorniewood: Mullen 22, Queen 32, Lafferty 56.
Att: 50 (est.)