Johnstone Burgh v Rutherglen Glencairn, final match of the season, promotion decider, winner takes all. In fact, Burgh only needed a draw. The Glens had played their penultimate match over a month previously, meanwhile Burgh had 7 games in hand, and they had to win them all. The Glens players all went off on holiday, hoping to come back to the news that Burgh had slipped up and Glencairn were promoted. Burgh, however, didn't co-operate, and won all 7 of their games in hand, setting up the decider at Keanie Park in Johnstone. Burgh were tired, but they were match-fit. Glencairn's players were fresh, but not match-fit after the month's lay-off.

 

Burgh dominated the game on their own patch in front of a large and noisy home support. The Glens fans, huddled into a wee corner of the ground, were nervously quiet but growing in hope as the game went on and the scoreline stayed blank. Our hearts sunk when midfielder Mark Dykes sold the jerseys and got himself sent off just after half-time, and we thought the promotion dream was over. But with half an hour to go Glencairn striker David Hardie pounced on a poor defensive back header and drove the ball into the net throught the Burgh goalie's legs, and The Glens were 1-0 ahead completely against the run of play.

 

Burgh threw everything at us, including the kitchen sink. They hit both posts and the bar, and our goalkeeper Alan Monaghan made superb save after superb save, and when he was beaten there was always a Glens player on the line to clear behind him. It was the longest half-hour ever in the history of time, the night I invented the phrase "I hate football", which I've used regularly since whenever I've been nervous at a game.

 

But The Glens held on for the win, and we were promoted !  I remember running onto the pitch at the end with a few other Glens fans to grab David Hardie as he ran towards the Glens fans to celebrate.

 

A year later we were relegated again, the year after that we were promoted again, and then relegated again the following season. We've never been promoted since then, despite going agonisingly close on 3 or 4 occasions and despite the league restructuring which has taken place.

 

The Glens have only been back to Keanie Park once since that game, a resounding 6-1 defeat in 2001 on our way to our last relegation. I wasn't at that game fortunately.

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So tomorrow, weather permitting, sees my return to the scene of one of my most memorable nights as a football fan. The circumstances are slightly different this time though.

 

The Glens are again chasing promotion, and if we win we will go 2nd in the table, 3 points behind the leaders with a game in hand and a superior goal difference. If we draw we go 3rd.

 

Burgh, on the other hand, have fallen on hard times a wee bit. Having been in the league above us since that 2001 clash, they were relegated last season, winning only 1 game and drawing 5, with 20 defeats in their 26 matches and 66 goals conceded, scoring only 12 times in those 26 games. This season has started poorly for them as well, and they are in the relegation zone again, with only 1 win in 6 games so far (2 draws and 3 defeats).

 

So The Glens are very much the favourites tomorrow. But we've been a bit off form recently, one win our last six competitive matches, although only two of them have been league matches, and only one of those league matches was a defeat. And we're four players down for tomorrow, including our captain and top scorer Tony Fraser who is suspended.

 

An interesting afternoon awaits. If it beats the weather, that is.