Hi it's me again with more anecdotes from the archives of my aging brain.

In the early seventies we undertook a days outing to Bilston Miners Club in the outskirts of Edinburgh where we had a friendly against the local team of under 18's Scottish champions.They proceded to kick us off the park in a very friendly way. It was all taken in good part as we were well oiled that day.

At the end of the game we had to go over a footbridge over a small burn the team we played against got hold of the referee and threw him off the bridge and into the water. The burn was full of red sludge and the ref came out looking like he had been covered in tomato ketchup. He didn't mind and took it in good part as he told them he would get his own back some day. By the way we were beaten 2-1 but the score didn't matter as we had a great game and everyone enjoyed it.

We went back to the miners club, showered and had a meal, what I didn't mention was we all had our wives and girlfriends with us. Later on there was a caberet featuring winners of competitions held in Scotland which was brilliant.

That day we played 5 different centre forwards against this big centre half and he had a kick at every one, I know as I was one of them, but he was a great player never the less. All in it was a great success and everyone had his own particular story to tell about that day.

The best goal I ever saw was when we played at the Racecourse over the moss on the first park over the flyover. A player by the name of Nelson Ward scored that day and was one of the hardest kickers of a dead ball I ever saw. He used to take bye-kicks and could drop the ball in the oppositions 18 yard line. He used to give George Doherty long passes from the half way line into the opponents box and George scored many goals from his passes. But this day Nelly, that was his nickname, got the ball just inside our own half carried it over the half way line took a few steps and unleashed this tremendous shot that travelled like a missile into the roof of the net. George was running forward expecting the usual long ball when it flew past his ear and he will swear to this day he thought he heard it whistle as it went past.

I'll try to remember more memories from the past and send them to you.

All the Best From Bert Johnson.

Click here for part one.
Click here for part three.