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Lost Lanarkshire Junior League grounds


paulc

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I set myself the task of locating on old maps and on Google earth the location of the grounds of defunct clubs from the equally defunct Lanarkshire Junior League. It's surprising just how many grounds still exist. I used the 1951-52 league table to identify the defunct clubs. May I acknowledge how valuable Brian McColl's research has been in naming the grounds.

Bedlay Juniors This club has caused most problems in locating their ground. Brian lists their grounds as "Cemetery Park, Albert Park, School Park, Moodiesburn". I had always assumed the ground was at Annethill where an enclosed ground was located next to the school. This could be "School Park" and the pitch still exists. Has anyone any definitive information with regard to this club?

old map http://www.fileden.c...dlaymap1959.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.c...bedlayearth.jpg

Burnbank Athletic - Russell Park

old map http://www.fileden.c...bankmap1960.jpg

Google earth (X marks the spot) http://www.fileden.c...rnbankearth.jpg

Cleland Juniors - Corn Park

old map http://www.fileden.c...landmap1959.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.c...lelandearth.jpg

Coatbridge St Pats - Cowheath Park

old map http://www.fileden.c...estpmap1956.jpg

I haven't posted a Google earth image - if you want to find the ground dig under Tescos, but here's an interesting photo of the ground:

http://www.flickr.co...N03/8182758805/

Douglasdale Juniors - Crabtree Park, Douglas

old map http://www.fileden.c...dalemap1961.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.c...asdaleearth.jpg

Douglas Water Thistle - Welfare Sports Ground

old map http://www.fileden.c...atermap1960.jpg

Google earth (X marks the spot) http://www.fileden.c...swaterearth.jpg

You can still see the Pavilion.

Holytown United - Thankerton Park

old map http://www.fileden.c...townmap1960.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.c...lytownearth.jpg

Motherwell Juniors - Motherwell Stadium, Milton Street

old map http://www.fileden.c...ljunmap1960.jpg

Google earth 2011 http://www.fileden.c...unearth2011.jpg

and as it was in 2009 before the current development http://www.fileden.c...unearth2009.jpg

NB in their ill-fated part-season in the LJL, Caterpillar also played here (season 1958-59)

Mount Ellen United – Lochend Park (Just before MEU disappeared the Evening Times reported them playing at "Stepps Stadium")

old map http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/9/25/3350994/mountellenmap1959.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/9/25/3350994/mountellenearth.jpg

Newarthill Hearts - Moss Park

old map http://www.fileden.c...hillmap1958.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.c...rthillearth.jpg

New Stevenston United - Klondyke Park

old map http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/9/25/3350994/newstevensonmap1945.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/9/25/3350994/newstevenstonearth2010.jpg

An Evening Times report in May 1952 states that New Stevenson United were moving out of Klondyke Park, which was to be developed for housing. The report stated a new ground was to be built. I'm not 100% certain but this seems likely to have been it - named as Central Park:

old map http://www.fileden.c...stonmap1959.jpg

Google earth http://www.fileden.c...enstonearth.jpg

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Absolutely fucking fantastic mate, great post.

Have you had a look out for Glenbuck Cherrypickers' ground? I think it might be in Ayrshire technically, but it's a long throw-in from South Lanarkshire.

Ive wondered in the past why the likes of Douglas didnae have a team - just shows you.

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Absolutely fucking fantastic mate, great post.

Have you had a look out for Glenbuck Cherrypickers' ground? I think it might be in Ayrshire technically, but it's a long throw-in from South Lanarkshire.

Ive wondered in the past why the likes of Douglas didnae have a team - just shows you.

There's nothing left of Glenbuck - it's now an opencast mine. Will see if I can find my photos of Muirkirk's old ground though!

Edit.

Here we are http://smg.photobucket.com/user/pfc/library/Muirkirk%20old%20ground?sort=4&page=1

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Good post. There was a thread on here a while ago with a couple of aerial shots of lost grounds in the Glasgow area (might have just been the old photo thread now I think about it). Dirty great big motorway where they used to be!!

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There's nothing left of Glenbuck - it's now an opencast mine. Will see if I can find my photos of Muirkirk's old ground though!

Edit.

Here we are http://smg.photobucket.com/user/pfc/library/Muirkirk%20old%20ground?sort=4&page=1

Ive been up through that badboy on my way up Cairn Table - very well worth a visit for any jr fitba buffs who also like hiking, birdwatching and related activites (the high moorand betw Cairn Table and Wardlaw is one of the last strongholds of the Hen Harrier in Europe.

Plus, it's very beautiful

5967549406_3568b8420f.jpg

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Burnbank Swifts were a very prominent and very successful team.

Royal Albert will soon be relocating to their 3rd stadium in my lifetime.

The 1st was a Senior park, the 2nd the huge bowl that was Robert Smillie Park, complete with running track.

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Before my time but I think it coincided with the end of the mining industry a lot of the time. The likes of Douglasdale and Douglas Water Thistle in the southern part of the county were from very small villages that didn't have much else to fall back on economically. Further north there were probably too many clubs too close together for them all to be able to survive the arrival of TV and the growing pull of the Old Firm once people stopped working a half day on Saturdays. With Burnbank Athletic, for example, there would have been Hamilton Accies, Blantyre Vics and Blantyre Celtic all within not much more than a short stroll.

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As everyone has said, great post.

There were loads of clubs dotted about and still are to an extent. But Airdrie seems to have no junior history. I know Airdrieonians and its fore runners would have had impact on other teams, but other towns had senior and junior, Airdrie seems to have been a one horse/team town.

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Great thread.

Talking of clubs in close proximity to one another, we still have that to a degree in West Lothian, with Blackburn, Whitburn, West Calder, Stoneyburn, Harthill, Fauldhouse, Armadale, Bathgate, Livingston and Pumpherston, 10 clubs all within perhaps an 8-10 mile radius. Broxburn & Linlithgow prob just outside that.

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