Third Lanark

[Jacksgranda]

I've read so many times in the last few years about Third Lanark coming back that I simply don't believe it any more. The story in the Sunday Mail is almost identical to one I read in the Daily Record several years ago. Who would actually watch them? My Dad used to go and see them but he wasn't even a teenager at the time so was one of the younger followers- he's 65 now.

 

In this day and age, with Junior and Lowland League options with minimal criteria, it's never been easier to re-establish a club. I find the whole story of what happened to Third Lanark extremely sad. I would absoloutely love to see them back but I can't help feeling it would have happened long before now. I'll believe it when I see it. It's a nice tabloid story every so often, nothing more.

I'm 63 and when Thirds went bust I was 15, so your dad would have been 17 - that would make him a teenager. Or are you saying he watched them when he was even younger than that and started supporting some one else when he was about 12?

[QPStu]

I'm 63 and when Thirds went bust I was 15, so your dad would have been 17 - that would make him a teenager. Or are you saying he watched them when he was even younger than that and started supporting some one else when he was about 12?

 

It could be my Dad stopped going when their fortunes waned in their later years. He wasn't really a fan, he just went to some of their games. He also watched Clyde and some of the bigger Rangers games, especially the European ones.

[WaffenThinMint]

It could be my Dad stopped going when their fortunes waned in their later years. He wasn't really a fan, he just went to some of their games. He also watched Clyde and some of the bigger Rangers games, especially the European ones.

 

Hi Hi fans were few and far between. Most of those who went to their games were the more fickle footballing audience - even when they began very openly trying playing the anti-sectarian card to get a more permanent audience.

 

Ironically it was ex-Rangers player "Korky" Young when he became their manager who tapped into an old idea of St Bernard's back in the 1930s that people would come to watch exciting matches regardless of the end results, & so had the Hi Hi doing the near suicidal five up front & two at the back routine in the era when big defences were becoming the norm.

 

The result was either the Hi Hi were massacred or as happened very often in 1961 every other side in Scotland - including the Old Firm - were destroyed as Third Lanark became football's equivalent of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. The nearest there's ever been to your standard Hi Hi match of the period was the crazy 1986 World Cup quarter final between Belgium and the old USSR.

[geo87]

Surprised they have been accepted into the central. By far strongest league in Scotland, considering they can't even win the WOS 1st division they will get murdered most weeks in the central unless they get a whole new team together

[catcoach]

Surprised they have been accepted into the central. By far strongest league in Scotland, considering they can't even win the WOS 1st division they will get murdered most weeks in the central unless they get a whole new team together

Agree with that. There was talk of the financial backing being withdrawn - despite the publicity - and any messages sent via their club website remain unanswered.

[Glenconner]

Good the thread is still going.

Was worried it would go defunct.

[WaffenThinMint]

Think we can clear up a couple of matters about Thirds now (or maybe not).

 

I went along to their Challenge Cup semi-final against Helensburgh this afternoon & as well as getting a few questions answered also got a number of impressions about how matters are being run.

 

Firstly, those in charge of Third Lanark the team and those in charge of Third Lanark the club appear to be run on rather the same lines as British train companies versus Railtrack! Those running the team appear to be getting kept up with matters off the pitch on a need to know basis, but the gist of it is they want to get Cathkin back for a 25 year lease. That's it. All the other talk such as moving to the South of Scotland, Juniors or anything outside of the amateur circuit is certainly not the case, no matter what's been said or claimed elsewhere.

 

The team's managerial staff aren't happy about moving leagues but feel they've got no choice but to go up a notch if they've to attact any sort of decent, reliable players.

 

I could not get to talk to any of those running the club - they weren't present. The players and playing staff were the only ones who turned up, which further cements the impression of the team and the club being more like a packet of Twix.

 

By contrast, the Helensburgh lot had some supporters with them for the day as well as a large staff retinue. They also appeared to be - dare I suggest - a lot more of a cohesive unit than Thirds: shouting encouragement to their players even when they went behind twice.

 

Thirds managerial staff meanwhile spent far too much time effing & blinding at their own players & warming up subs for a "lack of committment" & (with no sense of irony) for "moaning so much". One Hi Hi player called Ross gave polite riposte, & I for one didn't blame him. These guys are playing for fun after a week at work having to put up with some gobshite of a manager moaning at them - but at least they're getting paid for that - the last thing any of them want is going out just to hear more of the same in their leisure time. Those in charge of the team need to wind it in & stop with the Junior manager antics.

 

 

Third's second goal.

 

As to the match, 3-2 to Helensburgh, Third Lanark throwing away going in front twice with their hopeless No 8 & butterfingers goalkeeper largely to blame - it probably would have been more had it not been for the Hi-Hi's No.4 who really put in a shift.

 

 

A really bad injury to the Helensburgh goalie & one of the better Hi Hi players probably turned the match in the end - you may notice right behind the Thirds staff carrying their injured man that Johnstone Burgh's wall has fallen in to the left of the white painted writing, allowing anyone to wander in at any time. But in fairness Helensburgh were worthy of their win, the final goal being a well struck ground skimmer well outside the box that even a good goalie would have had little chance with.

 

The highlight of the match however was the nearside linesman's retort to the Helensburgh's staff when they complained about his failure to flag a ball as having gone out for a throw in: he bellowed, "I couldn't see the bloody ball because your bellies were blocking my view!"

 

(Which was a fair comment in jest, as both the Helensburgh & Hi-Hi entourages were allowed to wander onto the pitch, never mind the touchline, to a ludicrous extent)

 

Security at the ground btw was a complete disgrace - I got into the ground via the staff & players entrance (the Burgh staff couldn't be arsed opening the gates) after the match was well underway with no one inside the building to watch who was coming in: anyone could have wandered in & robbed the dressing rooms or anywhere else (every door opened showing what was on offer to pilfer) & the first anyone would have noticed was at full time. Yes they have CCTV, but a fat load of good that would have done had one of the local scheme team decided to go in & help themselves before vanishing into the Johnstone Castle estate opposite.

 

I pulled up one of the Burgh staff about it (some Walter Frey lookalike), & his response was to look blank with his mouth hanging open for twenty seconds before uttering a denial that I could have come in that matter, then when I insisted changed tack & said "that's the only way in, the gates urnae opened" (no shit Sherlock!) & repositioning himself at the doorway, not doing anything to go & lock the door facing onto the main road providing entrance into the ground (apart from the break in the wall, of course).

 

I would certainly advise any amateur sides of thinking twice of hosting any matches there unless they've guarantees that the Keanie Park buildings are kept properly secure on matchday.

[farflung lichtie]

I saw Arbroath beat Thirds 5-2 at Gayfield around 1965 - it was a different world ( with higher attendances) and makes me feel ancient. I'd be delighted to see Thirds revived at any senior level for the nostalgia alone. Football should not be a mere industry. Would take an immense effort and, paradoxically, a sizeable investment

[Parkgatequeens]

The current Third Lanark committee have no interest in going any further than amateur.

[third lanark]

The current Third Lanark committee have no interest in going any further than amateur.

yes they do

[Sergeant Wilson]

yes they do

Oh no they don't!

[HibeeJibee]

I saw Arbroath beat Thirds 5-2 at Gayfield around 1965 - it was a different world ( with higher attendances) and makes me feel ancient.

 

Saturday 26th March 1966... Attendance 907.

 

Incredibly, you played them 6 times in only 6 months   - league (Mar & Apr), League Cup section (Aug x2), league (Sep x2).

 

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/third-lanark/arbroath/head-to-head

[Glenconner]

Thanks for that interesting report WaffenThinMint.

 

[Glenconner]

On 14 April 2016 at 21:14, QPStu said:

 

It could be my Dad stopped going when their fortunes waned in their later years. He wasn't really a fan, he just went to some of their games. He also watched Clyde and some of the bigger Rangers games, especially the European ones.

More than a few on here would quietly smile at that answer.

[The Mantis]

Is there an amateur team plays regularly at Cathkin these days or is it just council-allocated fixtures or what?

[cmontheloknow]

Where are they playing this year? Not in WOS, not in Central Scottish, not in either SAFL or Caledonian...

 

Edit: I see they're in Div 3 of Greater Glasgow.

[Glenconner]

To be fair most of us on here were more interested in Cathkin Park.

Seemed to be two different threads.

A vague one about some amateur/boys club and another one about some vague business cadre that wanted into the old Thirds ground with some imagined LL club.

Do the two groups even talk to each other?

Do they even know each other?

[WaffenThinMint]

Here we go again:-

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14812113.Lost_club_Third_Lanark_plots_return_to_professional_football_league/

More castles in the air, more jelly & ice cream incoming from the people that can't even keep a Twitter account running.

Again the claim about going Junior in one or two years time, contrary to what their manager told me in April. This is getting past tedious.

[RUSTY1111]

Does sound promising. May call John Litster to see what he thinks.

[cmontheloknow]

On 23/10/2016 at 22:30, WaffenThinMint said:

Here we go again:-

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14812113.Lost_club_Third_Lanark_plots_return_to_professional_football_league/

More castles in the air, more jelly & ice cream incoming from the people that can't even keep a Twitter account running.

Again the claim about going Junior in one or two years time, contrary to what their manager told me in April. This is getting past tedious.

I love the way stats can lie: 'top of their league' when their league is the third tier of an inferior amateur set-up (Greater Glasgow). When leaving the WoS, why did they not join the Central Scottish (as they trumpeted at the time)?