By Bill Heaney
This great picture takes us back to the days when football was played on grass. Local youngsters in Dumbarton and the Vale, which became known as the Cradle of Scottish Football.
Jim Wingate, who played for Knoxland in the Russell Cup, which was the premier school tournament in the ‘Fifties, tells us that the team above beat his team in the final at a time when football matches such as this attracted bigger crowds than some professional teams do now.
And there were no plastic pitches although St Patrick’s High School pitch with such as Wee Joe Waters, Big Jake Denuik and Jack Gilroy in charge fielded their teams on The Rockies, where it was said players needed one leg longer than the other because the slope of the pitch was so steep.
The Knoxland team back in the day when the Russell Cup was the big school tournament.
Veteran soccer scribe Jim McGhee has filled us in with a few details – “I think back left among the adults is Pipe Major Dick Stewart, who was a Vale of Leven FC committee member. Big Drew Busby, Rab Donnachie and Tommy Gallacher all played at the Vale when my brother did at various times. And I am a friend of the the mascot, Jim Liddell.”
Now the ladies are legitimate participants in the world of football, Gwen Ledgerwood had her say in the who’s who stakes: “Yes, great memories but Mr Moore our wonderful janitor he was the kindest person looked after each and everyone of us, although he always salted our slides when it was icy!”e
Bruce Ballantyne chipped in: “Great picture I was friends with half of them.
George Macfarlane identified the top of the page team as Levenvale Primary – Levenvale primary Freddy Muir I think 1959/60 – “Freddie Moore to his family (lovely man, he was my uncle). Was known as Willie Moore to many of his friends. A keen bowler, and long time member of Argyle Park BC.”
Ian Knox wrote: ” I am there back row next to Rab Donnachie’s dad. Won the league and Russell Cup never lost a single game. Best ever Levenvale team. Sadly some guys are not with us anymore.R.I .P .friends.”
Bridget Edwards said her husband John remembers Drew Busby and and Bobby Kerr, both of whom went on to become top class professionals with Hearts and Sunderland, from the Academy days.
Drew Busby also played with Airdrie and Bobby captained the Sunderland team which won the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium.
Christine Erskine is obviously very proud of this team. She wrote on Facebook: “Went to Levenvale school at the same time as all of them. This great team won the Russell Cup.”
Top of page picture: Levenvale Primary School from the air. Former pupils have happy memories of time spent there and football trophies won at Millburn Park.