Last week, with the regular help of Ian White, we highlighted John Hansen’s part in the side that earned Camelon Juniors’ place in their first Scottish Junior Cup final. But this was far from a one-man band as every player afield contributed to a highly significant chapter in the Mariners’ 100-year-old history. They say every player has his day in the sun and for all eleven theirs was a blistering hot one on Saturday 17 May 1952 at Hampden Park in front of nearly 70,000 fans. In the end they would lose to Kilbirnie Ladeside but although that game ended in disappointment it was still a day to remember. Forty- three years later, however, ten of that team who played at Hampden would at last travel home with the Scottish Junior Cup in a victorious Camelon Juniors’ team bus when they were honoured guests of the club for our famous 2-0 win over Whitburn at Motherwell.

So for this week’s Blast from the Past, here’s how the Falkirk Mail described that 1952 game:

HARD LUCK CAMELON!
Camelon Juniors 0 Kilbirnie Ladeside 1 at Hampden Park – attendance 69,995.

And indeed it was – very hard luck for, despite what the western critics might say, it was not any superlative play that gave Kilbirnie Ladeside their Scottish Junior Cup final victory over Camelon Juniors. The margin of goal difference was only one goal but that can win a game just as certainly as four or five. I say that Kilbirnie might well have been playing yet without scoring a goal had it not been for the unfortunate injury which handicapped left back Wilson. That injury, which brought about and enforced a change in team placings, undoubtedly upset the Camelon defence movements and in the early minutes of the second half Ashe was allowed to cut square along the penalty line and walk in on McAllister to score. If Wilson had been fit, or even if he had been in his own position at the time, he would have been covering up that move and I doubt very much that any goal would have come. But there it was, Kilbirnie got the “break” that all teams need to win the day. After the game the Kilbirnie skipper Pearson was not being generous when he quite honestly said he thought the game was going to a draw and Camelon captain Ross was not producing an alibi when he said Wilson’s injury threw the team off it’s balance in the 15 opening minutes of the second half.

BEFORE

The pre-match atmosphere in Camelon was charged with optimism and many an amateur rhymester had composed lines extolling the excellence of his favourite players. Shops and house windows in most streets were gaily decorated with streamers and bunting. The more fervent supporters were attired in gaudy costumes. Some had extravagant bow-ties, crimson frockcoats and absurd hats and bonnets as they with many others clamoured around the players’ bus as it stood outside the Roman Bar and demanded handshakes from the players as they entered the decorated coach.  

TOO CLOSE AT TIMES

At the same time Camelon did overplay the ball – a fault which had been noted in their more recent games. Then too the ball was persistently slung to Hamilton in the air which was a futile proceeding against a pivot who topped him by a full head. The few times he did get it in the ground he worried Pearson and indeed made a goal opening on two occasions which only a foul and then a delay in shooting spoiled.  I was, however, disappointed with the play of skipper Ross. Maybe he felt the occasion, maybe he felt the heat more, maybe he felt the quick Tackling of J Brown too much but certainly he did not show any of his usual “Waggie-isms” nor the rallying spirit expected of a captain. No doubt he felt that he was “off form” and certainly no-one could have felt more keenly than he the missing of a vital chance in the second half when he shot over the bar from the edge of the goalkeeper’s area. There were other times when the ball did not “break” for either him or Hamilton but that was one time when the netting should have been shaking behind Ladeside’s keeper McQueen. Truth to tell I always had the feeling that if Camelon had scored they would have gone on to win for the Kilbirnie defence seemed to panic easily when Pearson was not on the ball for clearances. Bobby Park started well but finished poorly, and in finish I mean just that – for he, early in the game had a clear road on goal but seemed to lack his usual confidence to go in for the telling shot. Hendry was the best moving forward and although Hamilton tried hard all the time he got little in the way of acceptable service. Thomson showed flashes of being a danger man in the first half but in the second, with little support from Ross, faded out.

OUTSTANDING

Camelon’s heroes were in defence where pivot Hansen and Ballantyne were oustanding. The former, along with Ladeside right half Brown, were the best players afield but Ballantyne ran them close. Hansen after the first ten minutes had the better of big Dunbar, McKenzie never hit his usual game but Meiklejohn, although having more covering up work to do than usual was a choice half-back, who had to curb a lot of his attacking desires to meet the extra work thrown on him by Ross’s defections and Wilson’s injury.

Goalkeeper Mcallister, like McQueen, was not over much in the picture but every now and then he had to show his worth. A McIntosh shot for instance in the scond half which seemed a scorer was kept out be a splendid full length spring.

So there you are, Camelon folk and players have nothing but thoughts of what might have been. They can be proud, however, that their team put up a fine show, maybe not quite as good as had been anticipated but good enough to prove they had won their final place on merit and if it be of any compensation know that the unpartisan onlookers thought they were as good as Kilbirnie and a shade unlucky to lose as they did. There were lost chances on both sides but after reading about twelve reports of the game I find myself in doubt that I saw all that happened. I never saw anybody note the time when Ladeside’s outside left McIntosh caught Ballantyne full in the face with an elbow or comment about the time when Pearson hoisted himself on top of Hamilton’s shoulders inside the penalty area. But apart from the keenness of some tackles it was a remarkably sporting game and a credit to the teams.

AFTER

Cheerfulness in defeat is not a quality which can be found everywhere, but there was plenty of it in Camelon on Saturday night when thousands lined the streets to welcome home their defeated heroes. A great cheer went up as the team bus carrying the players – driven by Jock Fraser of Glasgow Road – moved slowly along the Main Street with, among others, skipper Waggie Ross and Camelon bred Bobby Park seated on the roof.  By their defeat the team sacrificed a pre-arranged civic welcome from Provost Andrew Wallace at the Municipal Buildings but their consistent good play will not go unrewarded. Many local business men have promised gifts in recognition of their feat and players will be entertained to a supper and social evening by Mr A Myles, hon. president of the club.