Friends in the West.
Some recollections from Jock Imrie.

After lunch, move to a destination on the West coast or to a venue in Ayrshire decided on beforehand. Places visited on these early trips were Burns country at Alloway, Kirkoswald, West Kilbride, Largs.

After High Tea at 5 o’clock, made for Glasgow and book into hotel prevously arranged arriving approximately 8 o’clock. We used a number of hotels over the years: George Hotel, Royal hotel, Ivanhoe Hotel, Allans Hotel and Kenilworth Hotel. Much depended on whether accommodation was available.

That first year we were accommodated at the George Hotel and were having a quiet leisurely evening in the residents lounge when we were joined by a group in the horse racing business. Jockeys, trainers, stable lads and the rest who were making for Hamilton races on the Monday.

After breakfast on Monday morning we made our way to Hughenden to play Hillhead High School FP 2nds, kick-off 10.30. For many years we were made most welcome there whose groundsman there was a Hawick man by the name of Bob Tait. Both he and his wife invited a number of the committee to the house attached to the ground for coffee and a wee dram. He was later to become groundsman at the Volunteer Park in Hawick. It was astonishing the number of people who used to turn up for that match and who some of them were. Quite a few Hawick people probably resident in the district would turn up. One in particular who appeared every year was Jock Shephard.

Lisbon Lion
Another stranger well known on football circles turned up in the early sixties:  Tommy Gemmill of Celtic who later played for Scotland. Some got chatting with him and he was most interested in watching a game of rugby. I am sure he had some relation playing for Hillhead. After the game we returned to the hotel for lunch and afterwards journeyed to Hampden Park to watch the Glasgow Cup final always played on the holiday Monday afternoon.

Over the years I am sure we saw almost every game between all of the Glasgow clubs except one: never a final between Rangers and Celtic. After the game at Hampden we made for the Clydesdale Hotel at Biggar for High Tea usually half past six, after which continue the journey home. On one of these visits in the mid-fifties lunch had been arranged on the Sunday at Tillietudlen Hotel in the heart of Lanarkshie and imagine the surprise of the players when they arrived to find out the manager of the establishment was George Young of Rangers and Scotland who was in attendance. Most of the players chatted with Mr Young and many obtained his autograph. Even Jock Mallin was delighted to meet such a personality.

1957
Another superb September weekend trip took place in 1957. Due to a mix-up in the arranging of Glasgow’s September holiday wekend which was always the same as our own in Hawick it was fixed one week earlier which meant Glasgow High School FP 2nds would visit Hawick on 21st September and we were to be left with a vacant date on 28th September. That was quickly sorted out when Glasgow High School FP 2nds would be delighted to play us at Old Anniesland on the 28th, which would mean the whole weekend sport there.  Accommodation was arranged for Saturday and Sunday nights at the Victoria Hotel in Largs a place we had previously visited for high tea on one of our earlier weekends to the West. Lunch and High Tea was also booked for the Sunday.

When the actual date arrived the weather was simply glorious during the whole weekend. On the journey west on the Saturday morning coffee was served at Biggar and lunch at Carluke, continuing the journey to Old Anniesland in time for the 3 o’clock kick-off. The players were amazed at being allowed to play on the main pitch which was simply immaculate and in those days was considered to be the finest ground in Scotland.. I would not disagree.

After the match we were treated to the to the best of hospitality leaving after seven to complete the journey to Largs. Sunday was to be a day or relaxation, but the team took advantage of sampling everything on offer. In the morning some took to the water for canoeing and boating. Others crossed the water to Millport on the isle of Burnbrae and a number spent the morning on the putting greens. After lunch a number of the party made for the golf course at Routenburn a prominent course in the west of Scotland where a booking hade been previously made. Many of the players had taken golf clubs in the hope of playing on the Sunday (weather permitting) but there was never any doubt concerning the weather;  most of the others spent the afternoon on the putting greens.

Sunday evening was spent quietly in the company of the manager and his wife in the residents lounge. Monday’s programme was similar to previous years. Game against Hillhead High School FP 2nds at Hughenden at 10.30 and after lunch in the Kenilworth Hotel to Hampden Park for the Glasgow Cup Final, then on to Biggar for High Tea and later return to Hawick.

Telling tales
Many tales could be told of incidents experienced on some of these trips. One was of two players who generally shared rooms, after arriving and booking into Allands Hotel on the Sunday night thought they would play a prank on two of their team mates in the next room by placing furniture behind the door to make it difficult to get on when opening the door. Later that night when they returned they were horrified when the manager confronted them with the news they had blocked entry to the room of another resident. The manager accpeted an apology from those responsible. Another incident which was rather amazing happened on a visit to Largs for the afternoon and most of the party ventured to the putting greens (four of them) when one particular group were to be given a demonstration of how it should be done by none other than George Bell. Jack Bowie was a most interested pupil and improved his game.