Season 1996/97 Signing on the dotted line in the Summer of '96 were goalkeepers Graeme Keltie from Ashfield and Colin Williamson from Ratho Amateurs. Full-back Robert Kennedy and midfielders Steph McCardie and Stevie McGill all stepped-up from West Lothian Juvenile Champions, St. Margaret's. The season started brightly with a league win at Sauchie followed by wins over both Livingston United and Broxburn Athletic in the League Cup. However, the fourth game of the campaign saw a heavy 5-1 reverse at home to Dalkeih Thistle in the league and things began to slide from then on. A defeat at Broxburn ended our interest in the League Cup and only two victories, over Bathgate Thistle and Stoneyburn, came in our next 18 matches. During this difficult spell we departed all of the Cup competitions, including an exit on penalties at home to Pumpherston in the Dalkeith Glazing Cup. Come December there were only league fixtures left to look forward to. Forward Billy Paterson had been signed in time for the Scottish Junior Cup match against Arthurlie and, despite defeat, his partnership up front with Mark Campbell began to make a difference. Wins in March against promotion contenders Musselburgh Athletic and Haddington Athletic, as well as home and away victories over the United's of Edinburgh and West Calder, saw the side begin to move into a comfortable mid-table position. Indeed, Pumpherston's faint hopes of moving up were all but ended in April as we held them to a 1-1 draw and the final match of the season saw eventual Division Two Champions Fauldhouse United held to the same scoreline in a contentious match as we ended the term in seventh spot. Season 1997/98 There were a number of new faces at Murrayfield Park in time for the start of the new season. Jamie McCormick re-signed from Arniston Rangers to begin his third stint at the club, midfielder Alan Brown arrived from Lanarkshire Boys Club and former Airdrie man Ally Stewart also signed-on. Once more we were eliminated from the group stages of the League Cup by familiar faces Livingston United and Broxburn Athletic although the opening five league fixtures earned a reasonable nine points . A late comeback by Rosyth Recreation then forced us into a replay in the Fife & Lothians Cup that was lost by the odd goal in three. In between these two ties we were eliminated from the Scottish Junior Cup in the first round at Dundee Downfield in a rough house that saw Billy Paterson sent-off and subsequently suspended for six games. League form showed all the old hallmarks of inconsistency and we also fell at the first hurdle in the East of Scotland Cup, going down to Sauchie in a replay as we limped into the New Year. Revenge victories were gained over Livingston United and Broxburn Athletic in the David Moffat Cup and the Dalkeith Glazing Cup respectively before setbacks were encountered in the next rounds against Harthill Royal and Camelon. Striker Billy Paterson never reappeared aftr his ban and left to join Forth Wanderers and it was left to Mark Campbell and Steph McCardie to provide the main goal threat. They handled the task well but the side were suffering from a high turnover of players in other areas and only four league wins were recorded from the turn of the year to the end of the seaon on 30th May, when a remarkable comeback secured a high scoring 4-4 draw at high-flying Haddington Athletic, going a long way to preventing the East Lothian team from stepping up to Division One. Still, for us it was only an 11th place finish. |
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Season 1996/97 Signing on the dotted line in the Summer of '96 were goalkeepers Graeme Keltie from Ashfield and Colin Williamson from Ratho Amateurs. Full-back Robert Kennedy and midfielders Steph McCardie and Stevie McGill all stepped-up from West Lothian Juvenile Champions, St. Margaret's. The season started brightly with a league win at Sauchie followed by wins over both Livingston United and Broxburn Athletic in the League Cup. However, the fourth game of the campaign saw a heavy 5-1 reverse at home to Dalkeih Thistle in the league and things began to slide from then on. A defeat at Broxburn ended our interest in the League Cup and only two victories, over Bathgate Thistle and Stoneyburn, came in our next 18 matches. During this difficult spell we departed all of the Cup competitions, including an exit on penalties at home to Pumpherston in the Dalkeith Glazing Cup. Come December there were only league fixtures left to look forward to. Forward Billy Paterson had been signed in time for the Scottish Junior Cup match against Arthurlie and, despite defeat, his partnership up front with Mark Campbell began to make a difference. Wins in March against promotion contenders Musselburgh Athletic and Haddington Athletic, as well as home and away victories over the United's of Edinburgh and West Calder, saw the side begin to move into a comfortable mid-table position. Indeed, Pumpherston's faint hopes of moving up were all but ended in April as we held them to a 1-1 draw and the final match of the season saw eventual Division Two Champions Fauldhouse United held to the same scoreline in a contentious match as we ended the term in seventh spot. Season 1997/98 There were a number of new faces at Murrayfield Park in time for the start of the new season. Jamie McCormick re-signed from Arniston Rangers to begin his third stint at the club, midfielder Alan Brown arrived from Lanarkshire Boys Club and former Airdrie man Ally Stewart also signed-on. Once more we were eliminated from the group stages of the League Cup by familiar faces Livingston United and Broxburn Athletic although the opening five league fixtures earned a reasonable nine points . A late comeback by Rosyth Recreation then forced us into a replay in the Fife & Lothians Cup that was lost by the odd goal in three. In between these two ties we were eliminated from the Scottish Junior Cup in the first round at Dundee Downfield in a rough house that saw Billy Paterson sent-off and subsequently suspended for six games. League form showed all the old hallmarks of inconsistency and we also fell at the first hurdle in the East of Scotland Cup, going down to Sauchie in a replay as we limped into the New Year. Revenge victories were gained over Livingston United and Broxburn Athletic in the David Moffat Cup and the Dalkeith Glazing Cup respectively before setbacks were encountered in the next rounds against Harthill Royal and Camelon. Striker Billy Paterson never reappeared aftr his ban and left to join Forth Wanderers and it was left to Mark Campbell and Steph McCardie to provide the main goal threat. They handled the task well but the side were suffering from a high turnover of players in other areas and only four league wins were recorded from the turn of the year to the end of the seaon on 30th May, when a remarkable comeback secured a high scoring 4-4 draw at high-flying Haddington Athletic, going a long way to preventing the East Lothian team from stepping up to Division One. Still, for us it was only an 11th place finish. |
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