Loony Joons: Sad day as full-time whistle sounds on Stonehouse Violet

Jan 19 2012

Inside the wacky world of Junior football with Glaswegian hack and Johnstone Burgh goalkeeper Fraser Wilson

ANOTHER Scottish club with a famous history was lost to the game last week.

Stonehouse Violet Juniors literally dropped off the bottom of Central League second division and into oblivion after announcing they were folding late on Wednesday evening.

The Violet wilted as winter took it's grip and, while their demise might not have made the same headlines as the demise of Gretna, Clydebank or Airdrieonians in the decade before them, to junior football fans it's every bit as sad.

It's the second time the Lanarkshire side's little band of supporters have been plunged into mourning having watched their favourites rise from the ashes only two seasons ago after first disbanding in 2008.

But it's hard to see Stonehouse ever recovering from this latest setback and that's bad news for our game.

Stonehouse certainly were no shrinking Violet in their heyday.

This was a club which had gone all the way to the Junior Cup final 34 years ago, squad pictured right, and had enjoyed decent spells of success in the central leagues in the time in between.

Rangers, Motherwell and Scotland legend Tom Forsyth, pictured below, cut his teeth there before going on to make over 250 appearances for Gers and 22 for his country.

Even this year, following their resurrection two summers ago, Violet were showing positive signs of growth.

I had my first taste of their quaint Tilework Park in the opening game of the season back in August and it was a joy to grace their lush surface.

Although we ran out 4-1 winners on the day, Stonehouse proved to be a promising, well-organised young side and were well worth their place in the junior ranks.

But while they undoubtedly had a team full of dedicated players and a hard-working coaching staff - all of whom are now looking for a new club - it was a lack of numbers behind the scenes which has brought their downfall.

The endless slog of making ends meet in the face of dropping attendances and ever-increasing overheads proved too much and they gave up the fight last week - worryingly the fourth junior club in Scotland to fold this year.

It's becoming a common tale and the big fear is that Stonehouse - like Forfar West End, Scone Thistle and Arbroath Sporting Club before them this season - won't be the last to disappear from our game.

Enough of the doom and gloom though. It's Junior Cup Saturday again this weekend and I can only sit back and watch with envy following Burgh's exit at the first hurdle.

Tie of the fourth round is most definitely the re-run of last year's final between Musselburgh and Auchinleck Talbot.

Pollok must win their home meeting with Tayside giants Lochee United to keep their season alive after crashing out of the West of Scotland Cup at Glenafton last week.

Other Glasgow side's hoping for a place in the last 16 are Ashfield, who travel to Dundee Violet, and Cambuslang Rangers who entertain Shotts Bon Accord.

Match of the day: Petershill v Clydebank, Stagecoach Premier League, Petershill Park, 1.45pm.

Team of the week: Glasgow Perthshire - still unbeaten after Saturday's 3-2 win at Cambuslang Rangers which made it 12 wins and a draw from 13 league outings. Perthshire are now 12 points clear at the top of the Central First Division and odds on to climb into the Superleague.