When the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the Scotland and Armenia match on Wednesday night, the curtain came down on the footballing season in Scotland . Yeah, there are still 2 important matches away to Republic of Ireland and the return match against Armenia, before the players start a well deserved summer break. However, for us here in Scotland the cathedrals that welcome 40 and 50 thousand fans week in and week out will be echoing to the sound of seagulls, lawnmowers or the beat of a DJ set from Calvin Harris or rocking with Manchester's finest Liam Gallagher. The goalposts have been put away again for players and coaches to catch their breath.
It's been a strange couple of years, from no football at all, no fans to full capacity amphitheatres for big matches and concerts – it’s hard to comprehend the change or even think about what happened before early spring 2020. What I do know is that I am sure we all appreciate each other just a wee bit more every day.
My son was in the final few months of primary school when the pandemic hit, the imposed lockdown brought a unexpected final day forward by about 12 weeks. Our children were affected by the restrictions, with no face to face learning, after school clubs or football training, athletics, music lessons or even just playing with friends. The next steps to high school is hard enough for our kids, but under restrictions the challenge would be tougher. It was at this point, just as outdoor activities were being reintroduced that I received an unexpected phone call.
The coach from Baillieston Thistle, a recently formed local football team contacted me and the parents of a number of boys and girls making the move to high school. His plan was to bring together a group of players to get involved in grassroots football playing 11-a-side football in the Glasgow and District youth football league.
At the first training session a very shy, disjointed group of individuals turned up to Barrachnie Park to be run through their paces. The first thing I noticed was a photographer taking a picture of a couple of players handing over a donation to Brighter Baillieston Foodbank. This really struck a chord with me, it made me think about the commemorative plaque in Baillieston Library dedicated to William Keegan, who travelled to Spain in 1936 as part of the Scottish Battalion of the International Brigade. An act of solidarity with similar people from a similar background looking to make a positive change for those around them.
In the end I left it up to my son to make a decision whether he wanted to join Baillieston Thistle and today, I'm glad he made the decision to get involved with the team. The two years that have followed since that first training session have not been easy. More lockdowns and I am sure many many more personal tragedies have affected families across our community, but the camaraderie built not only between the players, but also the coaches, parents and carers has been a real lift for all of us watching from the side-lines whatever the weather.
Two weeks ago their first full season in the league drew to a close. A playoff match against Castlemilk Boys Club, another closely knit community team in their development league would decide the 3rd division champions. A quite incredible match filled with goals, great play and drama was played out at the community fields in Greenfield. Nothing could separate the teams & the match was settled with penalty kicks, a cruel but equally enthralling way to decide any match. Thankfully, the boys from Baillieston held there nerve winning the penalty shootout 4 goals to 3.
The celebrations amongst the players looked like the frustration of a difficult 2 years had been swept away, the joy, excitement and no doubt relief was written all over the players faces. Next season will definitely bring new challenges, but the disjointed group who messed around in that first session two years ago have grown in number and in confidence thanks to the dedication of the coaches.
There are a number of age groups set up across the club, including 2007s, 2008s, 2009, 2012, 2013, Amateurs and over 35s. The power of football in peoples lives cant be underestimated and the addition that makes in the local community can only be an improvement too.
It’s been over 40 years since the Marathon men of Baillieston Juniors won the Scottish Junior Cup at Hampden and paraded it around the community on an open top bus. With news from the council that a new sports facility will be built at James Lindsay park, there is hope that a community team can find a place in Baillieston again, and we all have a part to play in getting it there.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Baillieston-Thistle-FC-469078796906822/
Twitter - @BailliestonTAFC
