East Stirlingshire hold a few interesting firsts in Scottish football.
They were the first senior club to be relegated from the SPFL in 2016 when the Scottish pyramid system was opened up to allow clubs from the Lowland and Highland Leagues to compete for a place in the senior set up.
After finishing last in the 2015–16 Scottish League Two season, East Stirlingshire faced a play-off against Edinburgh City to retain their spot in the league for the 2016–17 season. Edinburgh City won 2–1 on aggregate, relegating East Stirlingshire to the Lowland League and bringing an end to their 61-year run in the Scottish national league system.
Despite this unfortunate first, their most notable first and enduring legacy within the Scottish game is having the distinction of being the first ever club that Sir Alex Ferguson managed.
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Ferguson’s managerial tenure with East Stirling began in the summer of 1974, shortly after his retirement from playing football, at the age of 32.
At the time of his arrival, the club were a Scottish Second Division outfit and Sir Alex joined them in a part-time role that paid just £40 per week.
Despite arriving to find the club without a recognised goalkeeper, Ferguson made an immediate impact, winning nine of his first 17 games. His impressive start soon led to a move in October, when he was appointed manager of St Mirren before he then moved on to Aberdeen in 1978 before becoming Manchester United manager in 1986.
East Stirlingshire are now a fifth tier team in Scotland plying their trade in the Lowland League and I went to watch them play live for the first time today as they travelled to face West of Scotland Second Division (the eighth tier of Scottish football) side Neilston FC.
Remarkably, the last meeting between Neilston and East Stirlingshire in Neilston took place 131 years ago, during the 1892/93 season, when both clubs competed in the brief existence of the Scottish Federation league.
On October 1, 1892, Neilston traveled to Merchiston Park, Bainsford, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat in their first league encounter. However, in the reverse fixture at Broadlie Park, Neilston, on March 18, 1893, the home side secured a 2-1 victory.
The match today at Brig O’ Lea Stadium was a thoroughly entertaining encounter.
East Stirlingshire showed why they are ranked three divisions higher than Neilston in the first half by scoring two well worked goals inside the first twenty minutes through Lamont and Reilly.
The Lowland League side kept that two goal advantage as they headed in for the half time interval.
During the break for half time, I was able to catch up with current East Stirlingshire player and 2010 Scottish Cup winner Morgaro Gomis.
He explained to me that he was injured for the match today and that he hopes to return for The Shire’s next match against Linlithgow Rose.
At 39, it is remarkable to see someone like Gomis continue to have the hunger and desire to play on after an impressive career representing clubs such as Dundee United, Birmingham City, Hearts and the Senegal national team.
Both teams emerged for the second half and East Stirlingshire continued from where they left off by dominating the ball and adding a third goal through Lamont – his second of the match.
With a three goal lead, surely it was game, set and match for the higher ranked Lowland League outfit.
Well… what came next could be best summed up by a quote that Sir Alex Ferguson famously said, “Football. Bloody hell.”
Neilston got a goal back via McNab in the 78th minute but it was not to be a solitary consolation goal. They scored again to go within one goal of East Stirlingshire in the 89th minute thanks to a goal by Grady to set up a grand stand finish in ‘Fergie’ time.
They pushed forward with gusto hunting an equaliser that no one could have anticipated ever being on the cards at half time.
Unfortunately for them, they just could not force another clear cut opportunity and it was Pat Scullion’s East Stirlingshire side who secured victory by three goals to two.
Overall, my experience of a match day at Neilston was incredibly positive. I owe a special thanks to Neilston club secretary Kevin Robertson for his hospitality at the ground and to fans of both sides who mixed together in the main stand at Brig ‘O Lea and made the occasion one to remember with their good nature and well humoured shouts and chants.
Football at the highest levels will always receive the most attention but days like today emphasise that football at all levels can be enjoyed just as much and means just as much to the fans of the clubs at these levels or any level of the game for that matter.
Callum McFadden 