Holytown Colts achieved a real ‘David v Goliath’ triumph 40 years ago by toppling much-fancied Celtic Boys’ Club to win the 1981 Under-13 Scottish Cup.
And goal hero Tam McKay says it wasn’t a 1-0 smash-and-grab over their illustrious opponents – it was a deserved win at Victoria Park all those years ago.
Tam says Holytown was “emptied” with everyone coming to watch a team made up entirely of local lads, who attended Christ the King or Holytown primary schools.
Only one of the boys went on to have a career in the game – former Rangers and Sheffield United defender Tommy Cowan – but Mackay says they were all made to feel like stars that day.
He said: “I remember I scored the goal, but that’s pretty much all I do remember.
“The full village was at it; it was a Friday night, we won 1-0 against Celtic Boys’ Club, and I remember bits of it, not all of it.
“I scored but I wouldn’t say I was the star, I think it was the full team – I was just fortunate enough to put the ball in the net.
“It wasn’t about me, it was about the full team. The thing for me is that every singe player was from Holytown, from the two primary schools – even the subs.
“There were buses going to the game and the place was deserted. Everybody who could be at the game was at the game.
“We were playing against Celtic and they all turned up in their suits, expecting to win, and we had tracksuits on, wearing basically Partick Thistle colours!
“We managed to beat them and we deserved to win; it wasn’t like they were all over us and we just scored; we had the majority of the play, as well.”
The team was made up of: Kevin Woodlock, Mark McLean, Maurice Green, Tommy Cowan, Wullie Howley, Scotty Irvine, Colin Reilly, Garry Wallace, Tam McKay, Neilly Crossan, Davie Smith, Billy Jeffries, John Murray and Andy Muldoon, who were managed by Tommy Hall, Maurice Green and Tom Cowan (snr).
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