An Auld Alliance renewed

On Monday 3rd March 1873 a Glasgow University representative
attended a meeting at 4.30 pm in the Masters Common Room in the Glasgow Academy in Elmbank St along with Hawks founder club Glasgow Academicals and a few others there were only a few back then
The meeting was convened just after Scotland had played England at Hamilton Crescent in Partick
That meeting formed a Union ,a Football Union ,the Scottish Football Union(SRU)
Strangely a few days later and about a mile away in Dewars Hotel Bridge St another meeting took place where an Association was formed the Scottish Football Association another organisation that Glasgow University had an early influence on

140 years later it is good to see this link is still in place and being rejuvenated in the form of an accord between Glasgow University and Glasgow Hawks

Over these 140 years the Clubs of Anniesland and Balgray have travelled with the Glasgow University in a rugby sense many players have worn the University colours whether at full team level or at faculty level
Glasgow University even played at Old Anniesland after leaving Gilmorehill and before moving on to Westerlands
It was pleasing to see the long standing Glasgow University Sevens taking place at New Anniesland earlier this year with Bobby Low presenting the Trophy

Memories of matches abound including New Years Day clashes and this scribe recalls running in a one mile race at the opening of the Westerlands Floodlights at half time in a match between a Glasgow University Select and Hawick
Westerlands with it''s landmark gasometers no more but replaced with a truly magnificent campus at Garscube which is a fitting setting for a University with a great sporting tradition.

So another chapter beckons on Tuesday night at Old Anniesland when Hawks host Glasgow University in a match to herald in this partnership

The Vision of the partnership is to develop a genuine partnership between Glasgow University RFC and Glasgow Hawks RFC that will provide mutual benefits to all parties, specifically providing appropriate development pathways and platforms for individuals and teams to achieve their aspirations and ambitions within rugby.

So a journey that started in the 1860s continues

Thanks to Andy Syme for this trip down memory lane