Your scribe was back on speaking duties last night at the Anniversary Dinner for Victoria Park A.A.C at the Glasgow Piping Centre

These occasions make you reflect over time on the number of athletes who have pulled on the famous blue/white hoops of Victoria Park with Anniesland and Balgray connections

Al Johnstone—Kelvinside(played along with former GHK president John Sinclair)--scrum half who went on to run 2hr 19 min for the Marathon only to have his career ended by a freak accident at Meadowbank when the hammer broke the protective cage and his leg

Glasgow H.S.F.P/GHK flyers Brian Abbott and John Miller along with miler John Asher and John Cargill-Thompson High HS,Harrow and Kelvinside Scottish Junior 880 Champion 1957

John McIsaac from Glasgow Academy who represented Scotland at 440 yds(47.5) at 1958 Empire Games in Cardiff and went on to win a gold medal in the 400 metre relay at the European Championships in Berne

Bob Izatt regular GHK/Hawks supporter who ran with VP in the `1950s

Graham Barclay (father of David and John) 2nd in the British Youths High Jump and set a club record for the Decathlon in 1972

Balgray bullets like Ian Carter Scottish Youth 100yds Champion and Ian Birrell 440 yards hurdles—(recently secretary of Helensburgh Rugby Club)

Colin Young—Glasgow High-- club record holder at 110 metres hurdles

Lorn Robertson—Glasgow Academy Scottish Schools international at rugby and athletics went on to play with London Scottish

David Williams Glasgow High who ran road and country for VP before graduating to the Yooni Hares and Hounds and latterly bag man for the Hawks

David Michie-Kelvinside who actually ran cross country for VP and was on the wing for GHK in their first ever match on 4th September 1982 v Accies

Alistair Douglas who played his rugby at New Anniesland and went on to represent Scotland at Cross Country and was Scottish 10,000 metres Champion in 1988

Liam McDermid smoky GHK winger who won the Scottish 400 metres hurdles in 2003 running 52.59 in 2005

There were many more examples but one final one not with an Anniesland connection was one Tom McNab Scottish Triple Jump Champion of the late 50s who became a well known writer of novels such as Flanagan's Run and the Fast Men and who went on to be fitness adviser to the RFU

Throughout its illustrious history Victoria Park has been based at Scotstoun and with the ongoing discussions in regard to Glasgow Warriors being involved in joint management of the facility maybe it is worth remembering the rugby/athletics tradition that has existed between Anniesland and Victoria Park and that the Hawks should also be at the table and have input..This would certainly embrace the Scottish Rugby Union’s desire to place clubs at the heart of the community

This article was originally posted on 6-Nov-2005, 00:54 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 8-Nov-2005, 09:22.