Andrew McBlain

My competitive football first started when I was 11 years old. I captained a Grange School (Eleven) against Bo'ness Academy in the final of the Ballantyne Cup, which was played at Newtown Park. We won 3 - 2 and I was presented with the cup at the end of the game. It was the to be the first and many cups and league titles which I would win in future years.

I was in my early teens when the war started and I joined the Bo'ness Boys Club. We played friendly games against RAF, army and navy teams, as there was no juvenile or junior games during the war.

When the war finished in 1945, Carriden Hearts formed a juvenile team. I played for them for a couple of years and we won a few cups and a league title.

Next I moved on to Grange Rovers, a Grangemouth team. They played in the West of Scotland Junior League. After 3 games for them, Newport County invited me to go for a week’s trial with them. They played in the old English 2nd Division and I signed on for them. The average working man’s wage in 1946 was £5-£6 a week, and when they offered me £12 a week I thought I was a millionaire. I gained a lot of experience playing for Newport County and I played with and against a lot of good players, including Wilf Manion and Frank Swift, who were England Internationals.

In 1949 I got married and decided to settle down back home in Bo’ness. I was out of the game for 2 seasons as Newport County wanted money for me. I got my release in 1950, and was reinstated back to junior football with Bo’ness United. In those days you had to be under 25 years of age before you could go from professional football back to junior football, so I just made the deadline. I had 8 great years in junior football with Bo’ness United and had tremendous support from the Bo’ness supporters.

During season 1952-53 I won 3 International Caps for the Junior Scotland team. We won all three games against Wales, Northern Ireland and Eire. During my time with the Scotland squad, I paired off with Dave MacKay, who played with Newtongrange Star and Hearts, and we became very good friends.

I would say 1954-55 was my finest season with Bo’ness, We played 26 league games and won 25 of them, losing only one game all season. We also won 3 cups. Many older generation Bo’ness United supporters have often said that the team that season was the best Bo’ness United team ever. It was certainly the best team I ever played in. My 8 seasons with Bo’ness were happy times for me and we won many league titles and cups. My biggest disappointment in junior football was never winning a Scottish Cup Medal, as it was the only silverware that eluded me.

Finally, I would like to say that my grand daughter, Caroline McBlain, plays centre half for Bo’ness Ladies Team, so at least I have one member of my family following in my footsteps.