On the way I passed by Easter Road, Meadowbank, Swinecastle, Nairn County and Forres Mechanics (massive stand!!), as well as going through Birnham, though I didn’t see the wood on its way to Dunsinane. At Inverness, I recalled the legendary words of late 70s schoolkid punkers The Prats -:
Scenery is quite good.
All the people, they are rude.
Inverness! Inverness!
What a mess! What a mess!
I didn’t see any Stenhousemuir Warriors en route to their game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle which, considering they got battered 4-1, is perhaps just as well. Of course, I must return to Inverness with Caley and nearby Ross County still to be ticked off.
Obviously a journey of the magnitude I undertook for a midweek game necessitated an overnight stay, so I booked a room at the very comfortable Moray guesthouse, which I’d recommend if you're ever in those parts, on account of the warm welcome and grand breakfast for a very reasonable £35. Indeed I thought long and hard about staying a second night so I could take in Forres Mechanics 0 Huntly 5, but decided I couldn’t justify such insanity. I did note on my journey home, which was via Aberdeen, that the local Highland League derby Keith v Huntly is possibly the only football game that sounds like the name of a painter and decorator…
I’d been to Elgin briefly in the 1981 family holiday I referenced last time. I remember it being a bustling and orderly place. It’s still the same, with a surprising number of English residents, no doubt related to the nearby Lossiemouth RAF base. The weather was considerably better on that August day in 81, when I recall listening to Ian Botham flaying the Australian attack all around Old Trafford on Test Match Special. From the second I stepped off the train, there was biting wind, driving rain, sleet flurries and even the odd hailstone shower. This didn’t detract from my enjoyment however, as I’d properly wrapped up. Also, I found places such as The Drouthy Cobbler and The Granary that sold my favourite Scottish ale, Joker IPA. However, in the friendly and well-appointed Elgin City supporters’ bar, it was Tennents all the way, as is proper in such locations and circumstances. Even better, entrance to the ground was only £5 as I qualified as an old timer, as I took my place among the 456 hardy souls on the terraces and in the stand. You can’t say fairer than that, though I was sad they didn’t have any fridge magnets to add to Shelley’s expanding collection.
Scottish League 2 is a remarkably open competition. Forfar Athletic, having appeared marooned at the bottom, won successive away games at Stranraer and Elgin to move above Bonnyrigg Rose, who drop to the foot of the table on account of their 6 point deduction, imposed for having a slope on the pitch beyond the tolerance allowed by the SPFL. Meanwhile East Fife seem a knocking bet for promotion, but the play-off spots get ever tighter with a quarter of the season to go. Elgin’s game in hand was crucial; if they won, they’d have a nice gap on those below, but if they lost then The Spartans would go level on points with them.
Borough Briggs is an absolute treasure of a ground. Definitely one of my top 5 in Scotland. The entrance brings you in at the corner flag at the bottom end, where a few steps of terracing lead on to the covered stand that straddles the halfway line. Behind both goals are large semi-circular standing spaces, including grass banks at each end, with the far side being a covered shed that stretches the whole touchline and houses the most voluble supporters. I watched the game from adjacent to the corner flag on both sides of the pitch, a half at each and enjoyed a compelling and exciting game, but perhaps not so much as the dozen or so fans who’d trekked up from Edinburgh to support the visitors, who somehow stole the points courtesy of a 2-0 victory.
The statistics show Elgin had a dozen attempts on goal to Spartans’ two and 10 corners to the opposition’s none, but a smart header from a cleverly whipped-in free kick in the first half and a rapid break that resulted in a tap in after 75 minutes, saw the points head back down to the capital. It was a shame, as was the fact Elgin ran out to ELP’s Fanfare for the Common Man and not Marbles by the Tindersticks. Though, on the positive side, while I may see life as a series of complicated dance steps, I wasn’t at any time pushed down curved stairs by men with bland, expressionless faces in suits, and black shiny shoes, moving in, kicking, stamping, so when I got home Shelley didn’t open the door to see my face bruised and swollen. Instead I went to see Liverpool lose on penalties to PSG in The Granary for a final Joker IPA.
Next morning was a late and great breakfast, train one Elgin to Aberdeen, quick wander down Union Street, then train two Aberdeen to Newcastle. Back in the house for 8pm. Long, tiring day’s travel, but a rewarding time and now there are only 5 grounds to go; Stranraer, Ross County, Inverness CT, Cove Rangers and Peterhead.
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