Edit A Life in Provanmill
DOWN on Royston Road in the north-east of Glasgow, a stone's throw from Provanmill Park, the home of St Roch's FC, lives Ronnie McDonald, born in Bologna, Italy, in 1920, the son of a Scots father and French mother.
He came to Glasgow as a child to live in the Garngad-Provanmill area where he has stayed for almost his entire life, during which time Ronnie has been a stalwart of the local junior club.
He has devoted a lifetime to the club, serving as match secretary, president, and vice-president. And a few years ago that extraordinary link was recognised by the club when they made him an honorary life member of the aptly nicknamed ''Candy Rock''.
Ronnie said: ''I started supporting the Roch when I was about nine years old for the very good reason that they were my local team.''
''We had some real players in those days - the Intermediate game meant the Juniors got the cream of the players coming through.
''The best I've ever seen was Willie Blair, an inside forward who didn't reach the dizzy heights, but did play for Morton.
He was in a Roch's team that also had John McCardle on the wing and Johnny
Connor, a centre forward who went to Third Lanark in the 30s and must have had about 10 senior clubs, from Albion Rovers and Airdrie to Plymouth Argyle.
Successful
''Sam English, the Rangers centre, was also around at that time - he played for Yoker.
''These guys had a great shot - and I'm talking about the old heavy ball!''
St Roch himself, like Ronnie's mother, hailed from France, and the junior club of his name was founded in 1920 - the year McDonald was born.
The club played at Millburn Park in Garngad until 1935 .
The team originated from a parish churches tournament
in Glasgow where they had a very successful beginning, playing in the old Scottish Junior League.
In their first season St Roch's won the Second
Division title, but bettered that feat the following term, 1921/22 with the First Division title and the prestigious Scottish Junior Cup.
That cup victory was notable because the ''Candy'' beat Kilwinning Rangers 2-1
in the final at Firhill and then paraded the trophy trium-phantly through Garngad only to learn later a Kilwinning protest had been upheld forcing a replay of the final.
In the second game St Roch's again won by a 2-1 scoreline.
Their two notable goal-
scorers in that game were Johnny Rollo - who went on to play for Rangers - and Jimmy McGrory who became Celtic's finest goal-scoring centre
forward of all time, going on the manage the club from 1945 to 1965.
Unpredictable
Many other famous Scottish internationals learned their trade at St Roch's including John McMenemy (Celtic and Motherwell), Frank Murphy (Celtic), and Joe Bailey (Celtic), and during those heady days the club went on to win every possible honour in the junior game with the exception of the West of Scotland Cup which has always eluded their grasp.
The list of famous former St Roch players is endless. Ex-Millwall manager John Docherty, Celtic brothers Frank and Jim Brogan, the unpredictable Denis McQuade of Partick Thistle, Dom
Sullivan, Clyde and Celtic, and current Queen's Park coach John McCormack are just some of the big names who started out at Provanmill.
Ronnie himself had a trial for the love of his life, playing for the Roch at Celtic Park while the club rebuilt in 1944 following disbandment caused by the Second World War.
''I was a wing-half, but not up to their grade,'' he reflected.
During the 1960s the club suffered badly when all of the
Garngad area was demolished and the people of the area were resited in outlying housing schemes, depriving the club of a much-needed support base and income through the gates.
They have never fully recovered from those sweeping social changes.
Even in those days of decline the club still produced some fine players and Scottish junior internationalists Joe Donnelly, Bobby Slaven, and Jim March were all capped as St Roch's players.
In recent years the building of new housing developments has enhanced the movement of people back into the area, giving cause for new hope at the famous old club.
Former manager John Docherty, now scouting at Clyde, kept them going in recent years, aided and abetted by a small number of
enthusiastic and hard-working
committee men.
Rivals
The Doc left last year and new manager Michael Hipson has shown signs of building a strong, young side, making great use of the local amateur and juvenile players in the area.
They made a great start to this season's campaign before hitting a bad run of results in the past month, culminating
in a 7-0 defeat by rivals
Glasgow Perthshire last
Saturday.
Of the current squad trying to follow the path of their predecessors, ex-Queen's Park centre half Paul Roan and forward Kevin Doherty are the pick of the crop trying to get the club promotion from the Second Division.
Prized
Now approaching 80 and dealing with a heart condition and arthritis, Ronnie has one prized possession from his time as secretary of the club.
He said: ''It's a Wee Red Book, the hardback version, given to me in 1957 and signed 'good luck, George Manson.' He was the Evening Times' Junior reporter at that time and did a great job.''
''I don't get to as many games as I'd like to, but when I make the effort I still enjoy going along to see my St Roch's.''
It would be fitting for this famous old club if the Millenium could herald a much-needed change in fortune and
take them back to the fore as one of the giants of the junior game.
He came to Glasgow as a child to live in the Garngad-Provanmill area where he has stayed for almost his entire life, during which time Ronnie has been a stalwart of the local junior club.
He has devoted a lifetime to the club, serving as match secretary, president, and vice-president. And a few years ago that extraordinary link was recognised by the club when they made him an honorary life member of the aptly nicknamed ''Candy Rock''.
Ronnie said: ''I started supporting the Roch when I was about nine years old for the very good reason that they were my local team.''
''We had some real players in those days - the Intermediate game meant the Juniors got the cream of the players coming through.
''The best I've ever seen was Willie Blair, an inside forward who didn't reach the dizzy heights, but did play for Morton.
He was in a Roch's team that also had John McCardle on the wing and Johnny
Connor, a centre forward who went to Third Lanark in the 30s and must have had about 10 senior clubs, from Albion Rovers and Airdrie to Plymouth Argyle.
Successful
''Sam English, the Rangers centre, was also around at that time - he played for Yoker.
''These guys had a great shot - and I'm talking about the old heavy ball!''
St Roch himself, like Ronnie's mother, hailed from France, and the junior club of his name was founded in 1920 - the year McDonald was born.
The club played at Millburn Park in Garngad until 1935 .
The team originated from a parish churches tournament
in Glasgow where they had a very successful beginning, playing in the old Scottish Junior League.
In their first season St Roch's won the Second
Division title, but bettered that feat the following term, 1921/22 with the First Division title and the prestigious Scottish Junior Cup.
That cup victory was notable because the ''Candy'' beat Kilwinning Rangers 2-1
in the final at Firhill and then paraded the trophy trium-phantly through Garngad only to learn later a Kilwinning protest had been upheld forcing a replay of the final.
In the second game St Roch's again won by a 2-1 scoreline.
Their two notable goal-
scorers in that game were Johnny Rollo - who went on to play for Rangers - and Jimmy McGrory who became Celtic's finest goal-scoring centre
forward of all time, going on the manage the club from 1945 to 1965.
Unpredictable
Many other famous Scottish internationals learned their trade at St Roch's including John McMenemy (Celtic and Motherwell), Frank Murphy (Celtic), and Joe Bailey (Celtic), and during those heady days the club went on to win every possible honour in the junior game with the exception of the West of Scotland Cup which has always eluded their grasp.
The list of famous former St Roch players is endless. Ex-Millwall manager John Docherty, Celtic brothers Frank and Jim Brogan, the unpredictable Denis McQuade of Partick Thistle, Dom
Sullivan, Clyde and Celtic, and current Queen's Park coach John McCormack are just some of the big names who started out at Provanmill.
Ronnie himself had a trial for the love of his life, playing for the Roch at Celtic Park while the club rebuilt in 1944 following disbandment caused by the Second World War.
''I was a wing-half, but not up to their grade,'' he reflected.
During the 1960s the club suffered badly when all of the
Garngad area was demolished and the people of the area were resited in outlying housing schemes, depriving the club of a much-needed support base and income through the gates.
They have never fully recovered from those sweeping social changes.
Even in those days of decline the club still produced some fine players and Scottish junior internationalists Joe Donnelly, Bobby Slaven, and Jim March were all capped as St Roch's players.
In recent years the building of new housing developments has enhanced the movement of people back into the area, giving cause for new hope at the famous old club.
Former manager John Docherty, now scouting at Clyde, kept them going in recent years, aided and abetted by a small number of
enthusiastic and hard-working
committee men.
Rivals
The Doc left last year and new manager Michael Hipson has shown signs of building a strong, young side, making great use of the local amateur and juvenile players in the area.
They made a great start to this season's campaign before hitting a bad run of results in the past month, culminating
in a 7-0 defeat by rivals
Glasgow Perthshire last
Saturday.
Of the current squad trying to follow the path of their predecessors, ex-Queen's Park centre half Paul Roan and forward Kevin Doherty are the pick of the crop trying to get the club promotion from the Second Division.
Prized
Now approaching 80 and dealing with a heart condition and arthritis, Ronnie has one prized possession from his time as secretary of the club.
He said: ''It's a Wee Red Book, the hardback version, given to me in 1957 and signed 'good luck, George Manson.' He was the Evening Times' Junior reporter at that time and did a great job.''
''I don't get to as many games as I'd like to, but when I make the effort I still enjoy going along to see my St Roch's.''
It would be fitting for this famous old club if the Millenium could herald a much-needed change in fortune and
take them back to the fore as one of the giants of the junior game.
Be the first person to comment on this entry.