Galabank, SPFL League 1, 16/9/23
Me still 293, Wee Man 164
Annan Athletic Football Club
Founded – 1942
Nickname – Galabankies
Honours (Scotland only) – East of Scotland Football League – 1989/90, 1999/00, 2000/01 and 2006/07. East of Scotland Football League First Division – 1987/88. East of Scotland League Cup – 1999/00- South of Scotland League -1983/84 and 1986–87. South of Scotland League Cup – 1984/85, 1992/93, 2004/05 and 2007/08. SFA South Region Challenge Cup-2007/08. Scottish Qualifying Cup South-2006/07
Random Fact – The club were originally formed as Annan Air Training Corps FC but were rebranded to their current moniker a few month later.
In February 2021 we travelled to Borough Briggs for a midweeker between Elgin City and Annan Athletic which the visitors comfortably won 0 v 2. During the game Wee Man asked if I had been to Annan before. This led me to explain that I had for a game v Cowdenbeath in November 2018. I also told him that it was one of my favourite places for a game in the land. Since that night his number one team to visit had been Annan Athletic. We had planned a trip last season in March v Stranraer, however, Wee Man was invited to a party and the plans changed. This much to our benefit as the Galabankies drew 0 v 0 against Stranraer. Glad we dodged it. Today was finally the day for our trip to almost England. This planned as when I asked what he wanted to do for his upcoming 9th birthday(Wednesday) he said a quick as a flash “go and see Annan”.
Some kids follow the English mercenary league or try and wax lyrical about the Champions League. The shirts that kick about in our home town of Oldmeldrum prove this. Each to their own. Wee Man on the other hand loves the fitba in his own country. He always choses to watch Scottish fitba on the telly over anything else. Yes I cannot doubt that I have a big influence over that. Kids are easily influenced by what’s around them. But in truth he doesn’t ask to watch anything else barring Serie A. If he wanted to watch Manchester United inevitably get beat or Newcastle and their suitcase filling overlords I would not stop him but I have never been in that position to date. Instead I have a kid who chose Sauchie for his 50th ground and Pollok for his 100th ground. Today found him at his 150th Scottish ground, again chosen by himself for his birthday(the 150th fact was only realised last night, 164 grounds in total). He really is mad for it and I will never complain. Especially when his choices bring me back to fantastic places like Galabank.
Going back to that day v Cowdenbeath. It was superb. Everything about it made me realise how great this club are. The club folk, the set up, the social club, the fans. Just everything was ace that day despite a Blue Brazil win. I raved about it on an Aberdeen FC social media platform (didn’t do Twitter at the time)and others who had been agreed. On the whole, I don’t revisit many clubs out with my locality . The aforementioned Pollok fall into the revisits but I always hoped to head back to Annan. Unfortunately I missed the game v Aberdeen last season as I was at work in Denmark. This would have been ideal but I am glad it came down to today instead. Wee Man clearly loved the days events.
With a four hour jaunt down the road we left at 8am from our Meldrum abode. Armed with coffee(me) and Nintendo Switch(Wee Man) we both were not really champing at the bit for the journey but both realised the end result would hopefully be worth it. The journey was actually a good laugh as Wee Man’s booing the busses game was on the go. With Aberdeenshire based busses heading to Perth for a certain early kick off there were plenty of early boos. The Bonnyrigg Rose bus on its way to Peterhead was notably left alone. Then after the Broxden Roundabout, it was a booing goldmine. But on top there was the usual, “Dad let me hear Blue Oyster Cult, Dad play the Stiff Little Fingers, Dad put on Motorhead” (again kids are easily influenced). But there was a general chit chat about fitba and some conversations that you would have thought drugs had been involved given the stupidity of them. Next thing we knew we were at Caerlaverock Castle between Dumfries and Annan. Chosen by the Wee Man himself when given options of pre-match shenanigans. Built in the 1200s this place has a fair old history, especially in terms of sieges. Interesting and I always find ruined castles to be more compelling than those in tact. A picnic there followed(again lunch idea chosen by him). The next plan was to dump the car at Galabank and have a wander about Annan and see what there was in the town. This never happened as if you know where Annan Athletic are situated, you will know there is a fitba pitch (Everholm)as good as next door en-route to the town centre. On spying this “can we have a kick about there” and this is what happened before entering Galabank. I did wonder if this would have been Annan’s home prior to Galabank but this was incorrect thinking as after looking into it if found they played at Mafeking Park. Given the proximity to the River Annan this place surely is a flood plain and a daft place for a pitch. Anyway after booting the ball about for half an hour we headed for a drink at the social club. Friendly welcomes and a bit of the the “you have travelled from Aberdeenshire…..really?” type banter faced us. This was again the theme in the queue to get in then from the ticket booth too when the accent when telling Wee Mans age gave us away as outsiders. At this point we were welcomed by the stewards and were told the yellow ba’ was welcome but to make sure it did not end up on the pitch. Result. The stewards were even treated to some of Wee Man’s sweeties during the game when they stood next to us for the duration.
Seven hours after leaving home we awaited the kick off, as we ate our delightful steak pies , the incredibly loud tanoy music ceased and transformed into the relaxing tones of the MC who had an incredibly soft and welcoming way of talking. His use of English was friendly as he was telling the punters to watch the game in a respectful manner with the politest approach. It summed up the friendliness of the club as a whole.
I had high hopes for this match. I knew there would be goals, this despite Wee Man fearing a nil-nil after our last long long long haul to Stranraer to see a goalless draw with Albion Rovers in a game ruined by the wind two seasons ago.(A long way from Aberdeenshire for that I can assure you). What I didnt expect was it to be so one way. The Binos were the better team in the beginning and striker Dale Carrick was clearly a handful with his work rate and general haranguing of the Annan defence. Lewis Milne in behind him also looked to be well up for this game too. But there was a sting in the tail for Stirling on 15 minutes when Tommy Goss rose to head home from a throw in from Aiden Smith. This was the second attempt at getting the ball in the box from a throw from the Annan number 9 who’s first effort was pretty terrible truth be told, the big striker Goss was on hand second time around and it was 1 v 0 pretty much against the run of play. The effect this had was detrimental to the match as the Galabankies got a clearly visible lift while the Binos looked to have taken a swift one to the nuts. The next big chance fell to the visitors when Lewis Milne thought his luck was in but Max Kilsby managed to block on the line at the last second to stop what looked a certain goal from a few yards out. Off the field came a moment of hilarity when the wind blew a pie napkin behind the goal next to us and into the face of the photographer who had stationed himself in front of us . Not quite a Leslie Nielsen and the towel in Naked Gun but bloody funny all the same. Annan should have made it two soon after when Stirling keeper Currie was caught in no mans land leaving Graham to cross to Goss who would have had a clear shot on an unguarded net but the pass was played behind the Annan number 10. I went for a stoor and a coffee and in typical fashion I heard big shouts and jeers. When I came back Wee Man said Annan should have had a penalty for handball. The Albion fans around us in the wrong end for whatever reason agreed and the (napkin attacked) photographer said he had a still and it was “absolutely handball”. I cant comment but it seems it was a dubious decision. Stirling had their best spell of the match in terms of chances here and Dale Hilson was the chief architect. He had a shot fizz inches wide which he followed up with another powerful effort which skidded off the turf leaving Annan keeper Greg Flemming to make a solid save given the funny bounce the ball took in front of him. The first time the keeper had been called into action but his concentration was there to seen. The tackles were flying in across the park and one in particular caught my eye, or ear as it were. Annan were aggrieved at the tackle. One that is outlawed in todays game. So, although the old school in us don’t want these as fouls, they are these days. One Annan player asked the lino in the courteous manner of “fucking hell, what the fuck is that, fucking studs in. Fuck off”. To which the lino responded with “a fucking good tackle”. Amusing but it was a foul in this day and age and surely the officials should know that. Soon after there was a foul given and the game did see a penalty afterall, as Annan were awarded one. For handball (I think) against Jordan McGregor who was booked for his part in it. Goss stepped up and stuck the ball well into the corner but Currie pulled off a superb stop keeping his team in the game. I would love to see it back as it looked like a brilliant piece of goalkeeping from where we were.
HT 1 v 0
As stated as we entered the security told us not to get the ball on the pitch. Well we fucked that up and managed to get on the park as far as the 18 yard line. Well I didn’t and Wee Man took around 5 minutes to accumulate the guts to run on and get it. This wasn’t helped by the fact I was winding him up telling him if you go on the pitch you get arrested. Prior to the ball faux pas we had many a random taking a touch of the ball. Again the friendliness of Annan shining through. The insanely loud music stopped and the teams re-emerged for the second half. Had Stirling received a rocket from manager Darren Young? Had Annan been told to carry on the way they were in the first period .The Binos were unlucky not to be level in the first minute of the half when an effort was cleared off the line. The game was then saw a few yellows dished out inclusive of Darren Young. This due to frustration as Annan clearly were continuing their dominance of the game and were looking more likely to score . Goss again should have scored when he was slipped in clean through but Currie closed the angles to get a solid hand to the forward’s effort. Annan were looking good and the did double their lead finally on the hour when Stirling upped the ante in the hard tackles inclusive of a silly foul from MacGregor that led to Dominic Docherty hitting a free kick from wide left which found its way through a heavily packed box to beat Currie. The game was slipping away from Stirling who immediately found themselves 3 v 0 down when Goss was sent clean through and deftly chipped the ball over the onrushing Currie. Surely game over due to the clear man of the match. In truth this could have been more with substitute Chris Johnston being denied by a great defensive block, Goss again was looking to the skies after he danced through the Binos’ defence to see an effort smash off the post. Annan were cutting through Stirling with incredible ease and I was sure there was another goal coming but it wasn’t to be but it was no issue for the Galabankies as Annan were very good for this win. One that was more one sided than expected by both of us. But it wasn’t a nil nil as Wee Man had put himself into a panic about. A quick see you later to the stewards and watching the last few minutes at the back of the shed were were to head the long road home. But Wee Man was in fine fettle chuffed with his day telling me the first thing he was to do was scratch off Annan on his poster. We stopped at Annandale Water services for fuel and some food and all of a sudden shear panic hit Wee Man’s voice and put the fear into me, what was wrong with him.? He had left the yellow ball at Galabank he told me and he burst into tears. For a split second my ass fell out of me as I knew I couldn’t fix this. Then it hit me, it was in the footwell behind the drivers seat which I knew all along. But for that split second of his tears and my inner monologue yelling “ach fuck” I thought we had ballsed up big time (no pun intended). It lives to travel a few more miles yet.
Back to Annan Athletic FC. I cant big them up enough, for every reason I have already mentioned and more . Galabank is one of my favourite places for a game in the whole of Scotland(I have been to almost 200 clubs). Sometimes clubs, it’s people and just general aura all align in the best way possible way and Annan falls firmly in that bracket. A great club and ground.
Now Wee Man has conquered Annan he has a new club at the top of his list. Stirling Albion. There is a pattern of how he choses. See you soon Binos
Entrance – £16, Wee Man Free
Attendance – 426 (official)
Pie – £7.50, Pie x 2, Coffee, Juice
Pint – £4.20, Tennents, Social Club
Score Predictions – Me 0 v 1, Wee Man 1 v 2
Season Score Prediction Total – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 