2023/24 – Haddington Athletic 0 v 1 Broxburn Athletic

Millfield Park, EOSFL Premier League, 18/10/23

Haddington Athletic Football Club

Founded – 1939

Nickname – The Hi His

Selected Honours – East Of Scotland Football League First Division Conference A – 2021/22. East Region South Division – 2014/15. Lothians District League Division Two – 1998/99. Edinburgh & District League- 1956/57. East of Scotland Junior Cup – 1940/41, 1956/57and 1972/73. Fife and Lothians Cup -1940. Brown Cup – 1958/59. Thornton Shield -1939/40, 1940/41 and 1946/47. St Michaels Cup-1949/50 and 1958/59. Laidlaw Cup 1978/79

Random Fact – The clubs colours are deliberate and a tribute to Heart of Midlothian due to Hearts leanings by the clubs founding fathers

Tuesday night saw me throw my bag into a hotel room and heading straight to fitba after 3 weeks offshore. Then Wednesday saw me get out the taxi outside my house after flying home from work and immediately taking on a 350 mile round trip to visit a club I have been looking to visit for a while now. Not the cleverest idea I have taken on but why you come home to an “empty” and your responsibilities are nowhere to be seen then East Lothian surely beckons.

With the storm a brewing the chances of this being the only Scottish fitba for a while was quite high given there are warning of potential of death for the next three days. This giving me more reason to take it on. Better than stupefying in the hoos myself anyway.

First off, don’t put Haddington Athletic into your sat-nav as it takes you to where the U21s play at Whittingehame Drive. Not a huge issue but more a word of warning. However, Millfield is not the easiest place to find anyway and it took me a minute of searching about for it before finally stumbling on it, with time to burn I had a wee walk around the town and despite it being dark it sees like a bonnie wee town. After the scan of the place I headed for a pint at the New Pheasant where on entry I was immediately welcomed by a slightly inebriated local Haddingtonian girl who was full of a million questions about everything and anything on me. I was also informed that Aberdonians speak funny on more than one occasion by her. My quiet pint turned into anything but a quiet pint. And as i was offered a Jameson’s for the 20th time which i politely declined for the 20th time,it was match time.

As I whipped out my phone outside Millfield for the obligatory thumbs up photo I noticed my battery was seriously low. This not surprising as it hadn’t been charged since I was offshore on Tuesday. Not the end of the world but a kick in the balls of trying to document Millfield in any way. It’s a decent wee set up and a SFA accredited one at that. Surrounded by a hedge you enter on the same wing as the enclosure and pie stall etc. The pitch looked to be in a great nick under the floodlights . Floodlights that are needed for we the accreditation for the SFA as they are needed for Scottish Cup replays midweek. Something that now do not exist meaning the floodlights may not be that important a criteria now. But that’s me just thinking out loud. Behind the goal to the left on entry there is a club house with changing rooms and board room and on the far wing there are the dugouts. A fine example of a “junior” ground.

When I arrived my choice of headwear was looked at funny as I am sure there is not a lot of Aberdeen touries kicking about in East Lothian. But small world stuff kicked in when I was waitng to get a pie. I was asked if I was from up Aberdeen. The guy I was speaking to used to live in Ellon and much to his surprise I explained I am originally from Ellon this leading to him reeling of a few names of folk, some of who I know. As I walked to take up my perch to watch the game two people asked “nae got the boy with you tonight”. I find this amazing that I can be beyond Edinburgh and some recognises me. I took my place in the corner to watch the match and speaking of familiar faces I was joined by Tam Thornton of the Haddington and EOSFL committee. A guy I have met in the past at a couple of games. A wealth of knowledge on the local game and a good guy to belther fitba with. I appreciate conversations on fitba that are not sterile and are brutally honest when needed. Tam and I managed that and then some.

The game itself was a strange one as it had a serious lack in attacking action. It was all played in the middle of the pitch. The first real chance was the only goal of the game when Broxburn’s Ben Davidson was left in too much space in the box leaving him to lash home past McLellan. An avoidable goal as the defending could have been better but the move was allowed after a slip from Robertson allowed Broxburn in. It should have been all square five minutes after the goal when Haddington missed what was pretty much an open goal . My view was obscured and I was at the other end of the park so unsure who it was but from mid goal and a couple of yards out the Hi His man sent one up and over the bar when it was easier to score. A big miss in a game where there was little in terms of goal mouth action.

HT – 0 v 1

Half time saw an invite from Tam into the board room for a cup of tea and a sannie. A quality gesture and well accepted. In here I got to speak to other committee members about games gone by including Formartine United beating them in the cup and another cup tie v Deveronvale. While in the board room I also got to admire the quality pennant collection as you walk in (no photo unfortunately). I do like an massive pennant collection. That stems from Wee Man who loves them.

The second half was much and such the same as the first. There was a dearth of action in the box. Haddington looked the better team and tried to get forward but nothing ever came of it despite their best efforts. If i could be a bit critical , they werent fast going forward. The seemed to let Broxburn snuff them out quite easily. The biggest moment of the half came when the Hi His were reduced to 10 men when Seamus Russel was wrongfully red carded for a tackle that my neutral eyes saw nothing wrong with. It is one of them that makes you think if it was a foul then the sport as a whole is goosed. He won the ball. The force was not excessive and the referee had a mare with it. This knocked the stuffing out of Haddington somewhat but the controversy was not quite over and the home side were denied what looked like a penalty late on. The ref must have had Broxburn on his coupon.

Would I have been better staying home without the big drive leaving me shattered all day today. Of course not. This was well worth it. A friendly club from Tam to the others spoken to over the night whether the tea lady, fans or other committee members. The macaroni pies were decent too. Well worth it.

Entrance– £8

Attendance– 249

Pie – £5, 2 x pie and coffee

Pint – £4.20, Tennents, The New Pheasant