Links Park, Friendly, 29/6/24
Me still 315, Wee Man 180
Montrose Football Club
Founded – 1879
Nickname – The Gable Endies. The Mo
Honours – Second Division – 1984/85. League 2 – 2017/18. Northern League – 1903/04
Random Fact – Montrose had a club founded in 1887 which did not play Association Rules football and opted for the rougher version (the rugby like rules). During a meeting in October 1879 it was decided to conform to Association Rules. This leading to the Association Club foundation date on the clubs badge of 1879. On the 8th November they played their first game in the new code versus Arbroath Wanderers
A new season, a new yellow ball and a new ground for Wee Man. Like Brechin this time last June, I was surprised it took so long for him to visit Links Park given its reasonable close location to home. 38 miles to be precise. It was good it came about as it gave me a chance to visit the place in my adult life while sober.
First of all it was out to get lunch and a pint. The usual haunt it was to be as I knew you could get nippers in. This being the Picturehouse. In here I saw something I had never seen before. The Wee Man quiet and well into the darts. The World Cup was on (Sweden v Czechia) and he was loving it asking for a dart board as it “looks hard but fun”. So as he was watching the arrows I was pricing up a board. Let’s see if he takes to it. After a pretty decent lunch, the pudding of a Lava cookie especially we headed over to the ground. As we walked the age of Montrose the town was clear, this due to a common giveaway. Small door ways on the older houses. Some of which I was over a head taller than. Granted I am a stretched loon but some of these were tiny, much to the amusement of my sidekick. Records of Montrose’s existence began in the 1100s if you care for these things.
So to Links Park we went in plenty time for a kick about. Wee Man was clearly chuffed as he told me was glad he chose to come. This before he had even entered the place. Could he see into the future? Or was there something about walking down Wellington Street towards it that took his fancy? I am not sure but what I am sure of , Links Park is great place to watch fitba. It ticks many a box. The first being, while it has the hulking modern Main Stand and astro pitch it still retains elements of a ground of days gone by. This always floating my boat. Back to the stand I have never really appreciated its size with the massive roof protruding over it. I had never sat in it and made it my mission to get a few minutes in it during the game. This would obviously not go down well with Wee Man as he is a bona-fide “watch a game on your feet” type. The first question of the day as we walked in was “where can we have a kick about?” Then he spied grass at the far end. After grabbing a pie, mince as there was no steak, bad start. We walked through the stand to get there and in doing so we stumbled across what looked to be a potential perfect area for a kick about. This being the wee astro where all the training goals are kept stashed at the far end of the stand. This bringing out a huge grin on the little ones face. Straight away he instructed me that we were to do a crossbar challenge. Sounded fun to me. As we set up for it the Dee players were warming up on the pitch next to us. Having a stretch on the wall behind us was former Aberdeen player and fine servant to the club Mark Reynolds who has just signed for the Dee. He initiated conversation with Jake saying “go on wee man, hit the crossbar”. After failing to do so he said “lets see if your dad still has it?” Do I take this as an insult as do I look too old to play now?. Anyway with my first shot I cracked the bar. “Your da hasn’t lost it” Jake was informed by the defender. This I will take as a compliment. Game knows game as they say. Half an hour of this in the sun followed waiting for kick off and it was a hoot and I would give Links Park a 10 out of 10 for kick abouts. Matched only by Formartine United. The highest of praise for a ground these days. Wee Man loved it and this is the box tick that matters most.
How was the game going to go. I felt it would be close but after speaking to the Dee coach Aggie Gray I was not so sure as some big Dee players were missing. But it was close in the end despite the missing men. The opening of the game was clearly an early pre-season friendly with a bit of rustiness and limited chances on show. Montrose looked sharper with their passing which was expected due to the difference in levels in the pyramid . But there was no huge gulf overall. It was the home side who took the lead when a ball over the top found Terry Masson taking advantage of a bit of dithering in the Dee back line leaving him to smash home past keeper Daniel Hoban . A decent finish and well onside despite claims to the contrary from the Aberdeen side. We were right in line and had the best view and Morrison was on as the ball was played. Not long after the Dee were forced into an early sub when Max Alexander went down injured. Not what you want in your first pre-season game. No sooner had Alexander left the park. Montrose faced a similar problem when veteran Michael Gardyne also had to hobble off. The home side took a two goal lead when again the Dee back line were caught out leaving Blair Lyons to finish. Again, offside was claimed but I was on my way for a piss so didn’t have a good angle to tell. But Wee Man was adamant it was on. I will take his word as he knows his onions. The next goal I was very fortunate to have a great spot to see it. This as I had gone to get a coffee and juice and as I was waiting in the queue I got a perfect view of Lachie McLeod halving the deficit. This as he was played clean through to let rip from ten yards. A great finish as the angle was becoming tight for the striker. One of those efforts that lets off a highly audible thump which echoed around the ground. The Dee were thanking their keeper Hoban for a solid save late on to deny Lyons a brace when he raced through. This leading to a passing punter have words with the Lino. He claimed the man with the flag had missed a few offsides throughout. Not often I will say it but I was on the officials side and don’t think he got anything wrong. To be noted this guy was watching the game from behind the goal so was just guessing.
HT 2 v 1
Crossbar challenge it was for half time entertainment and I smashed the Wee Man 12 v 5. There was definitely a huge hint of “Competitive Dad” from the Fast Show on the go that is for sure. Half time also brought a bit of amusement, This when the tunes kicked in over the tannoy again. Starting from half way through the Pretenders song Brass in Pocket which had already been played before the game and had clearly been paused prior to kick off and just restarted for the break. The second half was not as good as the first as a raft of subs were made sporadically this allowing the glut of trialists on the park. But you have to expect that in a pre-season game. Montrose were the better side and testing the Dee more than the Dee went at the Gable Endies. Montrose could have had a few more if it was not for Dee keeper Hoban who pulled off some excellent stops to keep the score down. Two of which were brilliant. The first when a ball over the top found Lyons who hit low from ten yards which Hoban stopped well then rapidly got up and across to stop the rebound too. Not long after he repeated the trick when he got a strong left hand to a Lyons shot and got up and made himself big to deny Ali Shrive. There was to be a final goal and it came in calamitous circumstances when a multi man Dee error came late on when after trying to pass the ball clear they ended up trapping themselves in the corner inviting pressure on themselves, this even bringing me to shout “just lump it” which they failed to do and Craig Brown nipped in onto a poor pass and killed the game with a cool finish across the goal. Sometimes pretty triangle passing is not the option and this was a prime example. Sometimes blootering the ball long is the only option. This killed the game which was running short on minutes and our 2024/25 season was up and running and I got my few minutes in the stand. Some view from in there for the record. I can see a return to Links Park as Wee man was more than enamoured by it and wants to come back soon. I was enamoured too through beer free vison for once. Great place for a game, great place for a kick about and great place to keep your loon happy. The latter being what it is all about.
Entrance – Me £10, Wee Man Free
Attendance – 231 (Official)
Pie – £6.10 , Pie, coffee, Dairy Milk
Pint – £3.70, Tennent’s, The Picturehouse
Score Predictions – Me 2 v 2, Wee Man 3 v 2
Season Score Predictions – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 