Game To Remember

Harry Paterson remembers a match that the press later described as the “great escape”…

Clyde 2 v 0 St.Johnstone (1989, Firhill)

This game always sticks out in my mind. It was proof that a relegation battle in the Scottish First Division could be as exciting as the Champions League! At 3pm, the deliverable seemed clear – a win for the Bully Wee and even if Kilmarnock won at Dumfries, we were safe from relegation.

Other than the infamous ICT game at Broadwood and, to a lesser extent, the Cup Final this season at Perth, I don’t remember ever being so tense at an actual game. The tension was somewhat lifted when Gerry McCabe scored with what seemed like a speculative lob from 20+ yards with some 20 minutes to go to full-time.

However by that time the faithful (trannies to the ear) had realised Kilmarnock were building up a big score at Dumfries and a win for the Bully might not be good enough after all. We could go down on goal average rather than Killie! Each Killie goal was a dagger to the heart and when it got to 6, we needed to score another goal! 1-0 was not enough. By that time it was several minutes into injury time at Firhill and my mind went back to me being a wee boy at Shawfield, in tears when a Billie Beattie sending off and 0-0 draw v Airdrie saw us relegated to the old Second Division.

Then someone upstairs intervened. What I remember being a soft penalty was awarded to the Bully Wee. Colin (Judas) McGlashan stepped up. 2-0 The Bully!

I remember walking from Firhill into the town, singing all the way with a bunch of guys I did not even know!

Champions League – who needs it?

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