Welcome to Glory Days.  This section is a look back over the whole of the last 99 years of the SAFA with a mixture of recent and not so recent memories.

Our first Glory Day is from Colin Harper of Calderbank FC who shares with us how it felt to win the 2007-2008 Airdrie & Coatbridge league title.



G: What teams and associations/leagues did it involve?

C: Calderbank FC and Gartlea. Both in the Airdrie and Coatbridge league

G: When and where did this take place?

C: The Game was played on a hot (honest!!) summers night at the end of May last season.

G: What happened to make it memorable?

C: We played Gartlea on the very last day of the season. We were only 1 point ahead of them at the top of the table and a draw would give us the title. At the start of the second half we were tied at 2-2 when we were reduced to 10 men. Gartlea scored to go 3-2 ahead and it looked like we had lost the league when our striker popped up at the back post and scored with the last kick of the ball to give us the point we needed. We had about 400 supporters watching that night which made the game even more memorable.

G: How did it feel?  (Don’t bottle it up but don’t cry on your keyboard either!)

C: It was the best feeling I’ve ever had playing football. I’ve won titles and cups with other teams but to win on the last day of the season, with the last kick of the ball is something else. All the players in the team were from a small village of only 1500 people which makes it even more special

G: Did it change your life in any way?

C: It changed my life the next day as I had a stinker of a hangover and never made work!! All the guys in the team now know how good it feels to win a title so it’s made us more determined to do the same this season.

G: Is there anyone you want to pay tribute to?

C: Our manager Eammon Reilly has been with the club since it was founded and we owe a lot to him. He stuck with us in the early days when we were just finding our feet and of course Mark McLaughlin who scored the equaliser that night.

G: Are there any other comments you would like to make?

C: I would like to thank John Cannon, the Gartlea manager for remaining very sportsman like even although we had just stole the title from under his nose. Every time we play his team he always has a good word for us and never loses his dignity. His words always inspire us.


Thanks for sharing your Glory Day with us and I'm sure you'll have more glorious days to come!