Greystone Rovers originated back in 1938, founded at the home of John Wallace (click here to find out more) at 1 Carnegie Street, Dumfries. The first boys kicked a ball in the playing fields at the end of the street, starting the legend which would stretch to today, 50 years on, to 1988, the Golden Jubilee Year. Founder members were the two Johnstones (Bryce and Bill), Bluff Murray, Jimmy Scott and Johnny Wallace. There were many others, some who worked at the Magneto Co., like Jim Milligan, Eddie Keith and Frank Mitchell, to name but a few. The club was mainly formed to give boys in the area a game of football and, initially, the club only played friendly matches. In these days, a ball was worth its weight in gold and if anything happened to the ball during a match, the game being abandoned was not unusual! Boys couldn't afford the 15/6d needed for a strip certainly not on the wages of the late 1930's which brought home around 10/-aweek if you were lucky. Sandshoes were often the order of the day, too. John Wallace can remember buying his first boots at a second hand shop for £1 and making them last for years with the help of insulating tapel In 1939, two important events happened. The first was the gift of a strip by Bill Scoff (Winkle). The strips were black and gold and Winkle gave the club a great hand in its formative years. The second was that on December 23rd, 1939, Greystone Rovers played its first official game in a league match in the Dumfries Juvenile League against the Nondescripts FC, with a 7 - 4 win for Greystone. They played one more game that season, because of the build up and calling up of many of the players to World War Two. It was back to friendlies in this period when a lot was done to raise money for the Red Cross and their War effort. The date of August 1st, 1940 was the first contact made with Norway when Greystone played the Norwegian Army team at Huntingdon Park, drawing 2 - 2. Jim Milligan scored both Greystone's goals, and the referee was Andrew Young who was later to play his part in the running of the club. Mr. A. MacDonald, affectionately known as "papa" of Dumfries Academy, was the club's new treasurer. Around 1941,the records showthat Mr. Young, manager, and a number of the lads were called up to serve their country. Greystone continued to play friendly matches during the War but, eventually the Southern Counties Football Association was re-started and some of the players played in this league, under Nitsdale Amateurs banner. In August 1946. John Wallace and a number of players were demobbed and for the season 1946/47 Greystone played at Sanquhar as Nithsdale Wanderers. During the season, Andrew Young arranged for a reunion of all players in action prior to the War.  Andrew Young was then a leading referee in the Scottish First Division ranks. The reunion was held in the White Hart Hotel and was a sad time, too, as Mr. Young read out the names of the lads who had died in the War. Three years later Greystone came into their own again, moving from Sanquhar and joining the Dumfries and District Secondary Juvenile League. It was at this time that the club won its first trophies. Contact with Norway was renewed and since that year, 1951, the club has continued the unique overseas link on a home and away basis, with much exchanging over the years. Over the years, Greystone Rovers have given up to 1,000 boys the chance of participating in amateur football. At the moment, Greystone is running five teams, with age groups of between 10 to 16 years. The tour of the summer of '51 was arranged with the help of Major Myreseth, who had been officer commanding the Norwegian brigade in Dumfries. He married Mrs. McLachlan, who owned the old County Hotel in Dumfries. It was at this time that Johnny Wallace was put in touch with his greatest friend in Norway, Mr. Svein Sannem and the sports Club "Brann" in Bergen. The first tour took 14 across the water. The boys were welcomed by Svein Sannen at Kristiansand and later in Haugesund by Chris Semb and his wife Janet Kennedy, herself a doonhamer. The first Norwegian game in Stavanger threw upa 4 - 4 draw, even with an injured keeper, "Crum" Muirhead, who was replaced by centre forward Billy Miller! On their return to Dumfries, Greystone had a telegram from Sir George G. Graham, the then Secretary of the SFA, congratulating them on a successful tour and for being the first youth side in Scotland to go on a football tour after the War. Brann Juniors first visited Dumfries in July 1952. Greystone returned to Norway with captain of the 1953 tourers being Jock (Nigger) McCall. Brann returned in 1954 and Greystone didn't go over the waters again until 1962 when exchanges were restarted and have lasted until 1988. For a wee bit history and to bring back memories names like I.Ferguson, J. Wells, E. Anderson, J. Benson, G. McBurnie S. Duff, B. Pearson, J. McFadyen, Ken Brown, J. Roddick, E. McCubbin and Sill Farrell must remember the 1962 trip. Remember top Norwegian entertainer, Helge Nilsen boys? now project leader with "Team Brann". Games with the Norwegian Clubs and the Danish Club were played at Dalbeattie, Dunoon and at Palmerston with visits to Hampden Park, Celtic Park and lbrox Stadium. They also crossed the border to Carlisle and Newcastle. The year they won the Tony Pierog Shield for the best behaved club in the Dumfries Amateur League epitomises what Greystone is all about. They reverted to youth football — their forte — in the 1969/70 season. Among the great names in Greystone'S managers were David Hewitson when they won the Cowal International Tournament at Dunoon. Last year, to bring us up to date, the under 12's had an outstanding season under the Management of Bill Irving and Andy Cook, winning everything locally, and the under 16 year were not idle either, puffing up a great show in the league and Rotary Cup Final win. The youngest team ever to cross the north sea went this year, under the leadership of Graeme Muir and Cohn Murdoch. While trophies have come Greystone's way over the years, winning is not what Greystone is about. The club has a long standing reputation of encouraging the boys to participate in the game and offers the chance of visiting abroad. Over the years there have been many boys who have moved into senior football. It is obvious that John Wallace has been the mainstay of the club, but there is a long list of ex-players who have returned "home" to help, giving of their time unstintingly. They are too numerous to mention here (and they will forgive us for that, we are sure), but Greystone Rovers could never be honoured in its Golden Jubilee Year without remembering fondly the late Mrs. Elizabeth H. McGeorge of Dhucorse in Edinburgh Road. A patron of Greystone and its president. she was a lady always willing to give words of encouragement and wisdom to the boys. Many will remember taking tea with Mrs. McGeorge at her home. |
