Come fly with us for the cup
The day fans took to the skies
It’s been a topic of hot debate in an Ayr pub for years.
Did village football fans once charter a plane and fly to a Scottish Junior Cup tie?
Regulars in the Wee Windaes, run by former Ayr United skipper Jim McSherry, were having none of it.
Until that is, Brian stepped in with photographic evidence.
Annbank United, who now play before only a handful of fans, were living the high life in season 1952- 53.
They stormed to their first ever Scottish Cup final before losing 1- 0 to Vale of Leven in front of a 55,000 crowd at Hampden.
Brian, a retired Wallacetown worker, has lived in Annbank all his days. And he has been fascinated by tales of how thousands used to follow Aitken the Bankies around the country.
Brian, 69, recalls: “The story of Annbank fans flying to a cup tie at Aberdeen Sunnybank is legendary.
“Dan Calder, who was a grocer in the village, chartered a plane which flew from Prestwick to Dyce for £ 3 return.
“It was an old Dakota and was filled with 40 supporters but surprisingly the team didn’t travel with them.
“The club chartered a train which left Mossblown and picked up passengers at the foot of Weston, outside Annbank. Others went in a fleet of buses.
“For years afterwards when people went on their holidays they used to say they ‘ were flying with Dan.’ He was that well known.”
Brian, who was given the photo by old worthy Frank Kerr, can name many of the people in it. Characters such as baker Robert Smillie, Jock Hynds, Hugh McVie, Willie Crocket, Alex O’Hara, Jake Wilson, Davie Kennedy and Johnny McCartney.
The fans’ bold initiative paid off as they grabbed a 2- 2 draw before winning the replay 3- 0 at New Pebble Park.
Further wins over Crossgates and Arniston, both after replays, took them into the final where they agonisingly fell short.
The final defeat was tinged with controversy when the team were suspended sine die after going on strike in a bonus row.
The famous story was the talk of Junior circles and the subject of a book ‘ Hampden Heartache’ written by junior football enthusiast and photographer John B Vass to mark the 50th anniversary in 2003.
The team was loaded with personalities such as Billy Price who went on to play for Airdrie, Falkirk and Celtic.
Former Arsenal manager George Graham one claimed that Billy was one of the biggest influences in his career.
Publican McSherry is delighted that the pub talk can finally be verified.
He said: “My customers have been talking about this for years and many have questioned it.
“Brian’s picture is the proof we needed. It probably took eight hours by bus from Annbank to Aberdeen in these days.
“I find it incredible that the team made such an arduous journey almost straight from their work while fans stepped on to a plane and arrived at the game in style.”