Kev’s trip down memory lane
Knights take first win over Saint Mirren
Bridgehaugh legend Kevin McKenzie admits that Saturday’s reunion lunch for Stirling County’s Scottish Division One championship-winning team of 1995 brought memories flooding back.
The title-winning class – the only team to have progressed through all pre-professional seven tiers of the Scottish club game to win the title – had a reunion dinner two years ago on the 20th anniversary of their immortal memory.
But as the former Scotland and County hooker revealed, the urge to break bread with his championshipwinning buddies was driven by the significance of Saturday’s visit of Watsonians in the BT Premiership.
Twenty-two years ago, County clinched the trophy with a win at home to Boroughmuir after hearing their nearest challengers Watsonians had lost to West of Scotland.
Kevin explained:“It was tough to get the better of Boroughmuir 13-9 at Bridgehaugh that day.
“Then it was a case of holding our breath as we waited to hear how Watsonians had got on against West. The trophy was already at Bridgehaugh in anticipation, there were almost 4500 there that day and everybody was on tenterhooks.
“When the news came through that West had won the whole place was left shaking. It was just a great day, I may have played for Scotland 14 times but winning the title was just something really special.”
Kevin admitted that Saturday’s reunion lunch was raw with emotion as tales of yesteryear were revisited.
He said:“When you have won something like that, it creates an unbreakable bond that no one can take away from you and your team-mates. That is still the case with the‘95 team.
“We had a reunion lunch a couple of years back to mark 20 years since we won the title, and since then everyone always says that it would be great if we hooked up again.
“With the Watsonians game on Saturday we thought it would be just perfect to get together again.” SEE PAGE 53