Annfield lights are switched on

A cold, frosty night in November 1961 was the occasion of a milestone in the history of Stirling Albion’s former Annfield ground.

It saw the first ever floodlit game played there when Albion entertained a Birmingham City side which included Celtic great and Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld, who died recently, in their line-up.

Before kick-off, Albion chairman Archie Gourlay told the near 6000 crowd the four-pylon lighting set-up heralded a new era in football in the town.

He thanked Albion Social Club for contributing most towards the cost of the lights and it was one of its members, a Mrs McFarlane from St Ninians, who performed the official switch-on.

According to the Observer, Birmingham showed more pace than Albion and won the game with something to spare.

But Albion contributed to an enjoyable occasion and the best shot of the game was a 25-yard `rocket,’ from Binos’ Willie Sinclair, which thundered against the bar but failed to find the net.

Scorers for Birmingham in the 3-1 victory were Harris, Auld and Leek while Sinclair got one back for the home side.

Teams were – Albion: Brown, McGuinness and Pettigrew; Rowan, Weir and Johnstone, and Kilgannon, Maxwell, Sinclair, Spence and Lawlor.

Birmingham City: Schofield, Lynn and Sissons; Hennessey, Smith and Beard, and Hellawell, Orrit, Harris, Leek and Auld.

* The evening was, however, not an unmitigated success for Albion. In the early hours of the day that followed a fire broke out in a coffee stall on the west side of the ground, according to the Observer. Mr D Jannetta, Central Cafe, Friars Street, Stirling, owned the timber and asbestos structure which was destroyed along with its contents.

Doune roadworker Mr John Manning, 60, of Castlehill, was killed and a colleague was injured when they were struck by a car on the Perth-Dunblane road, near Greenloaning.

The injured man, Mr George Crockett, Anne Street, Dunblane, was taken to Stiring Royal Infirmary for treatment. The men were working near the entrance to a service road, leading to West Thirds Farm, when the accident happened. A man from Glasgow was driving the car involved in the accident.

A gold nugget worth £12 10 shillings (about £275 today) was to be the surprise `ingredient’ in one of the giant Christmas puddings to be distributed to local authorities by the Australian Dried Fruit Board. Stirling was to receive one of the puddings , each of which was expected to provide helpings for 100 people. Whinwell Home and Snowdon School for Girls were to share the pud donated to Stirling.

Killin Hotel was on the market in November 1961. The Observer reported, however, that two timber chalets, worth nearly £3000.

The four-storey hotel had 33 letting rooms, eight chalets plus extensive fishing rights.

It was rebuilt following an extensive fire shortly after World War Two.

Owner Mr George Ballance from Limerick, and his wife from Glasgow, had plans to take up farming near Dublin