Dream has turned into a nightmare
The DVD of Clyde’s first ever match at Broadwood is somewhere up in the loft gathering dust.
Whoever came up with the title ‘Here the Dream Begins’ couldn’t have imagined the nightmare it was to become.
Two hours which chronicled the defeat to Hamilton at a sold-out brand spanking new stadium.
Behind the scenes footage, interviews and an insight into the development of a Cumbernauld facility which was supposed to provide a springboard back into the big time for the club.
That was almost three decades ago. What an adventure but always doomed to failure due to battling against Old Firm strongholds in a town they tried in vain to call their own.
As the Bully Wee’s top striker then, it was exciting. To have played in the first competitive fixture at Broadwood was a privilege and a cause of sad nostalgia after this week’s news that yesterday’s match with Airdrie was the last.
Club historian Gordon Sydney sent an invite to attend and take one final walk down memory lane.
Ghosts from the past are everywhere.
Kenny Quinn scoring the first ever goal at the stadium, a screamer against Celtic reserves.
The local paper, The Cumbernauld News, put a clock on its back page to highlight the wait for a goal, a drought which lasted five or so games.
Hour after hour went by before we would get a first-team goal at our new home. The record books show
Alan McKenzie took the honours – but closer inspection reveals yours truly’s shot was heading in before his gloryhunting deflection.
Being on the trackside when the late, great Davie Cooper collapsed and died.
The area of the pitch where I broke a leg against St Johnstone 45 seconds into a cup tie which all but brought a promising career to a shuddering halt.
Facing Gazza, terrorising Basile Boli and a friendly which included a reality check going up against a young Rio Ferdinand.
Playing with the likes of Charlie Nicholas, Frank McGarvey, John Sludden and George McCluskey, memories to treasure and team-mates who remain close friends. After almost seven years as a Clyde player it was off to pastures new but the connection has carried through the years since and the truth is the Broadwood experiment failed. After being booted out by North Lanarkshire Council, it’s off to New Douglas Park and a groundshare with Accies which triggers uncertainty and alarm over what the future holds for Clyde.
Relocating back to the Shawfield area may be the best final destination for a club which will now resume it’s Gypsy Army tag with a nomadic status which barely seems believable given the fanfare, ambitions and dreams when Alex
Smith arrived.
Here the Dream begins indeed and a lesson in the folly of attempting to instil a new identity into a club from a standing start.