Colin’s hat-trick stopped any Hampden hangover
There’s no better way for a footballer to overcome a disappointing result than to bang in a hat-trick for his team.
That was the way Colin McCullie put the frustration of losing a League Cup semi-final behind him in October, 1970.
Missing out on a cup final, however, wasn’t the big blow it might have been for some clubs.
Colin was part of a Cowdenbeath side that caused a huge surprise by getting to the last-four of a major competition.
They were playing in the top flight that season – a far cry from their current struggle in Scotland’s Lowland League.
Taking on Rangers at Hampden Park was an experience Colin will never forget, despite the evening ending in a 2-0 defeat.
He wonders if it might have been different if referee JPR Gordon had blown for a foul.
He recalled: “We were taken away to the Dunblane Hydro Hotel for three nights to prepare for the semi-final.
“We’d won promotion the previous season and I’d managed a few games for the first team.
“I’d mostly been part of the reserve side that won the East of Scotland League.
“I was taken with the lads who got Cowdenbeath promoted on a holiday to Majorca as a bit of a treat. That was an experience. Ronnie Sharp, who was a very talented player and an incredible character, suffered a broken jaw.
“He was flown home but had his jaw wired up and came back to finish off the holiday.”
Colin was only 19 when he strode out at Scotland’s national stadium for the semi-final.
He said: “I was up against Alex Miller that night. I always remember him saying, ‘I’m Alex Miller of Rangers FC, and who are you?’.
“I reckon that was his way of trying to get a psychological advantage.
“We nearly held out until half-time but Rangers got a penalty in the 45th minute.
“I still think I had a good claim for a penalty early in the game.
“I was running away from Ronnie McKinnon and was through on goal. Next thing I knew, I was lying face down on the turf.
“I ran to the referee claiming a penalty but was waved away. Some reports said I’d fluffed a shot but, more than 50 years later, I’m still convinced I’d been fouled.”
Cowdenbeath bounced back from that defeat in some style by beating Clyde 3-0 in their next match – the young winger hitting a hat-trick.
He said: “I scored one of the goals direct from a corner-kick. The best was the last one – I shimmied past two players, hit the ball past the keeper and then thought, ‘How did I do that’.
“I didn’t get the ball. That didn’t happen back then. It was probably needed for the next week.”
Colin had played in Cowden’s first top-flight game for 36 years when they lost narrowly to Dundee at the start of the season. He was praised for adding a touch of class to midfield.
He went on: “It was a shame we were relegated after just the one campaign. “There were lots of narrow defeats. “Mind you, we were taken for an overnight stay in Aberdeen and then went to Pittodrie and lost 7-0. Not one of our better days.”
Colin got the winner in a game against Celtic the following season when Jock Stein took his side to Fife for a challenge match.
He was then transferred to Stenhousemuir and, being a local lad, it suited him perfectly.
“Alex Smith, the manager, had tapped me up a couple of times before he got me,” said Colin.
“Ironically, I missed the chance to play in the game when Stenhousemuir beat Rangers in the League Cup. I was cup-tied.
“Alex converted me into an attacking full-back and I spent four seasons there.
“Andy Matthew, my old manager at Cowdenbeath, then asked me to go to Raith Rovers. My main memory is scoring a cracker of an own-goal that a striker would have proud of.”
Now 71 and living in Falkirk, Colin spent several years working in the north of Scotland for BT and became a Grade 2 referee.