A Tale of Two Towns

[Tikka Mezzala]

Welcome to A Tale of Two Towns. 

This story will chronicle the fortunes of two Scottish football clubs and the men who lead them. Weaved throughout this tale are the themes of local pride, sporting and personal rivalries, and the struggles of community football clubs in the face of modernity. Without further ado, let me introduce the first protagonist of our story:

Cooper Ramsay grew up with a single dream: to play as a centre-forward for Glasgow Rangers Football Club. He was on the path to realising this dream when he joined Rangers as an eleven year-old. Despite showing early promise within a number of the age groups, he was eventually cut-loose shortly after his eighteenth birthday. The failure to make the grade at his boyhood club hit Ramsay hard, and unlike some of his fellows who found life after Rangers with clubs in the lower-tiers, Ramsay fell into a period of depression and alcohol abuse. Several years of struggling to hold down low-paying work passed by, as Ramsay fell further and further into desolation. But his life was to take a different turn shortly after his twenty-third birthday.

While working in a warehouse in Glasgow's southside, Ramsay got talking with a colleague who, like himself, resided in the town of Cambuslang. The warehouse worker was impressed that Ramsay has spent a number of years on the books at Rangers, and asked him if he'd ever considered playing for their local junior side Cambuslang Rangers. The ex-Rangers youth player wasn't in great shape, but he still possessed enough technical and intellectual know-how to stand out from the pack. The thought certainly intrigued him, especially as he felt that his life was going nowhere. His colleague knew some of the club members and agreed to put a word in for him. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Cooper Ramsay found a renewed sense of purpose after joining Cambuslang Rangers. He quickly got himself into shape and very soon became one of the club's best players. Across thirteen years as a centre-forward for The Lang, Ramsay lifted three league titles (West Region Central Second Division; West Region Central First Division; West of Scotland Conference B) and became the club's all-time leading goal-scorer. In the summer of 2022, after lifting the Conference B title as club captain, Ramsay retired from his playing-role to take up the position of head coach. Mr Cambuslang Rangers would be leading the club into the new-era of semi-professional football in the newly structured West of Scotland pyramid. 

Joe Connelly joined Rutherglen Glencairn as a sixteen year-old schoolboy. While lacking the technical skill to make the grade in the professional game, his physical qualities made him perfect for the world of junior football. Even as a teenager, Connelly towered over most of his opponents, and it proved almost impossible to shake him off the ball or best him in the air. During his time at the heart of the Glens' defence, many suitors from within the junior game tried to tempt him away from the club, but Connelly had been brought up a supporter of his local side, with his family making it a point to avoid the drama of being a fan of one of the big two in Glasgow. His emotional bond with Glencairn was the foundation of his twenty-one year service, fifteen of which were spent captaining the team. During this time, Connelly lifted the Central Section League Cup (07/08), the West of Scotland League Central District First Division (08/09), and the West of Scotland Super League First Division (09/10, and 18/19). He would also become the club's record appearance holder by some distance. 

At the close of play in the 21/22 season, with the club sitting in the West of Scotland First Division, Joe Connelly called time on his playing career. The towering defender had been playing with a recurring knee-injury for the past couple of seasons, and with his post-playing days in mind, he earned a few coaching badges in his spare time. His education would be put to use immediately as the club moved to keep him involved, offering him the role of head coach which he duly accepted. Mr Rutherglen Glencairn would be leading the club into an exciting new-era in which formerly junior clubs have access to the professional league structure for the first time. 

[Carambau]

Sounds interesting! Good luck  

[Tikka Mezzala]

Before I continue on with the story, allow me to explain how things will work. 

I have created both managers and placed them in charge of two traditional rivals within the West of Scotland pyramid: Cambuslang Rangers and Rutherglen Glencairn. I will set up a tactic for each manager that will be the foundation for their approach throughout the duration of their careers, with tweaks occurring when results aren't great or when the personnel in the squad demands it. 

Cambuslang Rangers' Cooper Ramsay will be committed to a 4-4-2 with a focus on trying to develop a strong goal-scoring partnership between the front two players. The rest of the team will be industrious and merely attempt to provide the platform for the strikers to win games. 

Joe Connelly favours a 4-3-3 system. His thinking is very much influenced by his experiences of playing in a back-line without a holding player, and the exposure this brought. 

I will delegate almost all of the tasks within the clubs, with the exception of tactics, and I will use the instant-results feature to help speed up the gameplay. Both managers will rely upon backroom staff to deal with transfers and contracts. This way, I cannot really favour either one of them. I'll try my best to make both teams successful in terms of the tactics, but things will play out in a way that will hopefully make for an interesting story. 

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Here is some background to both clubs to help contextualise the story:

Rutherglen Glencairn FC

 

Rutherglen Glencairn F.C. were formed in 1895 at the 'Old Jail' office in Rutherglen.

The Glens played their first-ever game on 15 August 1896 against the Ibrox XI (Rangers' junior string in those days) and the Glens won 1–0. The Southcroft team joined the Glasgow Junior League and won it in 1899–1900 to take possession of the "Evening Times Trophy".

The Glens' big moment did not arrive until season 1901–02 when they won the Scottish Junior Cup, the Glasgow League Championship, and the Glasgow Exhibition Championship. The team that proudly brought the Scottish Junior Cup to Rutherglen for the first time by beating Maryhill 1–0 at Meadowside is considered one of the greatest ever, including future Scotland senior international forwards Jimmy McMenemy and Alec Bennett, both natives of the town.

It was not until 1918–19 that the Glens won the Scottish Junior Cup again, beating St Anthony's 1–0.

Glencairn's third Scottish Junior Cup win was in season 1926–27 and the satisfaction was all the greater because it was Cambuslang Rangers, their great local rivals, who were defeated 2–1. The Glens won the Scottish Junior Cup again for the last time in season 1938–39 when Shawfield (the other local rivals, from Oatlands) went down 2–1.

Glencairn's recent success has been in their rise through the junior leagues in which they were crowned champions of both the West of Scotland League Central District First Division in 2009 and the West of Scotland Super League First Division in 2010.

In 2020, the club confirmed their intention to leave the separate Junior setup and join a proposed feeder division for the Lowland Football League, part of the pyramid system below the professional level of the Scottish game.

 

Cambuslang Rangers FC

Formation and early years (1891–1933)
Originally named Leeside FC (founded in 1891) and joining the junior ranks in 1892. The club were later renamed, Clyde Rovers in 1896 before merging with Cambuslang Rovers and another Cambuslang based side, Halfway FC in 1899. In their first year The club shared grounds with the now defunct Cambuslang FC. Following Cambuslang FC's demise in 1897, Rovers took control of Bogshole Park, later to be renamed Mains Park which would be retained following the merger. Cambuslang Rangers FC would also play matches at Westburn Park where Cambuslang Hibernian were previously situated.[citation needed]

In 1904 Cambuslang Rangers moved to their new home ground, Somervell Park, which has remained their home since.

In the 1910–11 season, Cambuslang Rangers achieved their first successes by winning the Glasgow Junior League and Glasgow Junior Cup double. That would kick off the club's first spell of success as they went on to win the league in 1911–12, 1914–15 and 1915–16 before the Glasgow Junior League dissolved in 1927. The Lang would also win the Glasgow Junior Cup three more times (in 1920–21, 1926–27 and 1932–33 respectively) during this period.

First Scottish Junior Cup (1933–59)

The club would win their first Scottish Junior Cup in the 1937–38 season. They had previously reached the final twice before, finishing runners up in 1919–20 & 1926–27. This time though it would be Cambuslang who would lift the trophy after two goals from Taylor and another from McGhie secured a 3–2 win over Benburb FC in front of a crowd of 28,000.

The Glasgow Junior Cup was lifted once again in the 1946–47 season.

Dominance (1959–1974)
The 1959–60 season would set the foundations for a spell of dominance in the Junior game as Cambuslang Rangers beat Thorniewood United 2–0 to win the West Of Scotland Cup.

In the 1960–61 season, Cambuslang lost in the finals of five different competitions, including the West of Scotland Cup and the Scottish Junior Cup.

The club would again lift the Glasgow Junior Cup in 1963–64, doing the same again in two consecutive seasons between 1965 and 1967 before the club achieved four more Scottish Junior Cup triumphs in the space of just six years. The first of these ended a 31-year wait, having lost in three previous finals during that time (1944–45, 1960–61 and 1963–64). Cambuslang Rangers would face Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in the 1968–69 final, with a single goal from Keith Nelson being enough to separate the sides and give Cambuslang their second Scottish Junior Cup. This achievement proceeded two consecutive Central League Cups (in 1968–69 and 1969–70), four Central League titles in a row (1970 to 1974) and the Central Sectional League Cup in the 1970–71 season.

There was also three further Scottish Junior Cups won between 1970 and 1974 taking the club's tally to five. The club would beat Newtongrange Star 2–1 in 1971 before repeating the achievement, this time overcoming Bonnyrigg Rose 3–2 after goals from Cummings, McCallum and Brown. Cambuslang's string of trophies only split by a single defeat in the 1972–73 final second replay by the hands of Irvine Meadow, losing by 1–0 after the previous two matches were drawn 2–2 and 3–3. However, despite the setback Cambuslang Rangers completed the Junior Cup dominance in the following season, defeating Linlithgow Rose 3–1 with Cummings again getting on the scoresheet twice and Morrison also bagging a goal to complete The Lang's Scottish Junior Cup triumphs to date.

The dormant years (1975–1999)
Cambuslang struggled to replicate their achievements and it took over ten years for them to win another trophy. In 1986 the club won the Central District First Division title, and managed to repeat this in the 1989–90 and 1990–91 seasons – that 1990–91 side also won the Evening Times Cup Winners Cup making it a double for that season.

Millennial era (2000–2018)
Despite winning the Central Sectional League Cup again in the 2000–01 season Cambuslang Rangers again continued to struggle in terms of success during the 2000s.

As the 2010s began a spell of success seemed to be returning after the club's Central District Second Division league win in 2013 was later followed by a Glasgow Junior Cup in the 2015–16 campaign under the leadership of former player Paul McColl.

Under McColl's management, Cambuslang Rangers would continue to succeed on the park as they won back-to-back promotions in the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons before he left his position in January 2019.

Financial difficulties and re-emergence (2019–Present)
Whilst all was seemingly going well on the park behind the scenes, Cambuslang Rangers had financial difficulties which culminated in the club being on the verge of extinction at the end of 2018. This led to the club having to let go of most of their players, with only two opting to stay, and committee members resigning from their positions.

In January 2019, local businessman David Kerr stepped up and took charge of the club. Following the departure of McColl, the club would have to appoint a new manager and draft in players to see out the 2018–19 season.

After successfully completing the season, the club introduced an academy set-up with the aim to develop local young players for the first team with age groups ranging from 'Camby Cubs' to U21s. In May 2020, the club announced that under-21 players Scott Williamson and Campbell Gray would be the first players in the club's history to graduate from the youth academy to the first team. The club also announced that Billy Campbell and Paul McColl would be co-managers for the 2020–21 campaign.

In August 2020 Chairman David Kerr stepped down from his post, leaving the club in a much healthier state than when he took over.

 

 

At the start of play in the summer of 2022, both clubs are separated by a single division: Cambuslang Rangers are relegation candidates in the West of Scotland Premier Division, while Rutherglen Glencairn at promotion challengers in the West of Scotland First Division. 

Both clubs will contest the South of Scotland Challenge Cup, the West of Scotland League Cup and the Scottish Junior Cup. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

2022/23: Pre-Season

New Southcroft Park bathed in June sunshine on the day that Joe Connelly greeted the small band of local reporters who had gathered for his official unveiling. The afternoon began with some pictures in the stadium's solitary stand and in the dugout, before the party moved out of the midday heat and into the club lounge for the interviews. Connelly had the respect of everyone that had been following Glencairn's fortunes over the past couple of decades, so there was very little need for the new manager to convince the press of his credentials. Most of the answers Connelly gave fell into the cliche bracket, but the press soon had their headline when the Rutherglen native quipped "We will overtake Cambuslang Rangers." The headline was taken from a longer quote in which Connelly outlined his long-term hopes for the club, but his words were sure to be heard over in Cambuslang where Cooper Ramsay was due to speak for the first time as the manager of the Wee Gers. 

Somervell Park welcomed the same small band of reporters the following day, armed with the verbal grenade given to them by Joe Connelly. The pictures were taken, the conventional questions asked, and then the grenade was launched: "Your counterpart over in Rutherglen is adamant that Glencairn will overtake your side in the coming seasons. Do you have any words for Joseph Connelly?" Cooper Ramsay had played against Connelly frequently throughout his career, and he knew the big defender was known for his mind-games on the field. It was no surprise, then, to see the same tricks occur now that both had moved into the dugout. In an attempt to both play down the comments from his counterpart, while still getting in a bit of a dig, Ramsay answered "My focus is purely on the teams we will be facing in the Premier Division this season. Anything outwith that is an irrelevancy." The headline the following day read: 'Glencairn "an irrelevancy" claims Ramsay'.

Despite the trash-talk, Cooper Ramsay was aware that the possibility of Glencairn overtaking them within a year certainly existed. The Rutherglen side were tipped for promotion to the Premier Division, while many felt Cambuslang Rangers were a good bet to fall through the trap-door into the First Division. That being said, a lot hinged on what would happen over the summer, but on that front, things hadn't started well for Camby. The club lost three important players early in the transfer window: John Gemmel, an experienced centre-forward, joined Dumbarton FC, promising wingback Jay McFarlane-Letham joined Premiership side Livingston's reserve team, and reliable holding-midfielder, Gordon Dick, joined St Duthus. The positive news was that the club had added two solid defensive reinforcements from Albion Rovers and Petershill, respectively:

While the phone calls and enquiries about new players continued behind the scenes, the Wee Gers got to work on the training ground and on the pitch. 

By the end of their preseason campaign, Camby had won three and lost one, scoring eight goals and conceding twice. The defensive solidity shown during the four friendlies was pleasing, as was the form of an academy player, Tim Lyden. 

Joe Connelly's fighting talk in his first exchanges with the press belied the fact that his Rutherglen Glencairn squad was in desperate need of reinforcements. There had been a mini-exodus at the end of the previous season, and the team was unable to fill a substitutes bench of seven players going into their first friendly matches. In order to save money, the club had gotten rid of the academy in recent years, leaving Connelly a frustrated figure on the training ground as he desperately tried to lower the risk of injuries. With five competitions to compete in during the course of the season, it was crystal clear to the Glencairn manager that transfer activity had to be ramped up or the club would be at risk of a disastrous campaign. 

Despite the obvious concerns, the preseason performances highlighted the fact that the club had the bones of a decent squad: 

Five wins out of five, with nineteen goals racked up, sent the Glen into the competitive season in a confident mood. Standing out for Glencairn during their preseason wins was Kian Cadden - a centre forward who bagged four goals. 

The cause wasn't helped, however, by the departure of Leon Currie who had scored five goals over the course of the first three preseason friendlies. Currie had moved on to Kirrie Thistle in the Scottish Midlands League, leaving Glencairn significantly weaker. 

With the competitive football fast approaching, both Cambuslang Rangers and Rutherglen Glencairn were feeling somewhat under-strength. The remaining weeks of the transfer window would doubtless determine their respective fates this season, but before then there were important games to focus on, including the first-round of the Junior Cup. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

It was a summer of contrasts in the neighbouring towns of Rutherglen and Cambuslang. At Somervell Park, Cooper Ramsay enjoyed the backing of the Cambuslang Rangers hierarchy, as the Wee Gers pulled in a number of quality additions to the squad. Among them, seventeen year-old midfielder Zander MacKenzie on loan from Partick Thistle, and Ryan McInnes, a centre-forward on loan from Brechin City. Over in Rutherglen, Joe Connelly experienced a serious downgrading of his squad, as several first-teamers departed the club, with no real quality coming in to replace them. 

Cambuslang's impressive business started to show in the early weeks of the season as the relegation candidates picked up an impressive seven points out of twelve. The final game of August also saw them progress in the Scottish Junior Cup thanks to a narrow win over St. Ternan. 

September brought further cup progress as Camby saw off Ardeer Thistle in the South Challenge Cup and Lanark Utd in the Junior Cup, although they only managed to gain one point in their Premier Division campaign, albeit an impressive one away at Auchinleck Talbot. 

October brought plenty of goals, as Ramsay's side ended up on both ends of a couple of seven goal thrillers. The biggest news of the month was their further progression in the Junior Cup courtesy of a 3-0 win away at Stonehaven. 

Camby Look Over Their Shoulders

Over in Rutherglen, Glencairn began life under club legend Joe Connelly. It had been a disastrous window for the Glen, and there were certainly fears that Connelly would somewhat tarnish his legacy at the club. 

Things started brightly enough for Glencairn thanks to an impressive win at home to league favourites St Cadoc's, but a first-round Junior Cup exit followed shortly after. The Glen made up for their failings a week later when they progressed in the senior Scottish Cup thanks to an extra-time win over East of Scotland side Lothian Thistle. 

September saw them progress in the South Challenge Cup, but their Scottish Cup run would come to an end at the hands of Highland League outfit Clachnacuddin. The Inverness-based side thumped Glencairn 4-1 in South Lanarkshire to pile the pressure on Joe Connelly early on in his tenure. 

With only one league point picked up in September, a 1-4 mauling at the hands of Gartcairn didn't help install confidence in the new Glen manager, but seven points in their next three games helped to ease the pressure somewhat. October ended with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Thorniewood United.

The early exchanges in the West of Scotland First Division showed that it was likely to be a season of consolidation for Rutherglen Glencairn. Promotion hopes looked to have quickly evaporated, while there appeared to be enough about the Glen to keep them safe from trouble. Joe Connelly was unperturbed by the situation, as he had experienced many such seasons as a player. The key was simply to pick up enough points to satisfy the executive committee, while making sure that future transfer windows were utilised correctly. At this level of the game, you were only ever a couple of departures away from serious trouble, or a couple of arrivals away from glory. 

 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 22/23: November-January

Rutherglen Glencairn Fixtures

 

Cambuslang Rangers Fixtures

Joe Connelly had been trying to manage the expectations of the club in his early tenure, but he knew that a League Cup defeat against Fourth Division Campbeltown Pupils would be inexcusable. On a nervy afternoon in Argyll and Bute, the Glen progressed through to the next round 2-3, courtesy of a late winner. This would prove to be their only cup joy in November, however, as Connelly's side suffered a 0-3 home defeat to Lowland League side Berwick Rangers. The only solace in the defeat was the fact that Glencairn had held a side two divisions above them until extra-time, when the collapse eventually commenced. 

Connelly's side did manage to put the Berwick disappointment behind them by picking up four points in November's league fixtures, including an impressive 2-4 win away at Benburb. 

Meanwhile, Cambuslang Rangers stormed through in their League Cup tie against Cumbernauld United, winning 4-1 at Somervell Park. They followed this up with an astounding 0-7 win away at Largs Thistle. Cooper Ramsay's side would then feel what it's like to be on the end of a trouncing as Lothian Thistle dismantled Camby 2-5 in the South Challenge Cup. The Wee Gers were able to put the Thistle defeat to the back of their mind, however, as they remained unbeaten during the rest of the month, picking up five crucial league points in the process. 

At the beginning of December, Ramsay's side scored seven goals for the second time in a couple of months during a League Cup thrilled against Larkhall Thistle. They followed this up by keeping their Junior Cup dream alive with a 3-1 win over Bridge of Don. Two league wins against Arthurlie and Glenafton sent Cambuslang into the New Year in good spirits. It was widely acknowledged that Cooper Ramsay was doing a stellar job. 

The festive period proved to be a mixed bag for Rutherglen Glencairn, however. A 1-2 defeat to Premier Division Rob Roy in the League Cup was followed up by a remarkable 4-5 win away at Neilston. The Glen then claimed four points away from home against two of the top sides in the division, Drumchapel United and Gartcairn. The final match of 2022, however, would see them lose for a second time this season to Kilbirnie Ladeside. 

Despite losing to St Cadoc's at the end of January, Joe Connelly's men preceded the defeat with three impressive victories: a 5-0 dismantling of Bonnyton Thistle, a 1-2 smash and grab against promotion chasing St Roch's, and a nervy 2-1 win at home to Rossvale. These results propelled the Glen into the promotion mix as things finally started to look up for club legend Joe Connelly.

After an impeccable December, Cooper Ramsay's Camby side were close to perfect across January. Despite opening the month with a 3-3 draw at Clydebank, an impressive result in its own right, the Wee Gers went on to claim three straight victories over Beith Juniors, Auchinleck Talbot, and Kilwinning Rangers. Having been tipped for relegation during the off-season, Camby were now only four points from the summit of the West of Scotland Premier Division, and were still alive in two cup competitions. The club's all-time leading goalscorer, Ramsay, was proving to be a very capable manager, and it was noted that he was getting a tune out of the club's attacking duo, McInnes and Anson.

 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 22/23: February-March

Rutherglen Glencairn Fixtures

Cambuslang Rangers Fixtures

Having pulled themselves into the promotion mix, Rutherglen Glencairn needed to have a strong February and March period. Thing started well when they came out on the right end of a ten goal thriller against Blantyre Vics. Cumbernauld United proved to be a tougher nut to crack, however, as the Glen came unstuck in a 1-2 home defeat. The final game of February brought a massive result for Joe Connelly's men as Glencairn triumphed 1-2 over fellow promotion rivals Johnston Burgh. 

The positive result at the end of February was to be overshadowed by three disastrous performances against sides battling in the lower-half of the table: first up, relegation threatened Thorniewood United thrashed the Glen 2-6 in Rutherglen. Whitletts Vics then made it ten goals conceded in two games as they hammered Connelly's side 4-2. Benburb piled on the agony with a 0-3 win at the Hamish B. Allan Stadium. It was at this point Joe Connelly gathered his players for an emergency team meeting to try and rectify the recent performances, and whatever was said seemed to work as the Glen finally put points on the board with a 2-5 win away at Shotts Bon Accord. The win kept them somewhat in the promotion hunt, but there could be no denying that the recent run of defeats seriously damaged the club's hopes of reaching the Premier Division.

The mood could not have been more different ten minutes away in Cambuslang. Three straight wins at the start of February, including a League Cup triumph and an impressive 0-1 win away at Darvel, set the club up for a grand final couple of months. They kicked this period off with an incredible 1-0 win in the Junior Cup quarter-finals against record holders Auchinleck Talbot. Camby were now two wins away from claiming their first Junior Cup since the club's heyday in the 1970s. A couple of solid 3-1 home wins over Cumnock and Pollock put Cooper Ramsay's side top with three games remaining, but disaster struck at the end of March as the club lost to lowly Largs Thistle, who they had previously beaten 0-7, and then drew away at relegation certainties Petershill. It looked as though the chance to do the unthinkable and win the Premier Division had slipped through the fingers of the Camby players and manager. 

With one game left in the Premier Division, Ramsey's Cambuslang team knew they had to beat Irvine Meadow XI and hope that both Auchinleck Talbot and Darvel would fail to win their games in hand. It was out of their hands, but for now, they sat at the top.

Rutherglen Glencairn had fifteen points left to play for, with only five points separating them from the top three. They would have to play a couple of their promotion rivals in what remained of the season, so everything was still on the table. Joe Connelly knew that his future was uncertain, and the only way to guarantee he would be given another year at Glencairn was to pull them through in the run in. 

 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 22/23: April-May

As the season reached its climax, two clubs, separated by a ten minute drive, faced up to their respective fates. 

Let's begin with Rutherglen Glencairn's story, as Joe Connelly's side tried to turn a five point deficit around in their remaining five fixtures:

Putting the disaster of March behind them, the Glen began the fateful month of April with a solid 3-1 home win against Neilston. Unfortunately for Connelly, next up was a side they'd failed to beat in their previous two encounters, Kilbirnie Ladeside. That record extended to a winless run of three games after a 1-1 draw in North Ayrshire. Despite the setback in Kilbirnie, Rutherglen pulled off an impressive 3-1 home win against fellow promotion rivals Drumchapel United, before dismantling Bonnyton Thistle 0-9 in one of the season's most remarkable games. That put everything on the final game at home to St Roch's. Win and Glencairn were up, anything else and it would be another season in the First Division. As you can see, Joe Connelly's side fell just short of the required result. It was a heart-breaking day for the South Lanarkshire club. The outcome also condemned St Roch's to another season in the First Division. 

It was a valiant effort from a team that had been ripped apart the previous summer. At times it looked as though Glencairn would get nowhere near the top three, but Joe Connelly had managed to get the best out of a very limited group of players. That fact didn't go unappreciated as the Rutherglen legend was handed another contract for the following season. 

Final Standings in WoS First Division

The final part of Cambuslang Rangers' story would span three competitions: the league, which would be decided in a three-team shootout; the Junior Cup, the most sought after prize at this level, and a competition that Cambuslang Rangers hadn't won since the '70s; and the WoS League Cup. 

April would begin with the final match of Camby's league campaign, a home tie against Irvine Meadow XI. Cooper Ramsay's men needed to win to stand any realistic chance of winning the title, but even that wouldn't guarantee them anything. The Wee Gers did manage to triumph over Irvine Meadow, 3-1, and with Auchinleck Talbot losing their final game, it left the table looking like this:

Darvel had won one of their games in hand, and only had to beat relegation threatened Beith Juniors to win the league and go into the promotion playoffs. There was nothing that Cambuslang Rangers could do but watch on and hope for something miraculous.

 

On the final day of the West of Scotland Premier Division season, relegation threatened Beith Juniors stunned the league by thumping Darvel 3-0, confirming their Premier Division status for another season, and handing the championship to Cambuslang Rangers!! 

Cooper Ramsay had masterminded one of the club's greatest triumphs in his first season as manager, and there were still two competitions up for grabs. 

On the day that Beith Juniors done Camby the mother of all favours, Cooper Ramsay's side were busy trying to create more history in their Junior Cup Semi-Final clash against Tayport. The Junior Cup was the most prestigious competition at this level of the game, and despite winning it six times in their history, the Wee Gers hadn't managed to get their hands on the trophy since the '70s. A win against Tayport would put them on the brink of yet another unbelievable accomplishment. 

Before the matters of the League Cup Semi-Final and the Junior Cup Final, Cooper Ramsay and his heroes had to deal with the small matter of the promotion playoffs. The winners of the West of Scotland Premier Division, the East of Scotland Premier Division and the South of Scotland League would go into a three-team league competition, with the winners heading up to the Lowland League - one division below the SPFL. 

The first game of the playoffs saw Cambuslang host Lochar Thistle of Dumfries. 

Camby came through the game with flying colours thanks to a brace from Ryan McInnes, the deadly striker on loan from Brechin City. The result meant that a win against Broxburn Athletic in the next fixture would send Cambuslang Rangers up to their highest ever position within the league structure. 

Ryan McInnes was at the double again as Camby sealed the unthinkable: promotion from the West of Scotland Pyramid into the SFA National Leagues. In a season where they were tipped to struggle against relegation, Cooper Ramsay guided the Wee Gers up at the expense of financially better off clubs such as Auchinleck Talbot and Darvel. This undoubtedly further cemented Ramsay's status as Mr Cambuslang Rangers. 

Next up for Camby was a League Cup Semi-Final clash against St Cadoc's Youth Club. Their opponents had just sealed promotion up to the Premier Division and were in a buoyant mood. 

A confident attacking display of football sent Camby into their second final, with the chance of a remarkable treble well and truly on the cards. 

The first of the finals came in the form of the Scottish Junior Cup Final against Brechin Vics. As a player, Cooper Ramsay had dreamed of lifting the trophy like so many of the club's heroes before him, but the dream had always evaded him. In his first season as the club's manager, he stood on the brink of finally achieving it. 

On the 21st May, 2023, Cambuslang Rangers ended a half century's drought and got their hands on their seventh Scottish Junior Cup. The goals by Scott Anson and Ryan McInnes would be etched into the club's folklore for eternity. Cooper Ramsay would be placed alongside the managerial greats of the club despite only being in the role for just under twelve months. The team was given a heroes welcome back to the town after their win.

Despite the euphoria of the Junior Cup triumph, the season wasn't over yet. The West of Scotland League Cup Final presented Cambuslang with the chance to claim a treble. Standing in their way, Gartcairn, the champions of the First Division. 

 

 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 23/24: Pre-Season

After their respective seasons came to an end, Cambuslang Rangers and Rutherglen Glencairn bid farewell to a significant number of players. The most notable of these was Scott Anson, Camby's second top goalscorer the previous season, and Kian Cadden, by far Glencairn's best player last term. The former had opted to retire rather than step up to the Lowland League at the age of thirty-five, while the latter wanted to chance his arm elsewhere after impressing for the Glen. The exoduses did, however, present problems for their respective managers: Cooper Ramsay would have to make sure his Cambuslang side were good enough to make the step up to the Lowland League, despite their financial troubles, and Joe Connelly would have to try and pull together a team capable of getting his side out of the First Division. While the departures opened up space in the wage budgets of both clubs, there was no guarantee that better players would be brought in as replacements in a highly competitive market. 

Rutherglen Glencairn Squad, June 2023.

As preseason training got underway in early July, only a handful of stars returned to Rutherglen Glencairn, leaving the club with something of a personnel crisis. Joe Connelly was said to be furious with the board for their lack of planning and held emergency talks over the issue of recruitment. 

Cambuslang, meanwhile, were finding the going tough in the market. Despite having the numbers to field a team, they struggled to find players of a sufficient quality for their new status as a Lowland League outfit. The recruitment team were busy behind the scenes trying to put things into place, but no new faces were present when preseason training got underway at Somervell Park. 

Cambuslang Rangers Preseason Results

Rutherglen Glencairn Preseason Results

Despite their frustrations in the transfer market, Cooper Ramsay's team enjoyed a fairly fruitful preseason campaign, winning three out of five games and drawing the other two. Despite losing their two top scorers from the previous year, they notched fourteen goals across the five games, too. It was an encouraging sign from the young Camby players who had stepped up to fill the void left by the summer departures.

Glencairn couldn't say they had been encouraged by their own preseason form, however, as a side largely composed of trialists and youth players from various age brackets laboured to two defeats and a draw in three games. Joe Connelly was still waiting on reinforcements to arrive with the new season just two weeks away. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 23/24: August-October

Rutherglen Glencairn Fixtures

Joe Connelly was forced to pour water on the expectations of Rutherglen supporters after the club began their First Division campaign with only five senior players. The personnel crisis was brought on by an exodus from the previous campaign and an extremely difficult market. Every viable target seemed to have multiple suitors of a similar standing, and the Glen's financial muscle could barely compete with Second and Third Division sides, let alone those from the regional Premier Leagues. 

Despite their issues, Glencairn managed to hold Glasgow United on the opening day of the season, as well as thrash Ashfield in the Junior Cup. But September brought home the reality of their predicament as the Glen managed only a single win in four outings - a 1-3 win against Kilsyth Rangers in the Junior Cup. 

The beginning of October brought further disappointments with Cumbernauld United and Rossvale piling the pressure on Connelly. Thankfully the latter half of the month provided some relief for suffering Glencairn fans as Whitletts Vics and Blantyre Vics were dispatched 4-0 and 5-6 respectively. The Glen clearly had no problems scoring goals, but their defence left a lot to be desired. 

After seven games it looked like a tall order for Rutherglen to fight for promotion, with the relegation zone looking a more probable threat.

Cambuslang Rangers Results

Given that Cambuslang had come up to the Lowland League as a surprise package, it was always going to be difficult for them to find their feet at this level. August certainly proved many of the pre-season predictions right as Camby went winless in their first six fixtures. Three draws and three defeats, with no clean sheets kept in any of the games, showed just how far Cooper Ramsay's men had yet to come. 

September altered the narrative, somewhat, with seven league points picked up and progression gained in three different cup competitions. But four straight league defeats in October served as a reminder that the Lang were mixing it with the big boys. The 3-1 win over Caley Braves helped to put a six point cushion between Ramsay's men and the relegation zone, but things would have to improve over the coming months if the Wee Gers were to avoid trouble

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 23/24: November-January

Cambuslang Rangers Results

Cooper Ramsay was very forthright about his team's struggles to adapt to the Lowland League. But he was even more adamant that they would survive and live to learn the lessons from the setbacks. All they needed was to be better than the teams around them. While November's league fixtures brought only three draws and a defeat, every point counted towards the total required to keep Camby safe. The Junior Cup win over Neilston was a welcome relief from the league frustrations, but a South of Scotland Challenge Cup defeat to Third Division Campbeltown Pupils forced Ramsay to dish out the hair dryer treatment. 

The festive period brought two cup exits against Airdrie United and Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, three straight league defeats, and finally a solitary point against Gretna. This marked a real low point of the campaign for Cooper Ramsay, but his side dusted themselves down for the New Year and managed to pick up seven crucial points against Stirling Uni, Broomhill, and Bo'ness United. 

Rutherglen Glencairn Results

Joe Connelly could count a couple of new additions to his squad as November came around. The added numbers started to tell straight away as the Glen pulled off a shock 1-3 win away at Petershill in the Junior Cup. They followed this up with two league wins and a League Cup triumph over Ashfield. 

Despite losing the final game of November, Rutherglen went through the festive period unbeaten, albeit drawing more than winning. Four league draws damaged their promotion chances, but they remained alive in the cups thanks to wins against Maud in the Junior Cup and Neilston in the WoS League Cup.

The New Year brought ten points out of fifteen to keep the Glen in the right half of the table, but there was plenty of ground to make up across February, March and April if Joe Connelly's men wanted to challenge for a place in the Premier Division next season.

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 23/24: February-May

Rutherglen Glencairn Results

The 23/24 run-in saw Joe Connelly's Rutherglen Glencairn condemned to another season in the West of Scotland First Division. In the end, there was only six points separating the Glen from St Anthony's in third, but most of the damage had been done earlier in the season when Glencairn struggled to field a senior starting XI. 

Five wins out of six in February kept Connelly's team in the running for promotion, while also seeing them reach a second cup quarter final thanks to a 4-1 dismantling of Premier Division Glenafton, but March brought a heartbreaking Junior Cup exit and two damaging league defeats at the hands of Largs Thistle and Johnstone Burgh. 

The Glen ended their First Division campaign with three wins over Bonnyton Thistle, Benburb, and Arthurlie, but it was too little, too late. They were dealt further cup heartbreak at the hands of St Anthony's in the West of Scotland League Cup quarter-final after losing on penalties.

Joe Connelly was left to rue what might have been had his side managed to get their squad together earlier in the season. But the Rutherglen legend was handed another contract extension to lead the team into the 24/25 First Division campaign. Would the club learn from their mistakes?

Cambuslang Rangers Results

The remaining months of the 23/24 season was all about survival for Cooper Ramsay's team. They enjoyed a ten point cushion over the last-placed team, meaning they had afforded themselves some breathing space, but they could ill-afford another month like August or December. 

Six points out of twelve in February was positive enough, especially as the two wins came against relegation rivals Civil Service Strollers and Dalbeattie Star. March was close to perfect for Camby, as they finally started to look like a side comfortable with the Lowland League. Celtic B would be the only team to take points off them in April, leaving Ramsay's men in twelfth place on forty-six points; an impressive return for a newly promoted side. 

The season ended with a run to the final of the Lowland League Cup, but Berwick Rangers would break Cooper Ramsay's heart at the Tony Macaroni Arena on May, 25th. All in all, Cambuslang Rangers' first season in the Lowland League had to go down as a roaring success. Yes, they had struggled at times, especially in the first half of the campaign, but in the end they survived comfortably and managed to get themselves to a cup final to boot. The rise of Camby and their legendary manager, Cooper Ramsay, continued apace.

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 24/25: Pre-Season

Cambuslang Fixtures

The Lang had comfortably survived their first season in the Lowland League in the end. There were teething problems, for sure, but their strong end to the campaign kept them well out of trouble. The target was now to build on their first season and establish themselves as a Lowland League team. That would involve additions to the squad, as well as keeping hold of their key players. Fortunately for Cooper Ramsay, both of those things transpired. Camby added some quality to their defence and to their midfield, while keeping hold of their key attacking players. 

With the exception of a humbling against Liverpool's u-21s, Camby performed strongly over the course of pre-season. The key was to carry this form into the new season and make sure they didn't start as poorly as they did last term. 

Rutherglen Glencairn Fixtures

Joe Connelly had avoided the disaster of the previous season: there was no mass exodus and key players were retained. That allowed Rutherglen to build from a more stable and solid position. They had finished in the upper echelons of the First Division last term, so the aim was promotion this time around. 

While their preseason results were mixed, the performances were generally positive for Connelly's side. Their goalscoring prowess was in evidence as they tucked away twelve goals across four games. Defensively, however, they left a lot to be desired. While Connelly and his staff worked tirelessly to bring in defensive reinforcements, the quality available wasn't great, and there was a feeling that the season hinged upon their ability to outscore their opponents, rather than keep them out. 

Season 24/25: August-October

Rutherglen Glencairn Results

The pattern of preseason continued well into the competitive campaign, as Glencairn found themselves involved in some high-scoring encounters. Despite cup progress across August and September, the First Division campaign began with three straight defeats against Ardeer Thistle, Petershill, and Thorniewood United. That left the Glen bottom heading into October, but four win in their next four league encounters pulled Joe Connelly's men right back into the mix. 

Despite their upturn in fortunes in the Autumn, the Junior Cup dream was ended in round three against Troon.

Cambuslang Rangers Results

Camby were handed a difficult start to their second Lowland League campaign. Newly relegated Stranraer were dispatched in July's only game, but Gala Fairydean Rovers were the only side the Wee Gers managed to beat in August.

September proved to be a fantastic month for Cooper Ramsay's side, as they progressed in two cup competitions and picked up nine points out of twelve. They carried this form into October where they dispatched of Stirling Uni, East Kilbride, and Tranent in the league, before knocking Gretna out of the Scottish Cup. 

Thirteen games into their second season at this level, Cambuslang Rangers were mixing it with the better teams in the league. The future looked very promising indeed at Somervell Park. 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 24/25: November-January

Cambuslang Rangers Results

By the end of January, Camby were only three points shy of their previous season's total. This showed a remarkable amount of improvement. Despite the positives, the festive period showed just how far the club had to go before they could challenge the likes of East Kilbride. Scoring only twice across give games, the Lang suffered three defeats and picked up only two points throughout the whole of December. This included a humbling at the hands of lowly Stranraer. 

The New Year started a lot brighter, however, as Cooper Ramsay's side claimed a shock victory over league leaders Celtic B. Two draws rounded off the month, but it was safe to say that Cambuslang were well on their way to establishing themselves in the division.

Rutherglen Glencairn Results

While Cooper Ramsay's men could enjoy a largely pressure-free end to the season, Joe Connelly's Rutherglen team were embroiled in a pressure-pot promotion battle in the First Division. Despite only picking up one league win across November and December, a 2-4 win away at St Roch's, the Glen started 2025 with four emphatic wins across four difficult games. Only league leaders Ardeer Thistle put the breaks on the impressive run. There was also cup progression in the South Challenge Cup thanks to a narrow win over Petershill. 

With only ten points separating first and eleventh place, the run-in was due to be tense. Every point would have to be a prisoner as Rutherglen Glencairn looked to finally escape the West of Scotland First Division, and close the gap on their neighbours Cambuslang Rangers, who were enjoying life in the upper echelons of the Lowland League.

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 24/25: February-May

Cambuslang Rangers Results

Camby were playing without much weight on their shoulders. The 24/25 season was all about building on a positive first season in the league, and they had already virtually secured safety. 

The freedom that the Cambuslang players played with was evident across the remainder of the season, as Ramsay's men only dropped five points from February to May. This period put twenty seven points on the board, helping Camby finish the campaign with seventy-one points. Despite their strong finish, the club didn't manage to pull down any trees in the League Cup, where the lost 2-1 away at East Stirlingshire. 

Rutherglen Glencairn Results

February was a disaster for Joe Connelly's Rutherglen Glencairn. A cup exit to Sauchie Juniors was compounded by a winless month in the league, leaving their promotion hopes on life-support. March had to be a very strong month for the club, and thankfully that proved to be the case. Wins against Drumchapel United, Thorniewood United, Arthurlie, and St Roch's propelled the Glen into the top three. Despite their draw with Benburb, the wins against Kilbirnie Ladeside and Largs Thistle helped to secure a place in the West of Scotland Premier Division, bringing Joe Connelly his first success as the manager of Rutherglen.

[DaneBramage]

I've often thought about starting a game with two managers, but then never committed to it, so it's interesting to see your approach.

Good to see Glencairn getting promoted too and close the gap between the two sides. 

If I could make one request, it would be that the updates are more clearly defined for each club. Maybe split the posts, or use different colours.

KUTGW 

[Tikka Mezzala]

20 minutes ago, DaneBramage said:

If I could make one request, it would be that the updates are more clearly defined for each club. Maybe split the posts, or use different colours.

I'll separate the updates for each team going forward! 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 25/26: Cambuslang Rangers Review

Expectations were high at Camby after last season's strong showing in the Lowland League. With the impressive East Kilbride winning promotion to SPFL League 2, the way was clear for one of the other teams in the division to have a crack at breaking into the professional league structure. For Cooper Ramsay, this presented the opportunity for a life-long dream to be fulfilled, but the Lang manager knew things were rarely straightforward in the world of Scottish football. 

Having finished in the upper echelons of the Lowland League last term, the Wee Gers were entered into the SPFL League Cup at the group stage. Their reward was a tough section alongside Premiership Motherwell, Championship Falkirk and Partick Thistle, and League 1 Queen of the South. As the lowest seeded team, the going was always going to be tough, and that proved to be the case as Camby only managed to put a single point on the board. 

The League Cup group stage was a chastening experience of Camby, but they appeared better off for their troubles when the league campaign got underway. The Lang won five of their opening six Lowland League ties, including an opening day victory over Rangers B. 

While they didn't last long in the SPFL Trust Trophy or the EOS Qualifying Cup, they did manage to progress a couple of rounds in the senior Scottish Cup thanks to victories over Strathspey Thistle and Glenafton. A couple of trouncings against Celtic B and Hearts B didn't deter Camby from enjoying a positive October, where they picked up an impressive thirteen points from fifteen. Their run of form lifted them to second place on thirty-five points at the end of October, well-placed for the promotion play-offs. 

November kept the good times rolling, with four points in the league and a couple of cup progressions. The win over Stirling Uni in the Scottish Cup set Camby up for a fourth-round clash with Premiership Livingston - a decent payday for the club. 

The festive period was largely positive, with only the shock defeat to Bo'ness United setting Ramsay's men back. The New Year would bring their Scottish Cup and South Challenge Cup journeys to an end, but with nine points out of twelve in the league, the club were still well-placed to earn a place in the promotion playoffs. 

The run-in saw a downturn in form that nearly jeopardised Camby's promotion hopes. Three wins, three draws, and three defeats proved to be just enough to see Ramsay's side through to the National Leagues Promotion Playoffs. The final day defeat to Dumbarton actually put the two sides level on points, but the Lang's superior goal difference kept their necks above water.

The playoffs pitted Camby against Highland League champions Brora Rangers. The first leg took place at Somervell Park and ended 2-3 in favour of the away side. A 0-1 win in normal time up in Brora brought the tie to extra time, where an eventful half hour saw the game sway one side and then the other, before a 120th minute winner for Brora decided things. It was heartbreak for Camby and their manager, Cooper Ramsay, who could almost taste the SPFL.

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 25/26: Rutherglen Glencairn Review

Joe Connelly might have feared the worst when Ardeer Thistle hammered his side 5-1 on the opening day of the Premier Division season. But he needn't have worried. The Glen would go on to win their next nine games, including progression in the Scottish Cup and the Junior Cup. 

October did see their Scottish Cup run come to an end, but their excellent league form continued and they managed to see off Clydebank in the Junior Cup. All in all, things were looking very rosy for the Glen at the beginning of their maiden Premier Division campaign. With nine games played, they found themselves five points clear of nearest challengers Rossvale.

November brought two cup runs to an end: the WoS League Cup and the South Challenge Cup. But Junior Cup progression, twinned with ten league points made it a positive month in general.

A further seven points in December kept Glencairn at the top of the pile going into 2026, but a disastrous start to the New Year allowed Darvel to leapfrog Connelly's side. Mick Kennedy's side were starting to get up ahead of steam, and it was clear that the Glen would have to be very impressive in what remained of the season to match the well-funded East-Ayrshire side.

Five dropped points over the remaining league fixtures of the season proved to be pivotal, as Glencairn's unexpected title challenge came unstuck. Darvel's experience at this level showed as Mick Kennedy's side kept their heads and crossed the finish line on the final day of the season. That despite losing to Glencairn in a pivotal match on March 14th. 

It was a valiant effort from the newly promoted Rutherglen side, and there will be some excitement about what they might achieve next year if they can keep the standards high. Despite their league heartbreak, the Glen's campaign was still to be an historic one.

 

Junior Cup Semi-Final

 

Junior Cup Final

Joe Connelly never managed to get his hands on the Scottish Junior Cup as a player, despite over two decades of service with Glencairn. Prior to their 2026 triumph, the club hadn't won the competition since 1939. This made it all the more special when Ross Mahady fired home the winner at New Southcroft Park just before the hour mark. There were jubilant scenes at the full-time whistle, and the club took the trophy back to the town of Rutherglen, via Cambuslang, to celebrate with the locals in a festive atmosphere. This was the Glen's fifth Junior Cup triumph, leaving them only two behind their rivals Cambuslang, who have won the competition seven times.

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 26/27: Cambuslang Rangers Review

Having already established themselves in the Lowland League, the next logical step for Cambuslang Rangers was the heady heights of the SPFL. As a club that have spent the majority of their history playing in the junior game, the prospect of entering the professional structure and giving the town of Cambuslang a club within the same pyramid as Celtic and Rangers was exciting. The club had come close to breaking into the SPFL already, but Brora Rangers put a stop to it. The experience is one that Cooper Ramsay hopes his side have learned from. 

The excitement around Somervell Park was palpable when Camby began the new season with an incredible 9-3 demolition of Gretna. But putting a string of wins together proved tough during the opening exchanges of the season, with a niggly draw or a damaging defeat never far away. 

The highlight of the opening months of the campaign was surely the 5-1 thrashing of SPFL League 2 side Elgin City in the Scottish Cup. The win demonstrated the credentials of Ramsay's side, and they hoped to make such fixtures a more regular thing. 

Cumbernauld Colts were proving to be the exceptional side in the division. But Camby were far from out of the running to reach the playoffs. A win in their game in hand would close the gap on the Colts, but it was already becoming clear that the Lang's inconsistency would be punished this season. 

November and December proved to be disastrous for Camby's promotion hopes. By the end of the festive period it was pretty much confirmed that they would be playing in the Lowland League again next season. For the first time in his reign, Cooper Ramsay's side showed signs of regression rather than growth. The rest of the campaign would now be about trying to do something in the cups and seeing who deserved to stick around next season, and who should be moved on to help move the club in the right direction.

February and early March continued the miserable Lowland League form, but after their defeat to Tranent Juniors on March 2nd, Camby started to look like their old selves. They claimed fourteen out of eighteen points to round off the season, and while it was some way short of their best Lowland League performance, it helped to build some confidence in the team; something that proved crucial in helping the club secure a piece of silverware. 

Having seen of Arniston, Civil Service, and Dumbarton, Cambuslang contested the EOS Qualifying Cup Final against Spartans in late May. Spartans had knocked them out of the Lowland League Cup earlier that month, and so the Edinburgh side went into the final as favourites. But it was Cooper Ramsay's side that claimed the prize thanks to a narrow 1-0 win. The victory helped to ease the disappointment of a regression in their league campaign, and further cemented Ramsay's legacy at the club. Only the 1970s proved to be a more fruitful period in the history of the club. 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Season 26/27: Rutherglen Glencairn Review

Scottish Junior Cup champions Rutherglen Glencairn began the 26/27 season with a clear purpose: correct the wrongs of the previous league campaign. In 25/26, Joe Connelly's side had enjoyed a commanding lead in the Premier Division, only to throw it away in the latter half of the season, allowing Darvel to pip them to the title and subsequently to promotion. With some new faces in their ranks, the Glen hoped they would pick up where they left off and never look back. 

Glencairn made a steady start to the new season with four straight league wins and progression in the South Challenge Cup and the Junior Cup. The only blip in their early record was the Scottish Cup exit to Dundonald, denying the Glen any pay days in the competition. 

October proved a more inconsistent period, with East Stirlingshire and Pollok handing out defeats to Camby, although the former were thrashed 6-1 in the Junior Cup as a measure of revenge. 

With ten games played, it was all up for grabs. Pollok and Auchinleck looked most likely to challenge the Glen's title claim, although a number of teams were well in with a shout if they could put a good run of form together over the next few months. 

November brought six crucial league points for Connelly's men, but their Junior Cup defence came unstuck in the fourth round against Threave Rovers. The Glen negotiated the traditionally tricky festive period relatively well, coming through most of December unscathed until Cumnock handed them a hiding on boxing day. 

One win in January allowed the teams round about them to make up ground, and by the end of the month both Cumnock and Auchinleck Talbot stood a chance of leapfrogging Glencairn if they could win their games in hand. 

There wasn't much room for error in the February-April run-in. Twenty one points out of twenty seven proved to be the sweet spot for Rutherglen, as they managed to pip Auchinleck Talbot to the Premier Division title by a margin of three points. The 2-4 win away at Auchinleck on the penultimate matchday proved to be the decider - a match that would go down in the history of the Rutherglen club. The title was sealed on the final day with a nervy 3-2 win at home to Kirkintilloch Rob Roy. 

All that was left to decide now was the small matter of promotion to the Lowland League. 

Standing in the way of the Glen was East of Scotland Champions Linlithgow Rose and South of Scotland side Dalbeattie Star. The latter had only recently been relegated from the Lowland League, and were looking for an immediate return. Linlithgow Rose are one of the more prominent names over in the East of Scotland. 

The first game of the playoffs saw Linlithgow and Dalbeattie play out a 2-2 draw. That handed Rutherglen the chance to eliminate the eastern giants at home on May 4th. A narrow 1-0 win meant that everything would be decided in the south of Scotland against Dalbeattie. In a nervy exchange, Joe Connelly's men held their nerve to claim a priceless 2-2 draw, sending Glencairn up to the Lowland League. It was the club's second promotion in three years. 

For the first time in many years, Rutherglen Glencairn and Cambuslang Rangers would be playing in the same division. Both towns stood on the verge of having their own SPFL club. But who would come out on top and reach the promised land first?