| STORY OF
THE SEASON |
At the start of the season
Star lost four players to the senior ranks. Danny Paton and Terry
Tighe were covered in last season’s article, but a further
two players joined Hibernian. Goalkeeper Lawrie Leslie who had
been with Star for three years, went on to have a long and successful
senior career with the Hibees, Airdrie, Stoke, West Ham United,
Millwall and Southend. He played nearly 350 professional league
games and won 5 full caps for Scotland. Also on the move to Easter
Road was centre half Joe McLelland. He was a stalwart of the Easter
Road side that did so well in Europe around 1960. He later joined
Wrexham.
Star ended the season in 4th place in the Mid/East
Division of the Edinburgh and District League – their lowest
position for many years. However, the League was very tight and
Star were just three points behind champions Haddington –
Dalkeith and Arniston finished in second and third places. With
so many teams in Midlothian competition was very tough and at
the end of the season Rosewell Rosedale resigned from the League.
The Scottish Junior Cup provided some excitement
for the fans. The first round brought a trip to Grangemouth to
play newly formed Grangemouth United – an amalgamation of
Forth Rangers and Grange Rovers. Slater (2) and Hunter scored
as Star made heavy weather of gaining a 3-2 win. Bo’ness
United came to Victoria Park in the second round and the crowd
were treated to a great game. Paton (2), Hunter and Castle scored
for Star as play raged from end to end. Star finally won 4-3.
Alva Albion Rangers, one of the strugglers from the West Division,
were next to take a trip to Midlothian. Slater (4) and Castle
scored as Star won 5-2. Stoneyburn were next to fall to the Star
by 4-1, before Armadale came calling in Round 5. Another double
from Slater was enough to earn a 2-1 win.
That took Star through to the Quarter Final stage
where they were drawn away to Banks o’ Dee. The Aberdeen
side were going through a purple patch and the tie caught the
imagination of the public in Aberdeen. The game was switched to
Pittodrie and a crowd of 16,369 attended – including an
estimated 1200 who had travelled in support of the Star. Once
again Slater scored but Star were well beaten by an impressive
home side with a final score of 3-1. Banks o’ Dee went on
to win the trophy, defeating Kilsyth Rangers in the Final at Hampden
Park.
The nearest Star came to winning a trophy was
in the East of Scotland Cup. Wins over Ormiston, Arniston and
Whitburn led them to the Final where they faced Haddington at
Easter Road. Star were not at the races that day and could have
no complaints about a 2-0 defeat – Haddington were in rampant
form and went on to complete a ‘double’ when they
defeated Broxburn over 2 legs for the overall Edinburgh and District
Championship.
Star reached the Semi Final of the Murray Cup,
losing 4-3 to Armadale, and the same stage of the Thornton Shield
when they lost out 5-4 to Pumpherston at King’s Park in
Dalkeith.. There were early exits in the other competitions.
At the end of the season centre forward Alex
Paterson was signed by Dunfermline Athletic. |
| Source: Newtongrange Star FC match programme
[8-Nov-08] |
| EDINBURGH
& DISTRICT LEAGUE MID/EAST DIVISION |
| |
PLD |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
PTS |
| Haddington Athletic |
26 |
19 |
2 |
5 |
82 |
40 |
40 |
| Dalkeith Thistle |
26 |
17 |
5 |
4 |
85 |
46 |
39 |
| Arniston Rangers* |
26 |
17 |
1 |
8 |
80 |
48 |
37 |
| Newtongrange Star* |
26 |
15 |
5 |
6 |
78 |
56 |
37 |
| Loanhead Mayflower |
25 |
11 |
4 |
10 |
45 |
48 |
26 |
| Bonnyrigg Rose |
26 |
12 |
1 |
13 |
60 |
56 |
25 |
| Tranent Juniors |
26 |
11 |
3 |
12 |
64 |
71 |
25 |
| Dunbar United |
26 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
46 |
53 |
24 |
| Penicuik Athletic |
26 |
10 |
3 |
13 |
53 |
55 |
23 |
| Rosewell Rosedale |
26 |
10 |
3 |
13 |
64 |
79 |
23 |
| Easthouses Lily |
26 |
9 |
3 |
14 |
49 |
65 |
21 |
| Preston Athletic |
26 |
7 |
5 |
14 |
44 |
62 |
19 |
| Ormiston Primrose |
25 |
5 |
5 |
15 |
41 |
73 |
15 |
| Musselburgh Athletic |
26 |
5 |
2 |
19 |
35 |
74 |
12 |
|
| * |
2pts awarded due to
an opponent fielding inelligible players |
|
| OPPONENTS |
VENUE |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
Arniston Rangers |
H |
<won> |
|
| A |
|
|
Bonnyrigg Rose |
H |
3-2 |
Castle 2, Paterson |
| A |
|
|
Dalkeith Thistle |
H |
<won> |
|
| A |
<lost> |
|
Dunbar United |
H |
|
|
| A |
1-6 |
|
Easthouses Lily |
H |
5-4 |
Ross 2, Hunter, Paterson, Paton |
| A |
2-2 |
Hunter, Slater |
Haddington Athletic |
H |
|
|
| A |
<lost> |
|
Loanhead Mayflower |
H |
2-1 |
|
| A |
<lost> |
|
Musselburgh Athletic |
H |
7-1 |
Paterson 2, Castle, Paton, ? |
| A |
3-1 |
Slater 2, OG |
Ormiston Primrose |
H |
3-1 |
Hunter, Ross, Smith |
| A |
4-4 |
Paterson 2, Slater, Ross |
Penicuik Athletic |
H |
3-2 |
Hunter, Paton, Castle |
| A |
3-1 |
|
Preston Athletic |
H |
5-2 |
Hunter, Paterson 3, Slater |
A |
2-3 |
Durie, Paton |
Rosewell Rosedale |
H |
9-2 |
Paterson 4, Hunter 2, Castle 2, Slater |
| A |
4-2 |
Hunter, White, Slater, Ross |
Tranent Juniors
|
H |
|
|
A |
2-0 |
Slater, Paterson |
| SCOTTISH
JUNIOR CUP |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
CROWD |
| 1 |
A |
Grangemouth United |
3-2 |
Slater 2, Hunter |
|
| 2 |
H |
Bo'ness United |
4-3 |
Paton 2, Hunter, Castle |
|
| 3 |
H |
Alva Albion Rangers |
5-2 |
Slater 4, Castle |
|
| 4 |
|
Stoneyburn Juniors |
4-1 |
Hunter, Paton, Paterson, Slater |
|
| 5 |
H |
Armadale Thistle |
2-1 |
Slater 2 |
|
| QF |
A |
Banks O'Dee |
1-3 |
Slater |
16,369 |
| THORNTON
SHIELD |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
| 1 |
A |
Penicuik Athletic |
6-4 |
OG, Ferguson, Paterson 3, Hunter |
| 2 |
A |
Dalkeith Thistle |
2-1 |
Hunter, Slater |
| QF |
A |
Fauldhouse United |
<draw> |
|
| |
H |
Fauldhouse United |
8-3 |
|
| SF |
N |
Pumpherston Juniors |
4-5 |
|
| EAST
OF SCOTLAND CUP |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
| 1 |
|
Bye |
|
|
| 2 |
A |
Ormiston Primrose |
4-0 |
Paterson 2, Castle, Slater |
| QF |
A |
Arniston Rangers |
7-0 |
Paterson 4, Ross, Slater, Paton |
| SF |
N |
Whitburn Juniors |
3-1 |
|
| F |
N |
Haddington Athletic |
0-2 |
|
| ST
MICHAELS CUP |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
| 1 |
|
Bye |
|
|
2 |
|
? |
|
|
| QF |
|
Tranent Juniors |
4-1 |
Paton, Slater 2, Paterson |
| SF |
N |
Dalkeith Thistle |
2-5 |
Ross 2 |
| BROWN
CUP |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
| 1 |
|
Ormiston Primrose |
5-0 |
Slater 2, Hunter 2, Ross |
| 2 |
|
? |
|
|
| R L
RAE CUP |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
| 1 |
|
Haddington Athletic |
<won> |
|
| 2 |
H |
Loanhead Mayflower |
<lost> |
|
| MURRAY
CUP |
| ROUND |
VENUE |
OPPONENTS |
SCORE |
MATCH DETAILS |
| 1 |
A |
Bonnyrigg Rose |
3-3 |
Paton, Paterson, Ross |
| |
H |
Bonnyrigg Rose |
5-1 |
Hunter 3, Slater, Castle |
| 2 |
A |
Stoneyburn Juniors |
4-2 |
Slater 2, Hunter, Linton |
| QF |
|
Linlithgow Rose |
2-1 |
|
| SF |
|
Armadale Thistle |
3-4 |
Hunter, Paterson, ? |
|