It has never been ascertained with any degree of accuracy why a club was formed in Stepps specifically for the playing of the game of hockey, but the very first minutes, written in pencil and still legible on a writing pad, aptly named "Challenge", states quite clearly and definitely that at a meeting held in the Union Public Hall on 15th April 1913, "it was decided to form a hockey club in Stepps".

 

The eight gentlemen who attended that historic meeting and who most assuredly were the founder members of the club were;

A. D. Montgomery (Chairman), R. Auber, J. Barnett, F. Cook, E. C. Hart, R. M. Pitcairn, J. Stewart and B. Wallace.

The establishment of Stepps Hockey Club, should to digress a little, perhaps be shown in relation to the national pattern in Scotland.

Although shinty existed as a pastime in the country, it was not until the late 19th century that hockey emerged as a game, with an agreed code of rules. The first recorded hockey match was between Fettes and Loretto schools in 1891. Thereafter, within a few years men's clubs commenced here and there in the country, and this culminated in 1901 when an association of Western clubs held a challenge match against Eastern clubs, and later that same year a national meeting was called and the Scottish Hockey Association was formed. The affiliated clubs at that time were:

Band of Brothers, C. G. Addis XI, Clackmannan County, Dumbarton, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University, Milliken Park (now Cochrane Park) (now Kelburne), Nondescripts, Royal Artillery (Leith), Western

 

In the next dozen years the game flourished and spread rapidly.
International matches were played, District Associations were constructed, although a West District had been in existence since 1900.

More and more clubs were formed, until 1914 when war put a stop to further expansion of the game.

 

It was therefore during this period of growth of the game of hockey that somebody in Stepps thought it a good idea to form a club, gathered a few enthusiastic like-minded gentlemen around him, and called the afore-mentioned meeting.

 

The meeting next proceeded to the election of Office Bearers who were;

President                                               P. Edgar

Vice-President                                     E. C. Hart

Secretary  & Treasurer                       J. Barnett

Club Captain                                         A. D. Montgomery

Committee Members                          H. Riach, R. Auber, F. Cook
                                                                 and J. Stewart

 

Certain 'influential gentlemen', as the Minute puts it, were thought to be suitable to be appointed Hon. Office Bearers and they were to be approached to fill the positions.

 

Hon. President                                     Col. A. Sprot

Hon. Vice Presidents                          R. J. Dunlop, R. Love W.C.B.
Christie and Dr. A. McGuire

 

The pitch suggested was next to Stepps Cricket Club ground which was very roughly where the pitches are today. The rent was £2.10.0d. to be paid annually to Mr. Pettigrew, the farmer. At the same time 10/- a year was to be paid to the Cricket Club for the use of their pavilion and entrance to the ground.

 

Goal posts were to be bought and erected for 8/- and the first match was arranged against Babcock and Wilcox, to be played on 29th April.

 

Thus Stepps Hockey Club was born, on paper at least!

 

According to the minutes of the first AGM, held on 2nd September 1914, the first season was a most successful one in various ways. So many people wanted to join the club that a 2nd XI had to be formed and fixtures arranged for them. Twenty four matches were played by the 1st XI, 14 were won, 6 lost and 4 drawn - 'a record for a first year club' states the Secretary's Report. However problems arose which were to remain problems for many years e.g. condition of pitch and clubhouse facilities. Negotiations with various people ultimately resulted in 'The Moss' being rented from Mr Morton of Whitehill Farm. Various functions were held to raise money to erect a Pavilion which was eventually to be erected for the princely sum of £29.

 

With the outbreak of the First World War the playing of the game of hockey became of secondary importance, but the club carried on as best it could under the circumstances.

 

There are no records of any meetings having been held between
November 1914 and September 1919.

 

The first minute is of an AGM held on 2nd September 1919 when it was unanimously decided to re-establish the club as quickly as possible and to that end the following office bearers were elected;

 

Honorary President                            Wm. Watson, JP

Honorary Vice Presidents                 R. Rankin, Dr. McGuire, J. Jack,

H. Riach, Rev. J. Fleming,

Rev. M. Sherman

President                                               Peter Edgar

Vice Presidents                                    John McEwing, John Campbell
Captain                                                   Paul Johnstone

Vice Captain                                          John Barnett

Hon. Secretary                                     Matthew Johnstone

Hon. Treasurer                                     William Fraser

Committee Members                          Robert M. Smith, Jarnes Knox
Arthur Allan

Selection Committee                          John Campbell, John McEwing

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The playing membership in the clubs first season after the war exceeded 30, with two Xl’s being run successfully. 1st XI played 21 matches, won 12, lost 4 and drew 5.

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Once again the pitch was proving unsatisfactory, and approaches were made to the local farmers with a view to a change being made. Whitehill and Hornshill Farms proved negative. A field was offered at the foot of Lenzie Brae at £6 per acre, per annum for a period of 10 years, but this was declined. Finally, after months of searching and negotiation with all sorts of people it was decided to return to Mount Harriet. The ground was to be leased for 10 years from Sir Alex Sprot at £20 per annum, with powers to sub-let it for grazing at a rate of £7 per annum.

For some reason or other a sum of £2 had to be paid to Mr Pettigrew the farmer "for access to the ground"!

Just to prove also how well the local residents supported the club there is also a list of no fewer than 60 of them - all Honorary Members.

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The next ten years, until season 1934-35, saw the fortunes of the Stepps club, in a playing sense at any rate, fluctuate quite considerably - some very good, some not so good and some, by Stepps standards, very bad.

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But season 1934-35 was an historic season in another sense, as it was during that season that the first player from the club was capped for Scotland. Hugh Watson played at outside right in all three internationals against England, Ireland and Wales. In his secretary's report to the AGM at the end of that season Jack Ferguson expressed the wish that "now that a start had been made Stepps will be represented in Scottish teams for years to come".

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The following season saw Hugh receive one more cap, against Wales, but more importantly George Abel, ('Dot' to most of us), received long overdue recognition by not only being capped against Wales but also by being selected to captain the Scottish team. Many followers of the game
felt that his ability as a forward should have been recognised earlier in his career, but the selectors of that era were prone to selecting players from shall we say, more fashionable clubs, and many from English clubs, to the exclusion of home players, many of whom, and Stepps had others, were considered to be at least as good as, if not better than those selected. Dot Abel only received the one cap at left back in which position he played for the club until the end of his playing career.

Season 1936/37 saw George Sime receive his only pre-war cap, at right back against Wales. George of course played for Scotland, and Great Britain after the 2nd World War and these caps will be dealt with in the next section.

It was during the mid 30's that the Stepps club reached peak performance. In two of these seasons the first eleven produced records which have stood the test of time.

 

Most, if not all, of today's players assume that competitive hockey with its leagues and cups was post-war innovation. That however is not the case, for as far back as 1938 an "unofficial league" was run by the Glasgow "Evening News", and although not all the clubs in the west played each other twice during the season sufficient matches were played to give a pretty accurate picture of the playing strength of the clubs involved. Very little separated the like of Stepps, Cartha, Western, Whitecraigs, Nomads and others, but perhaps season 1937/38 is worth mentioning as it was the year that Whitecraigs and Stepps finished equal first in pointage, and as it was generally felt that goal average/difference was not a suitable way of deciding the winner a decider was played at Mount Harriet in April 1938 which we unfortunately lost 0-1 after a very keenly fought match. The Stepps team which played in that match, and which is the team referred to earlier as having been one of the club's strongest of that particular period was:-

George Baird, George Sime, George Abel, Alastair Murray, Jack Ferguson, 'Currie' McCartney, Hugh Watson, Willie Russell, Bryce Thomson, George Paterson and Alex Robertson.

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The club was able to carry on for two more seasons, but with the outbreak of the Second World War and the consequent departure of many players to the Armed Forces, it was considered to be impossible to continue playing and the interests of the club were put in the hands of a War Emergency Committee comprising:

Chairman: A. G. Abel
Secretary: J. Ferguson

Members: G. D. Paterson, B. Johnstone and J. Brackenridge

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A big debt of gratitude is due to all these gentlemen, but particularly George Abel, for keeping things ticking over during the six years of war. Unfortunately the clubhouse was burned down on 19th May 1943, but £100 was paid by the Insurance Company so at least the club funds benefited!

With the mention of the loss of the clubhouse it is perhaps pertinent at this stage to point out to today's players how fortunate they are in having such comfortable accommodation available to them. In these pre-war days the home team stripped at home and walked up to the pitch, because there was only room for the visitors. There were no showers - in fact no water was laid on at all, and basins were supplied for the visitors to help themselves to water from the rain barrel outside!
On some occasions water had to be brought from 'Ulston', which in those days was occupied by the Paterson family.

Lighting, toilet and cooking facilities were also basic, and very often ladies making the tea were confronted by near naked men prancing about the place to get some heat up after their ablutions!!

It is worth noting also that the Stepps captain, of whichever eleven was playing at home, was responsible for persuading a lady to deal with the visitors tea - for purchasing the food (usually from Gillies and McNish), and for remaining to socialise with the visiting team during tea, whether or not his strip was muddy and soaking wet.

So the club was in 'mothballs' until the end of hostilities in 1946, when those who were fortunate enough to return to civilian life, and were still young enough to play hockey, together with a new generation of youth, keen to help to get the club going again, worked with those who had watched over the club's interests during six years of war to make Stepps Hockey Club once again one of the leading clubs in Scotland.