St Anthony’s (Scotland)

St Anthony's FC is a junior non-league football club from the Cardonald area of Glasgow who were formed in 1902. Initially the club played at a basic ground on Hamilton Street; now Neathen Street in Govan.

The players had to change at the League of the Cross Hall in Hamilton Street because the ground was unenclosed and had no pavilion. The club took up junior status in 1905.

‘The Ants’ had a spell as one of the foremost clubs in the country of that level, being crowned as Scottish Junior League Champions in 1916-17. The club retained their title the following season, as well as reaching the final of the Scottish Junior Cup, where they were defeated 1-0 after a replay by Glencairn.

Further Junior League titles were added in 1919-20 and 1920-21 to ensure that St Anthony’s were crowned as champions for four consecutive seasons. The team were Junior Cup runners-up in 1924-25 after a 2-1 replay defeat in the final against Saltcoats Victoria.

The era had seen several St Anthony’s stars progress beyond the junior game. Bobbie Bruce went on to play for Aberdeen, Middlesbrough and Scotland. Ginger Dunn progressed to Hibernian and then Everton as well as being one of Scotland’s Wembley Wizard players of 1928.

John Gilchrist and Tommy McInnally starred for both Celtic and Scotland, while John McKay went on to represent Celtic, Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Scotland. Several others went on to fine careers in domestic football with Celtic continuing to benefit.

The Ants lifted the West of Scotland Cup in 1937-38 with Bobbie Evans starring for the green and white hoops a few years later before moving on to honours with Celtic, Chelsea and Scotland before being introduced to the Scottish Football Home of Fame in 2008.

Willie Gallacher, Peter Lamb and John Duffy were among the star players at the club in the 1940’s; as all three went on to have spells at Celtic Park. St Anthony’s won the Scottish Central League Division ‘C’ title in 1947-48.

However, St Anthony’s then hit a period of struggle. The club were left homeless for many years before securing the use of McKenna Park, which was located inside Cardonald Park in the shadows of the M8 motorway in 2003.

St Ants were on the way back after becoming champions of the West of Scotland Central District Second Division in 2002-03, from where the club progressed to the Central District First Division.

The 2015-16 season saw Ants relegated back to the Central District Second Division. There return heralded a mid table finish. Co-manager Tony Kane stepped down in the summer of 2017 with John Doyle replacing him alongside Ronnie McDonald.

St Anthony’s FC will play in the SJFA West of Scotland Central District Second Division in the 2017-18 season.

My visit

Thursday 18th May 2017

My day out in Glasgow before that evening’s Premiership match at Firhill between Partick Thistle and Celtic was going well. My first venue, Renfrew, was open after alighting from my morning flight. The 77 bus had dropped my on the edge of Govan.

A five minute walk up alongside the A739 duel carriageway took me to Shieldhall Road. I went across and saw the locked gates to McKenna Park along Fulbar Road. I hopped over the fence and wandered into Cardonald Park, looking for views of the football ground.

The hedge surrounding it was pretty thick. I managed to find a slight gap at the top end, where no doubt fans had gone out retrieving stray balls in the past. I also followed the park around to the other end to get some additional shots.

McKenna Park was a basic but tidy enclosure, with a few steps of open terracing down one side. The changing rooms and club building was set back from the pitch at the Fulbar Road entrance.

I got the best photos on offer and then crossed the main road and headed by the industrial laden streets below the M8 motorway to visit the new home of Benburb FC.