Published: Thursday, 16th August, 2007 16:11
Happy 40th birthday
By Frank Cassidy
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The club has been awarded with the SFA Standard Quality Mark for displaying high standards in four areas — player and coach development, club management, administration and child welfare.
But they are not resting on their laurels after becoming the first club in Argyll and Bute and one of the first in Scotland to get the award.
Their next step is to go for the Quality Mark at Development level as the club moves into its 40th year, having been formed in 1968 by John McGinley and ex-Dumbarton keeper Wallace Murdoch.
Starting with just one team, comprising boys born in 1960, the side included people like Davy Carr, Nigel Parlane, David Godfrey and Bobby Hunter.
Before long a second team was formed with players such as Gordon Mills, Euan Birss, Tom Purcell, John Cameron, Stewart Fyffe, Frank Clay and Robert Wilson among others.
Some of these early players went on to play at professional and junior teams, including Dumbarton and Hamilton Accies with John Cameron reckoned by many people to be the best ever ‘Caple player.
Gordon Mills is another player fondly remembered as one of the best — Gordon went on to score a hat-trick in the Scottish Junior Cup Final for top Ayrshire club, Auchinleck Talbot.
Following the club tradition for producing senior players, at present Sean Diamond, Kieron Millar, Gary McKell and Lewis Fagan are all playing with professional youth teams after being spotted at Ardencaple.
John McGinley was involved with the club until his untimely death two years ago and was proud how the club had progressed from humble beginnings.
One source of pride was seeing ex-players returning to coach at the club and Davy Carr, Kevin Ross, Colin Stephenson, Colin McMillan, Euan Birss, Tony McCann, Willie Henry and Billy Murdoch have all coached at some point.
Now there are more than 300 youngsters at the club and in the last 18 months they formed a girls’ team with Kathryn Donald and Natalie Sharp (daughter of ex-player Alan) running the team.
Last year the club received lottery funding through the Sportsmatch scheme where the lottery match money given by local businesses to encourage sport.
Ardencaple have used the money to run tournaments and going into schools to coach and help get competitions up and running in the area.
Every coach attends SFA courses and the club has met criteria demanded by Disclosure Scotland and many of the staff are First Aid trained.
Despite the number of players, many of the age groups have waiting lists and as a result the club are looking for more coaches and looking to expand the girls section.
Anybody who would like to get involved should call club chairman John Milne on Helensburgh 675323 and John has praised all coaches, parents and helpers for their support and time.
He said: “I would like to thank Lomond School and Helensburgh Rugby Club for their support of the club and also all the sponsors who help keep the club going.
“Peter McCann’s Barbers, Nicol Slee, Trident Taxis, NAR Plumbing, The Wedding Planner, Rhu Inn, Helensburgh Floorplan, Classic Lifts, West Coast Cutters, Helensburgh Toyota, BNS, Crammond Consulting, GM Glass, Blue CAT Group, Excel Maintenance, Levenbank Kennels, Workforce, Imperial Hotel.”
To mark their 40th birthday, the club is looking for old photographs of past players and teams — anyone who has any is asked to pass them onto the club. •This weekend sees the build-up to the season continue as two events take place at Hermitage Academy.
On Saturday the under-14 John McGinley Memorial Trophy is up for grabs as a round-robin series of matches will be followed by the two top teams contesting the final.
Taking part are Ardencaple, Antonine, Dalvait and Duntocher and the tournament, sponsored by Classic Lifts, will run between noon and 3pm.
On Sunday August 19 the annual challenge match between Helensburgh and Ardencaple will take place.
A series of five matches are being played by teams at 8/9,10/11 and 12 age groups.
Football fans should get along to the Hermitage astro-turf between 10am and 1pm to catch the action.
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