The Great War of 1914 - 1918
29 Jul 2011

The Great War of 1914 – 1918 interrupted football in the village. However, at the end of the hostilities football established itself once more as a focal part of village life. In honour of fallen heroes, the village side assumed the title of the Teithbank Comrades.

The names of Teithbank Rovers, Doune Wasps and Doune United all featured before the name of Doune Castle FC appeared once more.

Early in 1922 the following side represented the then new Doune Castle Football Club in a thrilling 4-3, league victory over Stirling Thistle:

Docherty; Cruickshank and Manning; Young, Strang and Kennedy; Russell, P Connelly, Crombie, Marshall and T Connelly

This Doune Castle side played in the Stirling and District Secondary Juvenile League. They competed against some of the most famous names in the district including Callander Thistle, Castle Rovers, Menstrie Thistle, Cowie Rob Roy, West End Rangers and Dunipace Thistle. Local rivalry was fierce. Following the 5-2 league defeat away to Menstrie Thistle, the Callander Times reported:

‘…a keenly contested tussle in which Doune Castle were handicapped by a player being ordered off. The spectators acted very unsportingly, and they do not seem to realise that they jeopardise their club’s chances by doing so. Behave, boys, and remember that it is the club that suffers for these outbursts, not the spectators!’

Perhaps, times haven’t changed so much in the interceding years!

Doune Castle were a strong and successful secondary juvenile side. Several of their players progressed to the senior ranks, like George Murray who signed for Partick Thistle in 1930. The team captured trophies with frequent regularity, including the League Title, the Timpson Cup and the Stirling and District Juvenile Cup.

Pictured is the Doune Castle side of 1928, proudly displaying the Stirling and District Secondary Juvenile Cup:

The name of Doune Castle
29 Jul 2011

The name of Doune Castle continued to feature in the archives of Stirling and District Secondary Juvenile Football until the outbreak of the Second World War. Football was then put on hold in the village during the conflict.

After the war, a number of the famous names from the village football past re-emerged, if only briefly.

And then, in 1954, the current Doune Castle Amateur Football Club was born.

Jock McClaws, Les Eastwood, Bill Harkness and Sammy Blackwood were the founding fathers of the Doune Castle club as we know it today.

Doune Castle quickly established themselves as a high quality side, with a reputation for good football and sporting play.

Twice they reached the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup, and two semi finals of the North of Tay Cup.

The Doune Castle Line-Up of the Late 1950’s

The Loch Trophy
29 Jul 2011

The club had to wait, however, until 1961 before winning its first silverware - the Loch Trophy.

Sandy McIntosh, the club’s current Honorary Chairman, was the main striker of that fine side, netting over 40 goals in that cup-winning season.

The regular Doune Castle line-up in 1961 was as follows:

Docherty; Cuthbert and Ross; Cunningham, Rankin and Stevenson; Watson, Lennon, McIntosh, Shields and Cowie

The Successful Doune Castle Side of the Early 1960’s

The Committee Men
29 Jul 2011

Under various hard-working committee men, the club continued to be recognised as a leading member of the Stirling and District Amateur Football Association, a link that was to span over forty years.

Telling contributions from Jimmy Bissett, Davy McTurk, Peter Thomson, Charles Mungall, Sandy McIntosh and Willie Docherty were invaluable as Doune Castle rose to become a major force in Scottish amateur football during the late sixties and seventies.
Jock McPhee celebrates giving Doune Castle a 1-0 lead in the 1970 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park.
  

Willie Docherty was maintaining a family tradition that was to develop into a family dynasty in the life of Doune Castle. Willie’s father, Willie Senior, had played in goal for the young Doune Castle side of the late 1920’s. Willie, himself, was the keeper at the founding of the club in the 1950’s and played in the side that captured the club’s first trophy.

Willie’s own sons, Willie and Michael, were also to play for the Castle. Willie was right full back in the late 1980’s, and into the nineties. Michael continued the family goalkeeping tradition, occupying the sticks from the mid 1990’s to the early years of the new millennium.

Willie Docherty is the current club Secretary, with Michael a member of the club committee, both maintaining a unique family link with the club.

Season 1968–69 heralded the start of an incredible golden period for Doune Castle.

With the astute Sandy McIntosh as manager, assisted by Willie Docherty (the Doc), the First Division Title was won. Seven consecutive First Division League Championship victories followed as the Castle dominated the local scene.

The Challenge, The Robertson, The Drysdale and The Buchan were all cups captured during that successful era.

In season 1971 - 72, striker Mick Boyle set the club’s goal-scoring record, overtaking the feats of manager, Sandy McIntosh in the early 1960’s. Mick bagged 75 goals - a staggering achievement at any level.

Doune Castle also made its mark in the national competitions during this outstanding period for the team. Their achievements were made all the more remarkable, as they were affectionately known as ‘the team that didn’t train!’

In the Scottish and West Cups it was a classic case of so near, and yet so far. All who can remember will vividly recall the Scottish Cup Final of 1969 -1970. 1–0 ahead with only two minutes remaining, the trophy seemed destined for Moray Park.

Lanarkshire opponents, Douglas Amateurs snatched a last gasp equaliser, however, and ran out 3 – 1 winners in extra-time. Perhaps an ironic and bitter lesson in the importance of fitness had been learned.