Gartocharn Football Team — the Early Days

Gartocharn Football Team was set up in the early 1950s by the committee of Colin Kennedy, Albert Stewart, Hammy McKinlay, Willie Bennie, Willie Thomson,Tom Smith, Hughie Wyllie, Jock McGregor, Dougie McGregor, Jack Wyllie, Jimmy Simpson (then manager of Gartocharn Hotel, and an ex-Rangers' player) and Andrew Colquhoun.

Early team players were Tom Smith, George Smith, Billy Turnbull, Jock and Dougie McGregor, Archie Mitchell, Dick Mullin, John McColl, Allan McNiven, Hughie Wyllie, George McKinley and Norrie Mcleod. Goal Keepers: George Hogarth, John Brennan and John Mullen.

The first home league games were played at Shandon Park, Drymen as there was no football pitch in the village.

Bill Randall from South Gartocharn Farm donated ground to Dumbarton County Council to allow a football pitch and play park on the present site. Angus Kenney, Jock and Dougie McGregor laid out and measured the pitch. A tractor was borrowed from Jock McKenzie, West Cambusmoon allowing them to cut the grass and roll the pitch. Sawdust was donated from Anderson’s Sawmill for marking out a very uneven pitch.

The Council later took over the pitch, moving the goal posts and levelling the top end of the pitch.