Summer’s Day at Sunnybank

In my first visit to a North Region SJFA game I spoke of my regret at living in Aberdeen for near a decade and being totally ignorant of the huge Junior fitba scene in the Granite City. Just a few months on and I’m back in the North East to see a side I cannot believe I missed out on during my time here: Sunnybank Football Club. For nine years, while I lived in the city centre, I worked in Northfield Academy at the heart of a fantastic community that always made me feel very welcome. Little did I know then that just a few hundred yards from the classroom where I plyed my trade, at Heatheryfold Park, one of the ‘big two’ SJFA North sides played.

Formed as the result of a merger between Sunnybank FP and Belmont in the year after the end of the Second World War, the Black & Whites joined the Aberdeen and District Junior Football League. The club enjoyed immediate success in the Archibald Cup, McLennan Cup and A & D League Cup, before winning their first league championship in 1952. Sunnybank’s greatest achievement came two years later when they became the first North Region side to lift the Scottish Junior Cup.

That day in 1954 in front of a crowd of 22,600 (a modest attendance by post war Hampden finals standards but decent given the distance fans had to travel) Sunnybank beat Dundonians Lochee Harp by two goals to nil, with Billy Chalmers scoring the winner. Post match celebrations took place en route back to Aberdeen as the squad returned to the Granite City with the cup on board the overnight Royal Mail train. One notable member of that team was Teddy Scott who joined Sunnybank after returning home from National Service where he played for Bournemouth. While he did have spells at Brechin and Elgin City he is mostly associated with his near fifty years at Pittodrie where he was a player & coach for Aberdeen as well as a mentor to generations of players.

In 1957 the club made the bold move of relocating from Linksfield Park near the centre of the city to Heatheryfold Park in the outskirts of town. It was a shrewd move as the new ground was swiftly surrounded by the construction of the Northfield housing scheme, providing punters for the side’s social club which did a roaring trade as a hub for the new community. The move essentially made the club a profitable going concern, helping them attain success throughout the decades.

The start of the 21st Century and the introduction of the Superleague did not halt the winning ways of the Black & Whites as they took the title twice. The 2010 victory saw them qualify for the senior Scottish Cup where they beat Gala Fairydean and shocked SPFL side Albion Rovers before going down 5-0 to Ayr United. From this high came a steep decline in the current decade, with Sunnybank almost missing out on the 2011/12 season due to a decline in social club revenue and lack of players. Relegation to the second tier swiftly followed, where they remain today.

So today is a bit of a homecoming, a new experience in an area I know well and have a lot of affection for. It’s Newmachar United in The Grill Cup so without further ado let’s get on with it…

Pre-match Pints

Like my previous visit to the Granite City I’m here for the weekend so pre-match pints were consumed the night before the game. While last time I concentrated on the city centre’s modern craft beer bars, this time it is a tour of the older establishments in town. First up is The Kirkgate Bar, a place I’ve never been too despite it being round the corner from my auld local. The KGB is a real old school local that has managed to adapt to modern trends; it is all dark wood, McEwans Export and auld regulars into the horses, while still managing to have a craft beer pump and a dazzling array of gins (very much the in vogue spirit today). Lovely place, it has loads of old photos of university sports teams up on the walls implying a past affinity with the student population, although none are here tonight. I’m with friends and three pints of Punk IPA comes in at twelve quid, not a bad price and a fine start to the crawl.

Next up I make another debut at a place I’ve passed a thousand times; Ye Olde Frigate Bar. Set on two levels we enter a half full ground floor public bar and order three Guinness and three Pussars Spiced rums. It’s like we have stepped back in time to at least the seventies and while it is immaculate I’ll bet it is completely unchanged since the Winter of Discontent. Thats no bad thing of course, the place is welcoming and we enjoy it greatly. I did note a rather strict policy on darts however, a sign warned that the board was for the pub’s team members only and no house darts were kept behind the bar. If you fancy some arras, probably give the Frigate a miss.

Down into The Green south of and below Union Street (historically the towns old market square) and we enter The King’s Highway, a large old place located near the superior, and sadly no longer with us, Hen Hoose. It is one big room, again in dark wood but sadly rather deserted. Three pints of something I fail to recall are served up, this time with a nip of the awesome Pussars Gunpowder Proof. Shame the place is so quiet, bet it had a great atmosphere in it’s heyday, it become quieter still as we depart.

Finally, with one of our group substituting out for another, we arrive at the jewel in the crown of old Aberdonian boozers The Grill in the heart of Union Street. It is a pretty famous spot and is highly regarded for two reasons; first of which is the décor, the original 1930s fixtures and fittings carefully preserved. The legend is that they were so strict about keeping the interior authentic that they only added a women’s toilet when legislation forced them. The second reason is for it’s unmatched status as a malt whisky bar, literally hundreds of bottles line the shelves behind the bar and the whisky menu is a hefty weight. Inspecting the menu there is something for all wallet sizes, starting from about two pound fifty a dram to two hundred and fifty quid. We decide on a round of Highland Park eight year old, a Gordon & McPhail bottling, at a mere £3.75 each. If you are in Aberdeen it is not a place to be missed.

The Ground

Accompanied by a moderate hangover I get myself onto the number twelve up to Northfield and getting off at the Fowler Street stop I see Heatheryfold Park across the street. Rather than head straight into the park I head into the massive Sunnybank Social Club in search of some hair of the dug, straight ahead is a huge, empty function suite as I veer right into the Member’s Bar. The walls are decked out in black and white with red faux leather seating round the sides and wee tables dotted around the centre. A trophy cabinet adorns one wall while the rest have framed photos of old lineups and memorabilia from that famous Scottish Cup win. A pint of Export is nursed as I witness Kyle Lafferty score the winner for Hearts against Celtic at Tynecastle, then it is time to head outside.

Heatheryfold Park is a pretty simple affair with eight foot breeze block walls surrounded two sides of the pitch and tall wire fencing around the others. The terracing it just grass with an embankment on only one side of the pitch, itself surrounded by an elbow height breeze block wall, white washed and unadorned with sponsorship boards. The pitch is vast, flat and very lush, impressive given the very hot dry summer we have had. In the south west corner lies the original pavilion, abandoned in favour of a more modern one situated just yards away. Like the social club it is old fashioned and well worn but it also shows the same level of careful maintenance. I like it, it has character and it’s certainly unique.

The Match

I was impressed by a Sunnybank side that work well as a unit and were a class beyond Newmachar United who play a division below. I was speaking to a bloke who was both a former pupil of mine and a retired player at the club, he sees Sunnybank as ‘sleeping giants’ unlucky to miss out on promotion the Superleague last campaign. Well they certainly looked like giants today quickly getting three goals up after the start. This is the first match I’ve ever been to with only one official, the linesmen being guys from the opposing clubs. The first half ends in astonishing fashion as Sean Mackie (a man with an alleged history of great strikes) buries a screamer into the top corner, gaining a roar from the bench and, albeit small, crowd. Maybe the best goal I’ve seen on my travels.

At half time I experience a first: upon ordering a tea and a pie the tea is issued in a proper china mug. Now you can’t even get a plastic bottle at an SPFL ground but here people are standing around sipping hot drinks from mismatched mugs. Brilliant, but I don’t fancy the washing up.

In the second half Sunnybank kept hold of their four goal lead and let Newmachar tire by chasing the game. Frustration set in and a few choice tackles were made, one right in front of me made my shins hurt and a yellow card correctly shown. While the overall team performance was good I thought number ten, Craig Michie particularly stood out. In a young side he provided a bit of leadership and maturity with his skill, composure and build implying he has experience at a higher level.

Two late goals took Sunnybank to a six nil victory against a side that in fairness never gave up. At full time I returned to the social club to have another drink and watch the results come in. Soon the place was packed with players from both sides, enjoying a pint and buffet. Very kindly myself and the other punters were invited to enjoy a sandwich or two and a bit of pizza. Free food always make a fine end to a braw day.

Aftermath

Once again Aberdeen comes up trumps for pubs and junior football. I don’t like to make comparisons but with its social club and their old ground at the heart of a community Sunnybank makes for a much better match day experience than Banks O’ Dee. I was sad that the crowd by my count was just thirty six souls, incredibly poor given that thousands of people live literally within a five minute walk. Here is a club with great history in the sport where you can get in, enjoy a pie & a cuppa (in a real mug no less) and have two pints after for less than fifteen quid. There are groundsmen, bar staff, coaches, committee members and a squad of players working hard to keep this important Aberdeen club going forward. They deserve a support with a size and passion that matches.