My ground hopping has taken me all over the country thus far, but it isn’t the far-flung places that I find myself surprised at having never visited before rather it is the towns much closer to home. Denny is a mere sixteen miles from Tillicoultry and just six and a half from Stirling yet I have never been there in my life. Today however that changes as I’m off to see Dunipace take on Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale at the newly refurbished Westfield Park.
The Stirling and Falkirk areas may not be the traditional heartlands of Junior fitba, as opposed to Ayrshire or Fife, but ‘The Pace’ are a grand old club with a history stretching way back to 1888. Dunipace was a thriving industrial town at the time (one that has since been merged into its former neighbour Denny) and the new side spent a decade playing in senior cup competitions until they joined the Scottish Junior Football Association in 1897. The next three decades saw Dunipace Juniors go on an incredible trophy laden run that included sixteen Stirling & District Cups, sixteen Stirling & District League titles, twelve Falkirk & District Cups and ten Stirling Junior Cups.
The black and white stripe clad Pace performed well in The Scottish Junior Cup during this era too. In 1906 they lifted the ‘Holy Grail’ of Scottish fitba after beating the likes of Laurieston, Alva Albion Rangers, Benburb and Maryhill on their way to a final tie against Kirkintilloch Rob Roy. It took one hundred and eighty minutes to vanquish Rob Roy as a 2-2 draw in Partick was followed up with a 1-0 replay win at Falkirk’s Brockville Park. A further final was reached just six years later when Dunipace were defeated by a single goal to Inverkeithing United at Firhill.
From the late thirties onwards Dunipace struggled to make a major impact on the game and could not replicate the successes of their early decades in the SJFA. 1950 saw a West of Scotland Cup Final appearance but Clydebank took the trophy home after a three nil victory. In season 1972/73 The Pace went undefeated in C Division and in 1979 a Scottish Cup semi-final was reached before defeat to Glasgow based Ballieston.
In the modern era Dunipace managed only a single, solitary season playing at Superleague level in 2004/05 but this season it is a new dawn. Like many others they have abandoned the junior grade for senior fitba in the East of Scotland Football League. New ground and new league, perhaps this means the glory days could be returning to Denny. Let’s find out if the good times are coming back.
Pre-match Pints
A bit of research on Google maps shows that Dunipace and Denny have a wealth of boozers and the sole establishment in the former is where I kick things off. The Red Hoose is a lovely old fashioned place with dark wood, auld pictures of the town on display and last night’s fire still smoldering in the giant hearth. No sport on the telly, an old fella perched at the bar is watching Bargain Hunt, while another two regulars discuss the Falkirk vs Partick Thistle match they are headed to.
The choice of beverage ain’t fancy so I opt for a pint of Caffreys which I haven’t seen on draught in years. As I sup I note the wallpaper, patterned in the style of red chesterfield leather, very suitable given the bar’s moniker. If I ever open a brothel however I will be back to ask where they got it. Seriously though it was a beauty of an old fashioned village pub that with the addition of a couple of cask ale lines could be raised to greatness. Solid start to the crawl.
Out the bright red door of pub one and despite the short walk to the second I have to leave Dunipace and enter Denny. The River Carron divides the two settlements and just over the bridge I find The First Down, it was not what I had anticipated and I have never seen the likes on my travels. Believe it or not my first pint in Denny was consumed in an American Football themed pub and a braw one it was too. A stained glass quarterback greets you on entry while the walls are plastered in NFL memorabilia, even the wi-fi password is named in honour of the most recent Super Bowl winners. The only acknowledgement of any other sport is a signed Roy Jones Jr boxing glove in a Perspex case behind the bar.
Sticking with the theme I have a Bud Light and am surprised to see it arrive for a mere three quid for the pint. On the TV its soccer, not gridiron on the go (a first round FA Cup tie between teams I don’t recognise) and while casting glances at that I have a good chat with the barman. It turns out that the name of the boozer and its theme came around by chance, I was informed the place was opened thirty years ago by his parents who were owners of a newsagents at the time. One day while discussing possible names for their new premises a punter brought a copy of First Down magazine up to the counter. The rest is history.
If First Down was both original and ace the next place was just plain weird. The Donner Inn is a large dark place with Guinness at a hefty £3.40 a pint. Never have I seen a pub adorned with so many warning signs: “REGULARS ONLY FOR OLD FIRM MATCHES” read one, “NO GAMBLING AT THE POOL TABLE” was the instruction from another. It was made clear in giant letters on both the gents and ladies doors that “TOILETS ARE FOR CUSTOMERS ONLY” while two handwritten signs insisted “NO FOOTBALL COLOURS”. Strangest of all was the sign by the puggy warning that “ONLY REGULARS MAY USE THE BANDIT”, I wonder how many times or how regularly one must attend here in order to be granted a shot. I swiftly move on.
The final pub is very nice indeed, a wee cosy and bustling place by the name of The Wheatsheaf. Old men watch the horses with ‘hauf n haufs’ and I join in with half a Tennents Ember and a cognac (in a proper brandy glass no less) for £3.40. A snug bar essentially it has preserved its lovely old decor and I’m impressed by the collection of Grand National water jugs behind the bar, a complete set from the era when the race was sponsored by Martell. It’s the kind of place I could easily wile away an afternoon in but I have a game to go to.
The Ground
Westfield Park is a simple affair with the brand new synthetic surface and freshly painted perimeter fence having no stands on any side. On the side of the pitch from where you enter there are revamped changing rooms in the middle and a small square bar in the north west corner. The bar is a temporary building but a solid affair with double glazing and the heating ramped up, I was told there used to be a social club but it burnt down seven years ago. It’s one fifty for a can of Tennents, provides brief shelter from the autumn cold and with the shack selling pies & burgers just five yards away what’s not to like about it. There is even a telly showing fitba.
On the opposite side of the pitch is a huge grass embankment which gives a tremendous view of the action. There is a smaller one behind the western goal with just a fence behind the other. I know plans are afoot to continue the redevelopment of this ground, a smart stand is to be added to create a community stadium and a home for Falkirk WFC. The foundations are now in place and I look forward to seeing the completed article further down the line.
The Match
Part of the attraction of coming to Dunipace was to see the visiting side in action as Lothian Thistle Hutchinson Vale were giant fish in the small pond of the EoSFL prior to the recent influx of former Junior sides. The game begins and it is clear from the outset that LTHV are a classy side who play wide expansive football. For the first twenty minutes the visitors apply the pressure but the Pace are no mugs, their keeper has a great knack for holding on to the ball and the defence never shirk a tackle.
The hard work pays off for Dunipace as they take the lead around the half hour mark, unfortunately they don’t lead for long as Hutchy Vale equalise in controversial fashion. The visitors are on the attack when the lineswoman raises the flag for an offside player. Smartly the striker moves away from the ball allowing an onside team mate to fire into the net, Pace playing the flag and not the ref’s whistle. Minutes later a second goal from Vale’s Hainey was undisputed and the visitors went off at half time in the lead.
The second half wasn’t much to write home about as an early penalty killed the tie and had the woman in the pie stall furious. Players protested and the linesman was consulted but the decision stood and three one was to remain the score until the final whistle.
In terms of individual performances I was very impressed by the Dunipace right back Craig Murphy. The short and stocky defender barked orders that kept the back line in place while giving his all for the ninety minutes. It’s a shame he and his hard working side failed to get any points but they faced quality opposition.
The Aftermath
Well Dunipace/Denny certainly can’t be faulted for good boozers, probably the best pub crawl since Linlithgow. First Down was so unique, I’d advise anyone visiting the area to pop in. Yet again I was told I was headed to a ‘rough toon’ today and yet again nothing could have been further from the truth.
As for the Fitba I enjoyed a decent match in surroundings that could be very special once the stadium plans are executed. For large parts of the game The Pace held their own against a top EoSFL side, working hard and showing passion as well as commitment throughout. Are the glory days about to return? Perhaps not straight away, but like their ground the foundations are in place to build something special in the future.
The Fitba Nomad 