120 Not Out

Ardenconnel Park, Rhu

Saturday 1st August 2015
Rhu Amateur Football Club 120th Anniversary Tournament
Ardenconnel Park, Cumberland Road, Rhu G84 8RX
11.00am Rhu AFC v Oban Saints AFC
12.30pm Greenock High School Former Pupils AFC v Oban Saints AFC
2.00pm Rhu AFC v Greenock High School Former Pupils AFC



On the basis that they do more than enough travelling during the season Saints normally shun away friendlies however the invitation to participate in the 120th anniversary celebrations of one of Scotland's oldest amateur football clubs was far too good to turn down. It is a big honour to be asked to play at such an historic event and one which the Saints management were delighted to accept. As an added bonus Saints will also get to play their annual friendly match with old friends Greenock High School Former Pupils.
Returning to the Saints squad for Saturday's trip to Rhu are fit again skipper Marc Maccallum and back from his holidays in the USA David McArthur. Dropping out from last weekend's squad are the unavailable Keith Millar and Craig MacEwan while, despite his broken ankle now being out of plaster, Dougal Graham remains sidelined.
With two eighty minute matches back to back Saints Manager Alex Craik will be able to give the full travelling party plenty of game time as the build-up continues to the start of the new league season on Saturday 15th August.
The weather forecast doesn't look good for Saturday but the football on display will more than make up for that and a good say should be enjoyed by all.

The Hosts

Rhu Amateur Football Club can rightly claim to be one of the oldest amateur football clubs still in existence in Scotland having played their first recorded fixture against near neighbours Garelochhead on New Year's Day 1896. The club have won many trophies over the years but season 1966 - 67 was their most successful by far winning the West of Scotland League, the West of Scotland League Cup and, most famously of all, the Scottish Amateur Cup. Rhu enjoyed another successful period in the mid 1980's when they won successive West of Scotland League Cups in '84, '85 and '86 before departing the West of Scotland League for the fledgling Caledonian League. After a promising start in the highly competitive new league where they achieved top four finishes in each of their first four seasons Rhu began to gradually slip down the league ladder to their current place in Division 1B. Rhu finished last season in fourth place which was a creditable "best of the rest" finish behind the leagues best sides Hamilton FP, Cambria and Champions Castlemilk.

Rhu Amateur Football Club 2014 - 15

Rhu Amateur Football Club Scottish Amateur Cup Winners 1967

Our Old Friends

Greenock High School Former Pupils and Oban Saints are no strangers having crossed swords many times over the years since Saints first joined the Scottish Amateur Football League in 1976. At that time GHSFP had already been members of the SAFL for 52 years and had clinched four Division One titles, three West of Scotland Cups and two Scottish Amateur Cups in what were halcyon days for the club. Saints and the "High" have enjoyed a healthy rivalry over the years with many closely contested matches where away wins have been at a premium. You have to go back to the High's centenary year of 2007 for their last victories in Oban when a 1 - 0 win on 6th May helped them clinch the SAFL Premier Division title in what was to prove their last piece of silverware as SAFL members. This victory for the High was closely followed by a 3 - 0 win at the start of the 2007/08 season however Saints regained the upper hand in the remaining competitive fixtures in Oban before the High departed for pastures new.

GHSFP left the SAFL in 2011 for a new challenge in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League where they progressed to the Premier Division after clinching the Division 1A title and winning the 1st Division section winners trophy in 2013. Last season saw the High finish 4th in the CSAFL Premier division with 37 points from 22 games 21 points behind runaway winners Harestanes. The High did however add to their already extensive trophy haul by winning their first CSAFL Cinema Cup and capturing the West of Scotland Amateur Cup for the fourth time.

Since leaving the SAFL the High have continued their rivalry with Saints with an annual pre-season friendly which is now in it's 5th year. All four previous encounters have been won by Saints:-

Saturday 6th August 2011 Oban Saints AFC 4 - 2 Greenock HSFP AFC
Saturday 4th August 2012 Oban Saints AFC 2 - 0 Greenock HSFP AFC
Saturday 3rd August 2013 Oban Saints AFC 2 - 1 Greenock HSFP AFC

Saturday 26th July 2014 Oban Saints AFC 3 - 2 Greenock HSFP AFC

Action from some past Oban Saints v Greenock HSFP encounters

Donald Campbell tries his luck July 2014

Alex Craik joins the attack July 2011

Willie Gemmell and Donald Campbell helped Saints to a 3 - 1 Scottish Amateur Football League Victory over Greenock High School FP at Glencruitten in November 2010 

The Trophies

#monthesaints