2005/06-The Rollercoaster Ride To Title Glory by Uravina Laff
Well what a season that was!
From the second minute of our first game of the season at Greenbank when Terry Colquhoun scored direct from a corner to give Windlaw a nightmare start, to John Lunny clinging onto Vale's Brian Smith's cheeky backheeled effort amid a frantic goalmouth scramble as Windlaw held out for that all-important 3-2 away win at the home of the current champions. It's been unbelievable really. A great 5 game winning run to start off with then a disastrous run of 5 consecutive defeats including an 8-0 thrashing at the hands of eventual Scottish Cup and West of Scotland Cup semi-finalists Eddlewood. The season was in tatters at that point and we were staring at the abyss. League Cup hopes ended, West of Scotland Cup over, Scottish Cup over and having lost 3 of our first 8 league games, it genuinely looked all over as we sat in the dressing room after our defeat at Greenhills. Gary Wilson and Martin Kerr, who had taken over team affairs from the legendary Stevie Thomson who was now the Club Secretary, were struggling to get a performance from the players in their first 2 games in charge and it genuinely looked as if we didn't know where the next point was coming from. The confidence was shattered.
Then up next in a home game against Greenbank United it all clicked into place and an amazing run of ten consecutive league victories was chalked up, as first Greenbank then Tynecastle, Blochairn, Shawbridge, AS Airdrie, Scotsman, Vale, Forest, Shettleston and Lochend were all beaten. 32 goals had been scored and only 5 had been conceded. We'd hit the top spot after thrashing the then leaders Blochairn Star 5-1 at Barlia on December 17 and a healthy lead was being established. However, other sides had games in hand, none more so than Greenhills Dynamo, who were the next visitors at Barlia. It was a tense and scrappy affair and one which if either side lost it looked as if their title hopes were fading. Amazingly in the 90 th minute, Greenhills got a winner and a deep dagger was plunged into Windlaw's hearts. The dream looked over. If Greenhills won their games in hand at that point they would be 6 points clear. Windlaw had faint hopes now. The following week at AS Airdrie produced what looked like the killer blow to Windlaw's title hopes. Windlaw blew a 2-0 lead with five minutes left as the battling hosts came back with two superb headers to make it 2-2. It was surely all over now for the third time this season?
Significantly that day, Greenhills had a surprise 0-0 draw at bottom club Scotsman so our slip was not as disastrous as it could have been. In our last home league game we had a good 5-1 win over Lochend Utd and had one incredibly tough encounter left away to Vale Utd at Lochend. A fantastic game ebbed and flowed and we were fortunate enough to scrape that aforementioned 3-2 win from a Kevin McCann inspired spell. We could do no more after that tremendous game, it was in Greenhills' hands, not ours. They had five tough games left and 12 points from 15 would have secured the title for them, however double headers against current champs Vale Utd and former champs Blochairn Star lay in wait as well as a home game against a very good AS Airdrie side. We could only hope now but it didn't look good. As it was, Greenhills defeated AS Airdrie 3-2,and were awarded the points after a controversial 4-4 draw with Blochairn Star was abandoned with the Star having 5 men sent off. The title was close now. 6 points from their last 3 games would mean the title for Greenhills. They then lost 2-1 at home to Vale Utd and headed to Blochairn Star needing to win to avoid the title heading to Castlemilk. They won 3-2 in a tight game and looked poised to win the league with victory at Vale Utd. With the dramatic final game locked at 2-2 with 15 minutes left, a goal either way and the title goes either way. An unfortunate own goal by a Greenhills defender meant the title was on its way home to Castlemilk, where the waiting players erupted as the news spread like wildfire. We were the Champions for the third time. We'd won the most games, lost the fewest games, scored the most goals and conceded the fewest. Undisputable!!
We'd done it again. Amazing! By sheer quirk of fate, the club's Player of the Year Dance had been booked for the same day as the title decider. It couldn't have been scripted any better really. The perfect day capped a perfect season in the end but what a journey it was.
Congratulations to Stevie Thomson, Gary Wilson, Martin Kerr and all the boys for a truly superb effort. Enjoy the jolly to Newcastle boys, you've all deserved a right good bevvy after all that tension.
