ANTS ANTICS

Has anyone thought how to prepare oneself for what comes next after you have finally decided to retire from football and are no longer at the sharp end of the game?r

As opening gambits go for instance, learning to insert ex-player, former manager or one-time coach in front of your name whenever introductions are being made hardly cuts it as a means of informing strangers about your past footballing contributions, excellent or otherwise.

But to say you were known as “James fae the Ants” does it in spades and then some, such is the esteem (or should that be infamy ?)which legendary St Anthonys figurehead James McKenna has earned throughout Junior circles following 30 plus years’ service with the famous old Govan club.

The name McKenna has long been associated with St Anthonys and so it follows has that of James ,aged just 19 when he first pulled on the green and white hoops after agreeing to help out big brother Felix when he was short of players for a game against Coltness United.

James recalled, ” I was a marauding left back in those days and scored arguably the best goal of my career in that Coltness game , an absolute rocket from all of 40 yards which flew into the postage stamp and required the goalkeeper to pick the ball out of the stanchion.”

Before his dream 1985 debut , Barrowfield born James’s early playing career dabblings had saw him feature for a decent St Mungo school team ,until losing his place to wing talent Joe Miller (later of Aberdeen and Celtic), as well as turning out with St Marys Boys Guild.

When still a teenager, he joined Calder Millerfield Under 21’s where his team mates included later on Junior worthies, Stevie Easton , Danny Drew, Tam “Vincent” McDonald and Ian Young who subsequently put pen to paper for St Anthonys , like James, after their Under 21’s gaffer Jim Fleming was appointed Moore Park No 2 to Felix.

Success followed as promotion from the Central League C Division was won but the following season brought the break-up of that team and relegation , James recalls midfielder McDonald moving to Albion Rovers for a £600 transfer fee, while a number of new faces arrived in the shape of James McGrady, Davie”Soap” McInally, Dixie Kilcullen and Colin Ralston,

Existence in the C Division was to be the sum of St Anthonys’ lot for a number of years thereafter until a turning point arrived in the run-up to Xmas when team boss Robert Stephenson was given an ultimatum from his employers Toys R Us …work or a Saturday or football.

The Ants duly advertised their vacant post but did not receive a single application, as to be expected given the team hadn’t won a single game up until then, so the two most Senior players, James and striker Dixie Kilcullen, took it upon themselves to look after team matters and their co-managers reign got away to a storming start with a first game 5-1 victory over Wishaw.

Said James, “We ended up a respectable 5^th in the table but the following season won promotion, albeit a bit controversially, when the last game of the season saw our two main rivals , East Kilbride Thistle and Port Glasgow facing each other at the Showpark knowing a point apiece would put both of them up at our expense.

“Myself, Dixie and all our players took in the game which was heading for a 1-1

draw until Thistle netted a late winner which caused some over the top celebrations among our party, much to the annoyance of the Port fans and particularly their manager Rikky Cabrey.

“So we went up instead of the Port however looking back it was the least the guys deserved because ours was a more than decent team back then with big McInally playing at his peak alongside the likes of Jamie Donnachie and Jim McGhee .

“Soap, whose playing style was a mirror image of the Liverpool centreback Alan Hansen really should have performed at a higher level but for reasons best known to himself, he turned down offers to go on trial with teams such as Shrewsbury Town , Nottingham Forest and Aberdeen in order to continue playing with St Anthonys.

“And sheer bad luck struck him down on the day Celtic scout John Kelman came to watch him in a game against Carluke Rovers during which Soap scored a hat trick only to suffer a bad ankle break which not only ruled him out of action for months but also kyboshed his chances of a move to Celtic Park..

“Without doubt, the big man along with Davie Dickson, Jamie Docherty, Neil Diamond and Joe Mulherron stand out as the best players, Dixie and I ever managed at the Ants even though there were others like Tam Brown, Gary Clark and Frank Lewis to name but three who stepped up Senior and made names for themselves while we were also credited with rearing the finest left-winger in Scotland …a certain Tommy Sheridan.”

JAMES (centre) DIXIE (left) AND BIG SOAP(right) PICTURED IN THEIR MOORE PARK PLAYING DAYS

The mention of his former star turns had James reminiscing over a couple of his favourite Ants anecdotes.

“ Mulherron was a fantastic servant for St Anthonys yet we almost caused him to walk away from the club because of big Soap turning up without his boots for a game against Wishaw that we simply had to win.

“We desperately needed the big man to play and the decision was made to leave Joe out of the team for no other reason than him wearing the same size 10 as Soap so to say he wasn’t best pleased when asked to hand over his boots, after our team was read out, would be putting it mildly.”

James went on to lavishly claim the capture of Neil Diamond(not the singer) as the finest piece of transfer business ever conducted in the 120 year history of the Ants.

He explained ,”Neil was a Govan boy and had moved to Pollok from Benburb for a £5000 fee however he struggled to find his best form and was unhappy to b e in and out of the then Lok gaffer Ronnie Lowrie’s plans.

“Around that time we paid out a mere £40 reinstatement cost for Chris Sweeney (son of former Lok front man Joe) who had returned to Scotland from Australia and his playing exceptionally well in a Sectional League Cup match against Ronnie’s side led to Pollok showing an interest as they thought he was a signed Ants player..

“When Ronnie asked what it would take to get his target ,he quite rightly scoffed when I answered Neil Diamond but then Chris scored a couple of goals playing for Pollok in a friendly match with Partick Thistle causing negotiations to be back on the agenda and this time Pollok assistant manager Ian Spittal telephoned to say our proposed deal was now a goer which is how St Anthonys signed a £5000 player for just £40.”

All told, James reckons he spent fully 18 years at the Ants helm , after Dixie departed the scene ,he partnered up with Danny Taylor (the current team boss) and the often fiery Bonar McKenzie , prior to Danny moving on to do his own thing.

He considers winning the 2002/03 Second Division title as his greatest managerial feat but also takes great pride in boasting about his astonishing record appearing in front of the Junior beaks…sent off fully seven times but never once banned from his dugout beat . JAMES QUERYING YET ANOTHER DECISION AGAINST THE ANTS

Pressing family matters were the root cause of James calling time on his remarkable St Anthonys tenure though he did have a brief 33 days long stint in charge of Shettleston as well as a season and a bit at Thorniewood United assisted by cousin Kevin Docherty.

He revealed ,”It dawned upon me during our second season at Thorniewood that I was no longer the same James McKenna spending every available minute taking in amateur matches to look at prospective signings and I had informed Match Secretary Ian McLaughlin of my intentions to call it a day at the end of season .

“He asked that I help find Keith and I’s replacements which had led to me having discussions with the Royal Albert pair of Jamie Nisbett and Chris Dolan however they were so keen to get started at Robertson Park that I decided to step aside then and there to let them in the door.

The 56 year old added “That was 2016 and I have stayed away from the Juniors ever since ,barring the occasional match, in and around Fife when spending the weekend in my caravan up in Burntisland and I don’t miss the game in the slightest which is something I thought you would never hear me say.

“Why that is I cannot truly say however the 20^th anniversary of St Anthonys league title triumph is coming up soon and maybe seeing all the old faces again will rekindle the flames…but I wouldn’t bet on it.

FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY 26^th NOVEMBER ( Kick Offs 1.30 PM unless stated): P.D.M Buildbase Premier Division. Petershill v Hurlford Utd, Largs Thistle v Cambuslang Rangers, Beith v Irvine Meadow, Rob Roy v Troon, Cumnock v Arthurlie, Kilwinning Rangers v Glenafton.PDM Buildbase First Division. Blantyre Vics v Shotts Bon Accord, Johnstone Burgh v Rutherglen Glencairn, St Rochs v Cumbernauld Utd, Benburb v Whitletts Vics, Gartcairn v St Cadocs,Neilston v Thorniewood Utd, Kilbirnie Ladeside v Rossvale.PDM Buildbase Second Division. Muirkirk v Renfrew,Glasgow Utd v Ashfield, Kilsyth Rangers v Greenock, Glasgow Perthshire v Forth Wanderers,Yoker Athletic v Maryhill,Glasgow University v Wishaw, Craigmark v Ardeer Thistle, Maybole v St Anthonys.PDM Buildbase Third Division. Kello Rovers v Girvan, Dalry Thistle v Larkhall Thistle , Vale of Leven v Royal Albert, Girvan, Lanark Utd v Saltcoats Vics, Carluke Rovers v Irvine Vics, Newmains Utd v Bellshill Athletic, Vale of Clyde v Lesmahagow, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Finnart, Port Glasgow v Lugar Boswell.PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. Glenvale v West Park Utd, Campbeltown Pupils v Threave Rovers, Thorn Athletic v Eglinton, Rossvale Academy v Harmony Row, Kilsyth Athletic v St Peters.Scottish Cup.Third Round(various kick offs).Raith Rovers v Auchinleck Talbot, Ayr Utd v Pollok, Drumchapel Utd v Edinburgh FC,Montrose v Darvel. West of Scotland Football League Cup.Second RoundEast Kilbride Thistle v BSC Glasgow.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell