EKRR - WE ARE THE ROLLY - FOUNDED 1954 - A JOURNEY THROUGH THE DECADES

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EKRR - WE ARE THE ROLLY - FOUNDED 1954 - A JOURNEY THROUGH THE DECADES ~

Black and white photograph of a mid-20th-century hospital with cars parked outside and people, including nurses and patients, entering and leaving the building.

THE 1950'S – WHERE IT ALL STARTED

Rolls Royce opened in East Kilbride in 1953 and in 1954 football started

The first manager was Arthur Petrie, who was described as being "hard, but fair".  Matches were played at Public parks for 2 years and then at Bairds Meadow where Rolls Royce created a recreation area with 3 full size grass pitches, a cricket pitch and sports pavilion

The team at that time played in the Glasgow Welfare league

A vintage black-and-white photograph of a soccer team posing on the field, with a coach in a suit and medal, and a crowd and buildings in the background.

THE 1960's – THE NEXT STEP

The photo shows East Kilbride Thistle lining up for their first match at the Baird Meadow Pitches in 1968, the Rolly pavilion/changing rooms can be seen in the background.

The Team was being managed by John Bones and Joe Mckean

There were four Rolls Royce based teams playing and sharing the facilities at Bairds Meadow which caused some friction now and then!  In the late 60's Rolls Royce started talking to PSG about an amalgamation, sadly this was not the famous French team "Paris St Germain",  in this story PSG stood for
"Print Supply Group"

PSG played in Lanarkshire League and would go on to work their way through divisions under the guidance of secretary Joe McNiven

THE 1970's – TIME FOR CHANGE

A time of great upheaval and change that shaped the future of the club. 

In season 1974/1975 the Rolly as we know it today was created.  This created two talented teams with guys such as Alex Lees, Gordon Scullion, Graham McIntyre, Willie King, Jim Watson, Ronnie Wilson, Bobby Lyle, Davy Perrins and many others, not forgetting of course current Club President Frank Stellard. 

At that time, Graham and Frank were running the 2nd team and Gordon was running  the team playing in the Scottish Amateur League. 

A group of fifteen men, dressed in semi-formal attire, posing outdoors in front of a building with windows. They are smiling, with some kneeling in front and others standing behind. One man in the front center holds a trophy cup, indicating a celebration or achievement.
Black and white photograph of a vintage soccer team with players in uniform, coaches, and officials on a grassy field.

THE 1980's – THE EARLY YEARS

Both teams still playing in the Scottish Amateur League.  The 1st team was run by Graham McIntyre and Gordon Scullion (the Jack and Victor of their day) with 2nd team being ran by Ronnie ("The Cat") Wilson assisted by Frank Stellard.  Some great players graced the jersey at that time including Pat Knotts,  Kenny Mathieson, Brennie Young, Jim Edgar, Tony Campbell, The Thomson Twins (Craig and Colin), Gavin Ritchie, Tam Maxwell, Stuart McKay (Snr), Willie Lang, Derek Little (Zico), Matt Turner, John "Chunky" Thomson, Rab Gray, Fraser Archibald and not forgetting Kit Brennan or Lord Willie Haughey. The Rolly 1983 West of Scotland cup winning side is shown opposite

A young man with dark hair smiling, wearing a black and white striped soccer jersey with the Croatian football federation crest and an Umbro logo, against a blue background.

THE 1980's – TIME TO GET PROFESSIONAL

Team management changed in the late 80s when ex-professional player and 1981 Scottish Premier League Top goalscorer Dougie Somner (Falkirk, St Mirren & Partick Thistle) took over helped by another Rolls Royce legend Jim Watson.  At the end of the decade our second team joined the new Greater Glasgow Premier League where we still play today

A soccer team in light blue uniforms posing outdoors on a grassy field, with two coaches or staff members in black and white attire standing on the right, in front of a school or building.

THE 1990’S - EXCITING TIMES

By the early 90s our first team under the managment of Dougie Somner, Jim Watson & Colin Thomson had been transformed and were a successful league and cup winning side with extremely talented players

The list of players included goalkeepers Paul Miller (Windy) & Jim Kane, Gary Hay, Raymond Smith, Willie Taylor, Stuart McKay (Jnr), Graeme Doak, Jim Anderson, Eddie Crainey, Colin McMurtie (Smurf) and our own "King Kenny"- Kenny Kinnaird, not forgetting the hugely talented Davy & Ally Thomson.  In the Mid 90s the first team team management was taken over by Colin Thomson assisted by Alex Lowe.  Playing  in the Premier division of Scottish Amateur Football League alongside some great sides and holding their own going on to win the Scottish League Cup in 1999  beating the mighty Gourock AFC in the cup final at Maryhill.  The second team was managed by Tony Campbell, Ronnie Wilson and the irrepressible Ian Cargil (aka Caggsie)

THE EARLY 2000's – MORE UPHEAVAL

Another time of upheaval for the club. The Rolly's recreation area at Bairds Meadow was sold off to Stewart Milne Homes and so the team had to find a new home elsewhere, eventually opting for playing their home games at The Murray pitches.  Both teams had seen a decline in fortunes and management also changed during this time with Tony Campbell taking over the first team briefly to be followed by Windy Miller and Gary Hay (who had done a great job running second team). Over four seasons the team got back to top the division in the SAFL after some barren years and appeared in two cup finals. A talented side with the likes of Paul Innes, Gary Welsh, Keiran Miller, Martin Hagan, Paul Hughes, Mark Johnstone, Andrew and Scott Woods, Kevin Wilson, Andrew Watson, Andy Cook, Scottish Amateur International Gavin Miller and one of the best defenders ever to captain the Rolly another club legend -  Jimmy Kav Kavanagh

THE late 2000’s - Birth of the Youth

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