Are you or a loved one featured in the 100's of historic club photos?
Few writers can conjure the spirit of a lost football club quite like Bob Laird. In his masterfully assembled tribute, Laird transforms over two hundred carefully selected images into a living, breathing chronicle of Third Lanark Athletic Club — once a pillar of Scottish football, now a legend whispered about in the stands of Cathkin Park. Laird’s writing is at once precise and evocative, guiding readers through sepia-toned team portraits, action shots thick with the mud and sweat of battle, and the haunting last photograph of the team taken in 1966. His attention to detail is astonishing: every image, every caption, seems to hum with the echoes of the crowd and the pride of the men who once wore the scarlet jersey.
Laird’s affection for the club is infectious. He doesn’t merely recount scores and statistics—he brings to life the personalities that electrified the terraces: the dynamic Goodfellow, Hilley, Harley, Grey, and McInnes forward line; the indomitable Jimmy Brownlie, most capped of all; and unforgettable stalwarts like Tod Sloan and Jimmy Carabine. Even the memorabilia — program covers, ticket stubs, and yellowing newspaper reports—serves as precious relics, connecting generations of supporters.
What sets Laird apart is his gift for storytelling. He never lets nostalgia slip into sentimentality. Instead, he invites readers to see themselves, or perhaps their relatives, in the grainy images of fans wrapped in scarves, fathers and sons side by side in the crowd, or the stoic veterans who watched every twist of the club’s journey. Laird’s prose is both warm and honest, capturing the bittersweet truth that Third Lanark’s glory was hard-won and all too fleeting.
Whether you’re a lifelong supporter or a newcomer curious about Glasgow’s footballing heritage, this book is an invitation to step back in time and experience the camaraderie, drama, and devotion that defined Third Lanark. Bob Laird’s writing does more than document history; it celebrates a community’s soul, making this volume essential for anyone who carries even a spark of the “Hi Hi” spirit.
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48 (PAID)
Publisher: Tempus Publishing Limited
Published: 1999
Price: £17.99
Softcover: 128 pages
Lavishly illustrated
This secondhand book is in excellent condition and would enhance any collection.
