When Saturday Comes

The February 2021 edition of popular football magazine features Cowden’s recent 2-0 win over Brechin City as its Match of the Month.

There is an excellent, interesting and entertaining 4 page spread on the match. The pictures are by Alan McCredie and the story has been penned by the inimitable Daniel Gray. Daniel has produced a number of football books and is certainly one of football’s more memorable wordsmiths.

Here are a couple of extracts - ‘Due to fire damage, the main stand has two halves, one constructed of wood and iron almost a century ago, and one of steel and concrete in 1995 - Lowry and Ikea, together at last. From the enchanting older structure’s vintage benches, in this melancholy fan-free Scottish season it is somehow surprising to watch fragments of the regular matchday carnival unfold’.

‘Two centre-halves who make for compelling viewing: the colossal Jamie Todd, whose sleeves reach only to his upper arms in the style of Popeye on a mission, and captain Craig Barr, an admirable player who brings the ball out of defence with elegance and enters into aerial challenges like a man with a faulty parachute. Barr, a registered marriage celebrant, is nicknamed “Mango” for reasons no one is able to explain. Despite running with the vexed manner of a father late for his child’s nativity play, Renton is a revelation, all pirouettes and flicks. He, Mullen and Barr combine for passing sequences that would have prompted chants of ‘Ole’ in happier times.’