Author: The Author

The Edinburgh AC team at the finish in 1994 in Crown Point before the sponsor’s backdrop

For almost its entire duration, the race finished in Exchange Square in Glasgow, and there was always a crowd all the way along the road to the banner – originally a News of the World banner, then the Barr’s Irn Bru gateway.   The first runner, in this case Colin Youngson of Aberdeen AAC, crossed the line and was immediately surrounded by officials who made sure that he was OK, then led him to the Lord Provost or his representative who retrieved the message from his counterpart in Edinburgh from the baton.   All this while, the other runners from other clubs were crossing the finishing line and they, in their turn, were swamped by club supporters.   The colour photographs below are from Des Yuill.   Not sure where the one above came from but it typifies the relief of any club that performed up to expectations in the race.

Colin Youngson crosses the line first

Charlie Haskett, Dundee Hawkhill

Bobby Young, Clydesdale

Edinburgh University team in Glasgow: 1991

Winners in 1993

Alan Robson

But whatever the year, the message from Lord Provost to Lord Provost was passed by hand all the way across Scotland: below are some of the hands at the start and some at the finish …

Think of any of Scotland’s top distance men at any time between 1930 and 2000 and you can bet that they ran on this stage of the Edinburgh to Glasgow.   Emmet Farrell, Joe McGhee, Ian Binnie, Graham Everett, Alastair Wood all did their best for their club.   Donald Macgregor, Jim Dingwall, Lachie Stewart all managed to find their way over the seven miles from the Forestfield Inn to the War Memorial at Airdrie.    What follows is, first, some photographs from the original programmes, then a selection of photographs from 1967.   Then some from 1985   (photographs were taken by Graham MacIndoe), then Graham Haddow’s and then  some more.

Harry Fenion (Bellahouston)

Clark Wallace to Eddie Bannon for Shettleston in 1960, start of Stage 6

For ESH, Ross to Ballantyne in 1960

Peter Duffy (AAAC) to Steve Taylor at the start of Six

Ian Donald to Graham Everett for Shettleston in 1961

Lyall to Fraser, ESH, in 1961

 Cameron Shepherd, Glasgow University, to Dougie Gifford in 1961

Fergus Murray (ESH)

Gareth Bryan-Jones (EU H&H)

Pat Maclagan (VPAAC)

Andy Daly (Bellahouston) 1983

Charlie Haskett, 1983

J Graham, 1983

Evan Cameron, ESH, 1984

Colin Youngson, 1985

Simon Axon (AAAC) leading Graham Crawford (Springburn) 1985

Jim Dingwall, Falkirk Victoria Harriers, 1985

Neil Tennant, Edinburgh Southern

Lindsay Robertson, Edinburgh AC

Bobby Quinn, Kilbarchan

Lawrie Spence, 1985

Alistair Douglas, Victoria Park

Peter  Fleming, Bellahouston

Simon Axon, Aberdeen, leading Graham Crawford, Springburn

Terry Mitchell, Fife AC

Craig Hunter 1986

Above: Fraser Clyne, AAAC 1986

Below: Steven Connaghan to Lawrie Spence, Spango Valley, 1986

Tommy Murray, 1986

Ian Murphy, Clydesdale, and Drew Nicol, Victoria Park

Ian Murphy, Clydesdale Harriers

Peter Fleming (Mizuno) and Graeme Wight (Shettleston) 1996

1996, Doug Runcieman on Five handing over to Graeme Croll , Stage Six for Cambuslang

Glen Stewart, 1999.

Glen Stewart leading Phil Mowbray in 2001

Phil Mowbray started that leg 10 seconds ahead of Glen Stewart; after 6 miles at the end of the leg Glen was 1 second ahead of Phil.   2 fastest 6 stage times of the day, great race by 2 fine athletes

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The toughest two stages in a very tough race were undoubtedly two and six.   Both attracted the top men.   Six, at seven miles, was the longest but maybe two had the edge in quality.   Poor teams put their top man there to try and improve their position while the field was still close together; good teams put their top gun there in the hope of maintaining their expected position near the front and, if possible, capitalising on it.   Many, many great runs and hard fought duels were witnessed on this stage.   

 Donald Macgregor running in 1959 in the colours of St Andrews University.   He moved up from 16th to 12th

Craig Douglas to Fergus Murray at the start of the second stage in 1970

Fergus Murray racing Dick Wedlock with Hugh Barrow chasing in 1970.   Lachie Stewart looking on

1982: Steve Binns (Falkirk) leading Alan Robson

Eddie Stewart, Cambuslang

Chris Robison, Spango Valley, leading Craig Ross, Dundee Hawkhill

John Graham, Motherwell

McDonald and Puckrin, 1983

Neil Thin passing the baton to Craig Hunter, Edinburgh Southern Harriers

Lawrie Spence, 1984, Spango Valley

Chris Robison, 1985

Joe Forte taking over from Johnny Ross for Haddington ELP

1985: Joseph Nzau (left); Neil Thin (ESH), Calum Murray (Cambuslang), A Jenkins (EAC)

Tony Coyne, Bellahgouston, 1985

Tony Coyne, Bellahouston, 1985

1986: Eddie Stewart leading Edinburgh AC

1986: Tommy Murray

1986: John Pentecost (FVH 11), Iain Steele (ESH  and American J Stirrat (Massachusetts guest team)

1987: John Pentecost

Alex Gilmour and Chris Robertson

Steven Doig, Clydesdale, 1990

Graham Crawford, Springburn, 1984

Alistair Douglas, Victoria Park, and Richie Barrie, Dundee Hawkhill

Graham Laing, Aberdeen

Tommy Murray chasing the pack in front, second stage, 1986

Alan Currie, Edinburgh University

Nat Muir, 1992

The original Edinburgh to Glasgow was followed by a meal and presentation of prizes in the Cad’oro restaurant in Glasgow with officials, administrators, the sponsor’s representatives of course and civic dignitaries present.   A proper sit-down, knife-and-forker with waitress service, napkins at every place setting.   It was often held on the same Saturday as the Glasgow Christmas lights were switched on and was a prelude to an enjoyable evening. 

1937 Winners above; Runners-up below

1957 Presentation: Johnny Stirling, VPAAC

1958 Presentation: Bellahouston Harriers

1959 Presentation: Shettleston Harriers

1961 Presentation: Shettleston Harriers

Winning Cambuslang Harriers team, 1987

When the News of the World found it too difficult to continue, Des Yuill managed to persuade Barr’s soft drinks company to take over and the presentation of prizes, plus meal, was in the Strathclyde University Staff Club in Glasgow city centre.   It moved again but it was the only race with such a conclusion to the day’s activities.   The photographs below are from Des’s collection and give an indication of the nature of the occasion.

First, there is the platform party, the sponsor’s logo and advertising front and centre.

and speeches, this one by Ian Clifton, SCCU,

The presentation, by Des Yuill with the runners getting, in addition to the medal, a bottle of the best,

Medal and certificate in the one hand and the 2 litres of Irn Bru in the other.

The team made the cover of “Scotland’s Runner” …

… and the runners received a name check in Colin Shields’s book

… as did the Edinburgh Univerity team of 1965 ..

EU   H&H  1992

Back: P Mowbray, R Sutherland, A Eyre-Walker, T Delahunt;   Front S Birch, J Jarvis, J Pyrah, T Hely

The winning 1993 team with their Irn Bru – and the trophy and medals

Mizuno AC: Winning team 2001

As far as the Edinburgh to Glasgow eight man relay was concerned, the race was the thing; the occasion was unequalled in the sport but as in all athletic contests, every club was striving for success.   The sought after success varied from club to club, but at the sharp end of the field, success was measured in medals won.   The medals, sponsored by’ The News of the World’ newspaper, were specifically designed for this race and are worth inspection.    Those in the first illustration show the real design:   on the one side it showed Edinburgh Castle as the starting point of the relay while the Glasgow City Chambers was shown inside a laurel wreath to the left of the castle.   The medals came in gold, silver and bronze with a fourth set to be awarded to the club who, in the opinion of the judges, had turned in the ‘most meritorious unplaced performance’ 

The reverse of the medal had the inscription ‘The Edinburgh to Glasgow Relay Race” round the medal inside the rim with the sponsors name in the middle and the year of the race.   The medals above come from the collection of Colin Youngson’s collection, and his record in the race will be reviewed below.

After the News of the World stopped its sponsorship, it looked as though the race would become a major casualty.   Its existence was in jeopardy but due at least in part to the efforts of Des Yuill and his manager at Barr’s, the sponsorship was taken over by the soft drinks manufacturer.   Shortly thereafter, new medals were struck and examples of those, also from Colin’s collection, are shown below.

There were several differences: the medals were much larger, while the reverse still had the race title round the rim and the sponsor’s name in the middle with the date, the obverse had the crest of the Scottish Cross Country Union – the five bar gate with the rampant lion front and centre.  They were still special medals but many would have liked the two cities represented on them.   The medals retained the same  design for first, second and third teams, and for the most meritorious performance come to that, with only the colour differentiating them.

Colin had a wonderful record as a road runner and, arguably, reflected the real heyday of Scottish road running.   It was an era that is unlikely ever to be repeated.   Many road races at all distances all over Scotland, the SAAA marathon championship held as part of the National Athletics Championships, the Edinburgh to Glasgow as the pinnacle of the winter season.    There were small teams sent to races at home and abroad, and every encouragement was given by the governing body to athletes to travel and compete in them.    For Colin’s complete career, please read his profile which can be found here.   More SAAA marathon medals than anyone else, more appearances in the Edinburgh to Glasgow than anyone else with major contributions to medal winning teams for no fewer than five clubs.  

His comments on the illustrations above are as follows:

1.  The silver is from 1971 (with Victoria Park Amateur Athletic Club); and the gold medals (with Edinburgh Southern Harriers) in 1974 and in 1975 (when the course record was broken).

     2.   The 1978 winning trophy (with ESH); plus the 2 big gold ones (with Aberdeen AAC) from 1986 and 1988.

     3.   The tankard was presented unexpectedly in 1991, after I had just completed my 25^th E to G since 1966. The years I took part, the clubs represented and the team finishing positions, were engraved on the back. After my last one in 1999 I had the five with Metro Aberdeen Running Club engraved underneath, to make 30 in all.

 I ran five with Aberdeen University 1966-70; two with VP 1971-2; seven with ESH 1974-80; eleven with AAAC 1981-91; and five with Metro 1994-99. Did not take part in 1973 (in Sweden), 1992-3 (Metro not invited) and 1995 (injured).

Colin freely admits that he loved the Edinburgh to Glasgow Road Relay!

The programmes produced by the News of the World were marvellous documents with valuable information on every page.   Information, I may add, not obscured or disguised by a proliferation of adverts as would be the case in the twenty first century – the only ads were for the News of the World and were separate from the race details and information.    Possibly the most eagerly sought page on arrival in Edinburgh was the one with all the photographs from the year before:   No one knew which athletes or clubs would feature and the pictures were always of high quality.   As an example, there are two such pages below: one for 1959 and one for 1960.

Wonderful photographs: since there are more available and they may well be added.

Before the start    The programme  Programme Multis    The start    

 Stage One   Stage Two  Stage Three  Stage Four   Stage Five    Stage Six    Stage Seven   Stage Eight   Some changeovers   The Finish  

 The Medals   After the finish   On the Cover 

 Victoria Park 1951 Victory   Aberdeen’s Race: 1988    

The Edinburgh to Glasgow relay was special.   Scottish athletics was diminished by its loss.   The build-up lasted months, some would say for the whole preceding twelve months but the buzz in competing clubs really started in late August for the race, usually held in mid-November.   The story can be told in pictures and photographs and that is what the linked pages are attempting to do.   There will be no end to the photographs being added – no matter when they are obtained.   Note that a much fuller account of the race is available  here

If the rivalry and anxiety were intense throughout, they were nearest the surface at the changeovers:  This 1990’s group includes Hammy Cox, Glen Stewart and Frank Boyne and their expressions tell a story.

1937 changeover above

Emmet Farrell receiving the baton for Maryhill Harriers from ? : Possibly pre-1939

April 1949: J Ross of Shettleston to Eddie Bannon

George White, Clydesdale Harriers, handing over in the lead at the end of the first stage to Duncan Stewart in 1952

Gordon Dunn, Victoria Park, to Chic Forbes, last changeover, 1954

George White to Pat Younger, Clydesdale, 1954

John Stevenson to Tom O’Reilly at the start of the fourth stage in 1954

George Govan of Shettleston handing over to Clark Wallace at the end of the first stage in 1956

Graham Everett to Eddie Bannon, Shettleston, 1956

Terry Willcox (St Andrews University) to Ian Docherty at the start of six, 1959

1962 Dundee Hawkhill’s Duncan Cameron passing the baton to Dave McLean in the snow.

Tony Coyne to Billy Coyle (Shettleston)

Stuart Barnett to Frank McGowan (Victoria Park)

Frank Blackstock to young David Donnet (Springburn)

1985, Stage Two to Stage Three: Tony Coyne to Robert Fitzsimons (Bellahouston) & J Nzav to J Glidewell (The Kangaroos – a touring team from the USA: guests in the race.   They won but the trophy went to the first Scots team – ESH)

Above: Charlie Thomson (stage 5) to Alex Gilmour (stage 6) in 1986

Below: Steven Connaghan (Stage 5) to Lawrie Spence (Stage 6) for Spango Valley, also 1986

Aberdeen’s Fraser Clyne (6th stage) to Simon Axon (7th) in 1988 for the winning team

Alex McIndoe  to Jim Cooper (Springburn)

Dundee Hawkhill changeover under the watchful Danny Wilmoth

Johnny Ross to Joe Forte for Haddington ELP, mid 80’s, at the start of the third stage.

Colin Youngson for Matro Aberdeen passing on the baton: 1989.   Danny Wilmoth stewarding

Bill Scally to Les Menelly (Shettleston) in 1967

Dave Logue to Ian Young (EUH&H) in 1967

Davie Simpson to John Myatt (Law and District)

Steven Connaghan to Lawrie Spence for Spango Valley 1986

Davie Cameron to Nat Muir, Shettleston, 1985 Five to six

Charlie Thomson to Alex Gilmour, 1986, five to six

Jamie Hendry to James Austin (Clydesdale)

John Pentecost to Stuart Easton (FVH)

Spango Valley at last changeover, Barrachnie

ESH, 1987, start of third leg

1987 Falkirk Victoria Harriers, start of third leg

Edinburgh AC, Kenny Mortimer starting the last leg at Barrachnie

John Mackay (Shettleston) to Graeme Wight, Stage 1 to Stage 2, 1999

Glen Stewart from John Ross, 2000: Stage 5 to Stage 6

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For the most complete of series of programmes for this wonderful event, go to the official SAL website at   http://www.salroadrunningandcrosscountrymedalists.co.uk/Archive/Road%20Running/EtoG/Programmes/1950s/E2G%201955.pdf

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Before the 1939-45 war, the programmes were as above with a rough, sturdy cover and all the details including route, etc, inside with no illustrations inside.   

PP six and seven are omitted for now because the original photographs are blurred but the programme of the period is well illustrated by what is here.

After the war, the whole original programme was printed on high quality, shiny, paper and the cover was in a buff colour: the front cover had the event, date, and a picture of the start of the race the year before.   Not all runners managed to be included in the photo – I ran it six times, had my photograph in there three times, myleft leg and elbow once,  and was left out of the frame twice.  The inside front cover had a description of the route to be followed on each stage

The first inside page listed the officials _ note the number and the distribution of jobs.

There were four inter-city relays in the country and the top two or three in each race were invited to contest the London-Brighton relay at the expense of the sponsoring newspaper.  

Then there were the clubs in the race, their runners and their previous best performances.

And, the high spot, the glossy photographs:

The back cover was always a plug for the News of the World – and they earned every penny of the publicity!   Sponsorship doesn’t come much better than that.

But the cost of the sponsorship – eight buses for athletes, limousines for officials, production of results en route, the meal and presentation at the finish and so on became too much even for the News of the World and the operation was scaled back in 1967.   The revamped programme lkooked like this and was printed on ordinary foolscap paper.   (Foolscap was about the size of a sheet of A4).

In 978 and 1979 following the withdrawal of News of the World sponsorship, the SCCU organised the race themselves without significant sponsorship.  The first of their programmes is reproduced here.

1937

The line up in 1949

Over the years, training methods changed, runners gear changed shoes in particular changed, the volume of traffic on the road changed but the atmosphere and the starting line nerves jangled as much every year as they had the first time the men lined up below the News of the World banner.   

1957 (above)

1964

15 J McNeil (Law), 4 Duncan McFadyen( Wellpark), 12 Derek Easton (FVH), 10 Iain Steel, 11 Graeme Haddow (EUH&H)

1983

1985

1986

1999