There follows an account of two seasons of the club’s history in the form of the annual reports presented to members at the club’s end of season Annual General Meetings in 1976 and 1977.
These meetings were held in the Royal British Legion (Women’s Section) Hall in Reform Street, Tayport (now long since demolished and replaced by a residential block.)
1975-76
During this season, although work was underway on the construction of the club’s new pavilion, the Canniepairt pitch wasn’t yet ready for play. The club’s home pitch was still on the Esplanade side of the East Common and changing accommodation was the wooden former Swimming Club hut (see page 6)with its gas lighting and a ‘multi purpose’, cold water only, Belfast sink.
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In October 1975, Scottish Amateur Cup holders Star Hearts (who would ultimately evolve into Junior side Kennoway Star Hearts) were eliminated in their first game in defence of that title, beaten 2-0 by Tayport on East Common.
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At the end of May 1975, Tayport reached the Fife Amateur Cup final at the now defunct Leven Juniors’ ground at King George V Park, Leven against Star Hearts who exacted revenge for their Scottish Cup defeat, winning 4-2. Of the four clubs defeated by Tayport en route to that final only one, Methilhill Strollers, still survived in 2020.
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Graeme Dandie from Guardbridge was a prolific goalscorer in season ‘75-’76, netting 35 goals in only 31 starts.
Canniepairt in September 1975
Back – Jim Scott, George Taylor, Graham McLaren, Phil Callander, Ronnie Fleming, Ian Mathers, Dave Henderson. Front – Ian Howe, Keith Ritchie, Graeme Dandie, Frank Leslie, Gordon Hughes, Doug Henderson
Pic shows a Sunday afternoon ‘Bounce’ XI outside the Hut in 1973 prior to a kick about vs. the Froth Suppers
Back—Doug Henderson, Chas Anderson, Gordon Brankin, Ian Mathers, Jimmy Lindsay, Alan Davie
Front – Abby Oswald, Jimmy Herd, Stewart Ritchie, Walter Kemp, Andy Robertson
Frank Feechan, Stuart Davie, John Anderson, Albert Oswald Snr
Front – Ally Harris, John Porter, Stewart Ritchie, Ian Rae, George Bryson, Colin Hughes
How the Club was funded — 1975 – 1976 Income Stream
Bingo Sessions: 465.49
Golden Goals Sweepie: 366.48
Players’ Subs: 292.53
Match Result tickets & Fruit Machine tickets & Drinks Boards: 288.64
Prize Draws: 154.43
Dances and Discos: 128.39
Coffee Mornings: 125.59
Match Collections: 63.64
Donations: 7.20
Total: £1,892.39
Committee Decisions 1975-1976
Some notes from the Minute Book
- 24 numbered tracksuits and a set of new strips were purchased at a cost of £197, one third of the cost of which was met by Mr T McMahon, of the Tayport Arms
- A fund raising dance in the Town Hall [now Gregory Hall] was described as an outstanding success, showing a profit of £112
- A new team manager, Sandy Small, was appointed but Jim Scott would continue to take training
- 12 second hand floodlights were purchased from Dundee United FC at a cost of £64.80
- Tayport FC was warned by the Fife AFA in connection with a bottle throwing incident involving a Tayport supporter at the Ballingry cup tie.
- Sandy Small was sacked as team manager
- Bobby Waddell was appointed team manager
- It was decided to pursue floodlighting for the training pitch rather than the new pitch planned for the Canniepairt
- It was agreed that the main prize in the Summer Prize Draw would be a Weekend for two in London or £60 cash
- Concern had been expressed over the way in which a player’s on-field injury had been dealt with. An opinion was expressed that it should have been handled with greater urgency. It was pointed out that the reason for the perceived lack of urgency was because the player in question was well known as having a reputation for staging dramatic injuries at crucial times during games…
- North East Fife District Council had advised the club that the Council had no funding to assist with the laying out of the new Canniepairt pitch and in addition the club would have to find topsoil themselves.
Tayport F.C. Archive 