How Cloughie inspired Thistle of 1994

In an interview with the Largs ‘News’ to mark the 20th anniversary of the cup win, the experienced junior boss recalls the amazing season he took over the reins at Largs, and transformed a team with some key signings.

He said: “The other important thing was that you had President George Pratt, who sadly passed away not long ago, and secretary Taffy Dicks and the Thistle committee. Largs Thistle was, and still is, a very well run football club, and the big thing for us was that we were allowed to get on and focus on the football.” “The thing I always remember was the Largs support going up to Aberdeen twice, and Pollok - there is a terrific fanbase in Largs, and were very much behind the team.” “The most important thing is the players, we had a really nice mixture of men, and had quite an experienced side who could handle going to places like Somerset Park and Ibrox undaunted. I never really had any doubts about that.” “When I joined the club, I was the third manager that season, and Kenny Barnstaple and Pat McCurdy were out of the picture, and open for transfer. I brought them back into the fold. We had great experience in the team with Barclay Feeney, Jimmy Murray and Andy Elliot making up three of the back four alone.” He recollected: “The team spirit was second to none. When you look back, it is the memories and camaraderie what you remember. That is a great thing - and you realise how successful that season actually was!” The club support also impressed John, and he said: “Even in those days, we had a lot of fans going to see us at home and away. We had as good a support as anyone, and I think we were attracting 2000 per game to Barrfields for league and cup matches.” The team spirit was a key strength highlighted by John Crawford. He remembered: “We were on our way to the Scottish Cup semi against Kilwinning at Somerset Park, in an old ramshackle bus - there was even steam coming out of it! We got another old bus but got down to Somerset, and then you see the Kilwinning bus arrive, and it was like a spaceship! They were all pointing and laughing at us.|

“But when we got into the dressing room, the players started banging the walls, and singing Tina Turner’s ‘Simply the Best’, and ‘We are the Thistle, We come from the coast! - They were thinking, what on earth are we up against here?” By co-incidence, before the cup final, both Largs and Glenafton were staying in hotels in Prestwick only half a mile apart!

“I always remembered Brian Clough allowed his players a couple of drinks, within reason, and went to bed at a reasonable hour. I thought this was similarly a good idea too for the players. We had a meal, a tactical team talk, and a few drinks, and then we were prepared for the next day.” “You cannot underplay George Pratt and Taffy Dicks’ involvement - they made sure that everything ran like clockwork for the players. And the cup winning goal was a special goal - a lot of people don’t appreciate that Pat McCurdy was injured 10 days before the final, he tore his hamstring and was considered doubtful. We got help from the St Mirren physio and worked hard to get him fit. Pat was only 70% fit for the final, but I knew he was a big occasion player. I remember Scotland boss at the time, Craig Brown, who was a personal friend of mine, commented that the goal we scored came straight from the training ground - and he was right. We had worked on that crossing and finishing exercise quite a number of times. If Pat had been fully fit that day, I think he would have had a hat-trick.” The players dumped John in the bath in the dressing room during the celebrations come the full-time whistle!

“I remember my bag was behind the bar at the Fiddlers Nightclub, and when I went to lift it later that night, it was a tonne weight, as everything was still wet from the bath soaking!” He laughed.

John hopes that 20 years on, the controversy that developed at the time with the four sendings off in the final, including Jimmy Murray, and Andy Elliot, can be laid to rest. He said; “A lot was made of it at the time, as it was not long after the Duncan Ferguson head-butting incident, but our match was never really a dirty game - in fact, it was one of the better Scottish Junior Cup finals, and there was no bad blood between the players, or the management, at the end of the 90 minutes.” Looking back, John, who went on to manage Hurlford United for many years, said that his days at Largs Thistle will always bring back happy memories, as there was a special atmosphere at the club. “I think the fact that the team still meet up regularly and go out for a drink is testament to that,” added the cup winning manager, “We had a special bond, and the players had a real determination about them - they were strong characters - and that team spirit was huge for us in 1994.”