MAGNIFICENT MAROONS GREATEST EVER SEASON
Blog by Charlie Simpson
Time marches on at a helluva speed the older you get, but I can't believe that it is 40 years since Keith FC romped away with the Highland League Championship 1979-80, the middle of a magnificent three titles in a row.
I make no apology for waxing lyrical about what I deem to be the greatest ever Maroons side, and the most unforgettable season in the Club's long and illustrious history.
‘Romped’ is no exaggeration, as Keith left Brora Rangers a distant second, 12 points behind, in the days of only two points for a league win.
They left their rivals strung out like yesterday's washing, bulldozing all before them, winning the Aberdeenshire Cup and memorably gubbing Hamilton Accies in their own backyard to set up a 4th Round Scottish Cup tie against Berwick Rangers in front of a crowd of over 5600.
The defending champs strenghtened in the summer of '79, by bringing in Andy Fettes, ‘Foggie Fury’ Kevin Bremner, Paul Wisely, Ian Sellars and Gordon Beagrie.
What a mouthwatering array of players Wilson had at his disposal, no wonder they unnerved the opposition, and that was in the days of strong Brora, Caley, Inverness Thistle, Ross County, Peterhead, Buckie and Elgin City sides.
The masterly Bobby Gray was his goalie, he flew through the air like a trapeze artist. The best goalie I have ever seen in the Highland League. In defence were Ian ‘Cuptie’ McKay, Bruce ‘Skipper’ Martin, Mike ‘Dally’ Dalgarno, Eric ‘Big Eck’ Wilson, the elegant Wisely and gritty Ordiquhill loon Neil Rodger.
Fettes dominated midfield, and possessed one of the hardest shots I've ever seen. His compadres in the ‘engine-room’ were the wily Louis Duncan, and the accomplished Colin Keir.
Up front, the Maroons had the opposition greetin' for their mothers with turbo charged Bremner an unstoppable centre forward, and the deadliest of goalsnatchers wee Raymond ‘Ace’ O'Hara. Mike Winton and John Curran provided the ammo, and experienced Dennis Bruce was a great stand-in.
However a nervy opening to the campaign saw the Maroons lose at home to Ross County, one of only two league defeats. Three days earlier O'Hara had started the season with a bang, blasting a hat-trick as Lossiemouth were thumped 7-1 in the League Cup.
It was like poking a hornets nest though, as Wilson's Warriors went on the rampage after that, sweeping all before them. Bremner and O'Hara were unstoppable nabbing 69 goals between them, ‘Ace’ setting a club record 45 goals, at one point scoring in a record seven successive matches.
The parsimonious rearguard afforded the opposition a miserly 20 league goals, another record. The crown was clinched with a 2-0 home win against Brora on 5 April 1980, thanks to O'Hara's double.
During the season the Scottish Cup campaign was almost a diversion, with that marvellous 3-2 win at Hamilton, then top of the First Division, the finest Keith display I have ever seen. Goals from Colin Keir, Bremner and O'Hara had the mighty Maroons 3-0 up at one point. Then came Berwick, the visitors breathing a sigh of relief at the end, after O'Hara had put Keith ahead.
You hear managers and players girning these days about too many games, well, a meagre 18 players appeared in 41 games, nabbing 112 goals and conceding only 30. All mindboggling statistics.
I forget what was happening last week, but that season is fresh in my mind, recalling the agile saves, the tough tackling, the midfield superiority and the sharpshooting. Were they really that good? You bet, and it was a privilege to see them in their pomp.