Blantyre Station 1961
Blantyre Railway Station and the surround railway line was the location for disturbing scenes of football hooliganism…..in September 1927.
A football match had taken place between Blantyre Vics and Parkhead on Saturday 10th September 1927. It was filled with tension as Vics had been beaten by that club 5-1 2 weeks earlier, but in this games had their revenge by winning 5-2. The Parkhead travelling supporters numbered around 1,000 people and downhearted and angry, they were about to board their train back when fighting broke out in the station platform.
Parkhead supporters exited the parked train to assist their fellow supporters and a general melee ensued. Things got more serious when a large number of stones thrown started hurting people severely.
When the Police arrived, the conflict at the station had subsided, but it was far from over. The Parkhead supporters being chased by Vics support ran along the line, heading west towards Blantyre ferme Road.To escape the rammy, many Parkhead supporters hid in Craigknowe Farm, laying in wait there until things had calmed and preferring to get a bus home. One man Joseph Charlesworth of Parkhead was taken to hospital during the days events with an injured cheek.
However, things took a sinister turn, when the very next day on Sunday 11th September, railway fireman James Gormley was heading off to work early and discovered the dead body of a man laying on the railway tracks around 100 yards west of the station.The police were informed and the body was conveyed to the police mortuary. He was later identified as James Barrie (26) single living at 66 Craighead Rows.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2016
Source: Motherwell Times
Pictured some time later in 1961, is Blantyre Station, looking west.