By Stefan Bienkowski

Twitter: @stefan_gla

Website: http://theovallog.wordpress.com/

WHY QUEENS PARK?

Well, as some who follow me on Twitter no doubt know, I am indeed a Celtic fan.

Although there is a reason behind why I offered to do this segment and it’s because I hold Queens Park Football Club very close to my heart. I never went to Celtic games as a child, this was partially down to two simple facts; my dad hated football, and I never got enough pocket money to afford tickets to any of the games. As a result, I opted to go along to Hampden to follow Queens Park with my Uncle from the age of 12 but I never really understood the passion of the support that followed the side until much later on.

As a 12 year old, I found it rather odd. Surely these people found this football boring in comparison to Man United or Chelsea on Sky Sports, or alternatively, Celtic or Rangers across the city. Why sit in an empty national stadium in the middle of a Scottish winter, following a side that couldn’t compete football wise, or entertainment wise, with the alternatives that were thrown in our faces.

It was only as I got older and more mature that I began to look beyond the importance of an SPL title race or which of the English top four were heading towards Silverware, that I began to appreciate the history and significance of Queens Park.

The club motto, ‘Ludere Causa Ludendi’ which translates to ‘to play for the sake of the game’ rings true throughout the club right down to the first team players that play under the official banner of amateur that hasn’t changed since the clubs establishment, over 140 years ago. From helping to set up the Scottish Football Association in 1872, to contributing the entire first Scotland national side (the reason Scotland play in Navy blue is because it was the Queens Park strip at the time), to the pioneering passing game they invented and were world famous for, earning them the nickname ‘The Spiders’ long before Andres Iniesta or Xavi Hernandez.

The club is steeped in history and has been involved in the sports foundations in this part of the world, on every level from the very beginning. Queens Park for me stands for everything that’s right in football. Why we all fall in love with it. From its unwavering stance on amateur football, to its self asserting expectation to play football the right way, that has stuck with the club throughout the good and bad times over the course of its glorious past. Queens Park stands as a moral compass and a figurative emblem of the roots of Scottish football.

FAVOURITE PLAYER?

This one’s actually rather hard to answer because the way the club is run, it means that most of our best players move on rather quickly. It’s always been of an urban myth that a young Aiden McGeady was brought up in his early development through the Queens Park youth academy before moving to Celtic on a Professional youth contract.

Unfortunately its most certainly the norm for Queens Park fans to enjoy a youth prospect for a season or two and then watch him move on, and at the moment that player probably has to be Ian ‘Chuckie’ Watt. The pacey winger, who’s comparisons to the fictional Chuckie character become’s rather apparent with one look at the small players physique, has been in excellent form this season with 6 goals and plays at the centre of any attack as the side benefit from his skill on the wing to create something. At only 19, Watt has the rest of his career in front of him and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t move on to a second division side, especially if we don’t make the play off’s.

 

FAVOURITE KIT?

My favourite kit has to be, without doubt, the away top worn during 2001-03. Queens Park are sponsored by the Glaswegian beverage Irn Bru, – they have been for some time, and as a result, dedicate their away strips in the proud bright orange and light blue colours of the famous Glasgow drink.

It’s a horrible top, with a disgusting contrast in colours, but for me it sums Queens Park up perfectly. Bitterly loyal to there word, regardless of how it may look in comparison to what everyone else is doing. For me, that’s why it’s my favourite kit. ( in case your wondering, I do own this top).

 

WORST THING ABOUT BEING A QUEENS PARK FAN?

Without a doubt, the hardest part of being a Queens Park fan is simply trying to explain to people, why I follow them. It’s not a simple case of saying I support a local team, because my local side would be Rangers, Hampden is a good hours walk for me and is usually a case of a bus or train to get to the stadium. I can’t even say I find lower league football more romantic, because we play our football in the national stadium.

It’s a strange predicament I always find myself in, and if given the time I often go off on a rant that resembles something similar to the one at the start of this article, yet the infuriating fact is that most fans, especially those of the old firm persuasion, still don’t understand once I’ve explained myself. Maybe I’m just mad.

FAVOURITE GAME?

My favourite game has to be the 4-2 win over East Fife to win promotion to the second division back in 2007. I wasn’t able to make the second leg that we eventually won 3-0 and secured our promotion, but for me that game definitely stands out as the highlight of my time supporting Queens Park. To finally see the club achieve its goal, by doing it the right way and with the clubs morals and motto intact, was fantastic and a real encouragement to me that the club were in my heart. It was certainly one of the most emotional moments of my time as a fan of this sport.

Posted on March 30th, 2011 by scott
Filed under: My Team & I