As well as the Scottish and North West League/Central and South of Scotland League which gives all age groups from under 11 upwards competitive opportunities, Whitemoss have been participants in the Mens competition. This is open to under 17, under 20, senior and veteran athletes. The club has had two spells in the set-up as this article explains.

While I’m uncertain as to how long Whitemoss were Mens League members, data is available stretching back to 1996. Back then, the league had five divisions and 37 competing clubs, a state of affairs which is difficult to envisage now. The Whitemoss team encompassed a small group of senior athletes and coaches and committee members. 1996 wasn’t the greatest year for the local clubs as Whitemoss took the wooden spoon in Division 5 and our friends from East Kilbride Athletics Club had to swallow relegation from the first division. The following year, there were three resignations and Division 5 was disbanded, Whitemoss forming part of a ten club fourth tier. Divisions 1 and 2 met together at the same venues as did Divisions 3 and 4. Fortunes improved a little with 8^th place being obtained. In 1998 though, the club had a pretty good go at things. Over competitions at Meadowbank, Scotstoun, Greenock and Grangemouth, fourth place was achieved. The club took third overall at the first meeting.

The following year was the first time I would have been eligible to compete. However, the first meeting threw the club a trip to Queens Park stadium in Inverness. Commitment to participation in the Mens League could no longer be met and Whitemoss duly resigned from the set up. Our neighbours at East Kilbride had been suffering severely bad fortunes. Successive relegations from the top division to the bottom was enough for them to also withdraw. They have not re-entered the league since but happily have recovered from these dark days and now have a booming membership.

Among those who competed for Whitemoss on Mens League duty were Alan Cullie, Brian Cullie, Billy Boyd, Stuart Boyd and Myles Dougan. Incidentally, competition results used to be published infrequently in Glasgow’s Evening Times for a short period.

Alas times change. By 2003, Whitemoss had a sufficiently strong mix of first and second claim athletes to have another bash at Mens League participation. On Sunday 27^th April 2003 at Coatbridge, the club, with Mike Smith installed as team manager, returned to the Mens League fold. Joining existing club members were second claim participants from East Kilbride, Calderglen Harriers and Cambuslang Harriers. Among the number were 4 survivors from 5 years previously, Alan Cullie, Brian Cullie, Stuart Boyd and long serving stalwart Myles Dougan. We did not wish to simply make up the numbers and made our intentions crystal clear. Whitemoss posted its best ever performance in the Mens League, finishing second on the day behind Victoria Park. The club was pipped by just two points for first and 4 clear of 3^rd placed Giffnock North. An amazing standard if it could be maintained.

Unfortunately the club ran out of steam somewhat in the next two meetings (there were only three that year). We competed at Grangemouth on 8^th June then at the newly reopened Wishaw track two weeks later. Call offs left the team slightly depleted though we headed to Wishaw with promotion still a remote possibility. At the third competition, 6^th place was achieved but another 17 points would have put the club in 4^th. Finishing 3^rd overall was an excellent outcome. Pole vault, hurdles and distance events seemed to be pinpointed areas for improvement.

Fortunes improved in 2004 when the league reverted to the four competition format. I missed the first meeting in April due to being in Sweden but the club fared okay without me. I was back for Grangemouth on 20^th June. I added another event to my somewhat limited athletic repertoire, 400m hurdles, which I have used to warm up for my later regular jaunts over 3000m steeplechase and 5000m. We kept in touch at the top after the third meeting on a scorching day at Meadowbank in July. Beyond all expectations, not only promotion but the Division 3 Championship was sealed at Scotstoun, a familiar location for Whitemoss triumphs. Whitemoss were pushed all the way that year by Lasswade and, heading to Glasgow, were only one point clear at the top. However, a match total of 258 points, 20 more than the Edinburgh based club, sealed pole position for Whitemoss. Mike Smith received the manager’s customary award of a quick dip before we went home.

Among the Whitemoss performers that year were myself, Graeme Smith, Martin Duthie, Ian McEwan junior, Ian McEwan senior, Scott Davidson, Graeme Leggate, George Dingwall, Gary Mackay, Neil Masson, Keith Stoddart, Craig Ferguson, Alistair Campbell, Malcolm Clark and Alan Cullie.

Most clubs would be content to survive at a higher level after a step up. Whitemoss not only took promotion in its stride but surpassed itself in 2005. The squad nucleus remained the same as before, boosted also by younger athletes who now found themselves eligible for the Mens League, including Jamie and Craig McEwan, David Robertson and Mark Stringer. The club was now able to field team places without relying as greatly as before on second claim members. Going into the final competition at Ayr on 7^th August, the club was 2^nd behind another Edinburgh club, Corstorphine. Incredibly, promotion had already more or less been sealed. Whitemoss started the day three points adrift. On a sunny and blustery day, we battled hard and concluded level with our Edinburgh competitors on 36 points. To decide the league champions, the clubs’ respective match points required calculating and, after a tense wait, Whitemoss were declared Division 2 champions by 39 match points. It really could not have been closer and everyone deserved the utmost praise for overhauling the deficit. Every place on the team sheet was filled which, I would suggest, made all the difference.

Mike Smith obviously took a lot of credit for the achievement. However, poor Keith Stoddart took the soaking in his place…

Following on from the previous year’s success, Whitemoss had two more items of silverware to add to the cabinet. The club was honoured with the East Kilbride Sports Council Team of the Year Award in 2005 and the Mens League’s Most Improved Club in 2006.

Surviving at the top level was always going to be a tall order. We found ourselves competing against some of the strongest clubs in the country and would do very well to survive. City of Edinburgh are multiple winners of the league and long standing competitors. Shettleston, Arbroath, Pitreavie, Kilbarchan and Central are also tough opposition. Two more younger recruits jumped on board, Ryan Grant and Billy McGill, and a steeplechaser, Joe Kealey of Cambuslang Harriers, signed up on a second claim basis. The club battled to 6^th place at Meadowbank in April but was severely depleted at the second meeting at Grangemouth on 25^th June. Only 12 competitors could be mustered, nowhere near enough to fill the team sheet. Whitemoss were 8^th on the day with 155 points behind Corstorphine on 179 and Central with 259. The club lay 7^th overall with 4 points ahead of Corstorphine (3) but behind Central (6). Most people seemed to be unavailable at the same time so surely normal service would resume when we convened again at Grangemouth on 16^th July?

Not so unfortunately. It was 80 degrees and numbers were again on the low side. Most of us stretched ourselves over a number of events. I did 400m hurdles, 1500m, 5000m and, for the first time since I was knee high to a grasshopper, shot putt. Everyone competed as best they could, alas, it was not enough and we effectively had to admit defeat with one meeting left.

The club bowed out of Division One on 20^th August at Linwood, a little down but certainly not disgraced. Generally, holidays and injuries to athletes proved our downfall. We were also unable to rely upon a few second claim athletes who had served us well in the past. Road races ruled out most of the distance guys even if I always prefer the track to road events. It was clear that, in Division One, it is imperative the team sheet is filled. The club were unable to do that often enough while others were. In the third meeting, the club was a handful of points from 6^th which would have left a fighting chance at Linwood. That, in my opinion, was fundamentally the only difference between ourselves and the clubs staying in the league, maybe outwith the top two who perhaps boast a bit more quality.

The experience gained from competing at the top level was invaluable to Whitemoss’ athletes who, as I have said, are now making up the bulk of the Mens League squads.

After this campaign, Mike Smith stepped aside as manager after 4 years. He was rewarded for service to the club generally with a honorary life membership.

Keith Stoddart has now taken the managerial reigns and, as at the time of writing, April 2007, Whitemoss are preparing to embark on another Mens League quest in Division Two. Other clubs have commented on how welcome an addition we have been to the set-up. We have earned plaudits and admiration from our rivals. In 2007 onwards, a mix of fresh youngsters and wily veterans will continue to compete and hold their own in this competition. Maybe, in Division One, we will be blessed with better fortunes.

Figures in brackets denote match points over the four competitions. As you can see, you could hardly squeeze an A4 sheet of paper between the top two.