Denny youngsters took care of Gerrard
And Joey Barton was also on the losing side
A Stirling Observer reader handed in this photograph of a youth football team which went to Liverpool and defeated sides featuring Rangers boss Steven Gerrard and controversial midefielder Joey Barton.
The photograph was taken in December 1991 at Beechwood Park, Stirling when Denny FC Under 14s defeated St Ninians FC 7-0, part of a remarkable season for the Denny boys who at that stage of the season had gone 25 games undefeated.
The reader, who did not want to be named, said the highlight of the season was when the team won the Liverpool Cup by defeating arch rivals I.C.I. in the final of an innovative competition organised by Stirling police officers Sergeant Michael Mchale and Constables John Mcnie and Gordon Hewitt in conjunction with their police colleagues in the Merseyside Constabulary at Toxteth, Liverpool.
Denny were then then invited to Merseyside to play a Liverpool Select Team for The Liverpool Challenge Cup, emerging victorious by winning the match 3-0.
In a packed weekend Denny also defeated top Liverpool youth team Denburn 3-1 and also won a specially arranged five-a-side tournament.
“It’s interesting to note that Stephen Gerrard of Liverpool fame and now successfully managing Rangers was in the line-up for Denburn, while Joey
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle, QPR and Burnley, was in the Liverpool Select Team,” he said.
The Denny squad also enjoyed a tour of Anfield, including the trophy room and watched the Everton v Chelsea match from the main stand.
Manager Allan Gillies and coach Arthur O’neil were unable to accompany the 16 14/15 year olds but parents Alec Corrigan and Owen Masterson and the three police officers oversaw the trip.
The trip was the icing on the cake for the Denny team as it won the County Cup, Maddiston Trophy and Steven Rae Cup and Cumbernauld Invitation Cup.
They lost to Celtic East in the semifinal of the Scottish Cup and lost the league title by a point to rivals I.C.I.
Among those youngsters who went on to have professional careers was Martyn Corrigan, who played at Falkirk, Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Ross County, Partick Thistle, Stirling Albion and Stenhousemuir as well as managing Stenhousemuir. He also had a stint as assistant manager and caretaker manager of Stirling Albion.
Back row: Left to right - Allan Gillies, Colin Ledwidge, Stewart Ferguson, David Reid, Brian Masterson, Jamie Stewart, Joe Smith, Iain Cunningham, Martyn Corrigan, David Shaw, Alec Corrigan. Front row - Alan Cramb,
Kevin Connor, David Ness, Neil Thomson, John Boyack, Neil Cunningham, Lee Mccallie.