I have been given a copy of a book by Rodwell Clyne called something like Northern Football (I am at work and cannot remember the actual title). It looks like a pretty old book as it talks of people like Ginger MacKenzie. Just wondering if anyone has read it or not or have an opinion on it before I start reading it!

It is called "In a different league", and recounts his c20 year career in Highland League football from about the mid 50s. It is a great read but probably more so for someone like myself who remembers those years.

Ah....the holy grail has turned up!! I have mentioned this book a few times. Flick thro that book and notice some of the Crowds that Caley were getting in them days. Im sure they were getting 6000+ at some games! anyhoo....wee side note...i think that book is quite rare now, so dont go throwing it in the bin. I think it could be worth about ?20, mibees even more

And if it is signed by the author ;)

Not sure I am going to get most of it as I am 27 but I will give it a go!

the Crowds that Caley were getting in them days. Im sure they were getting 6000+ at some games!

I'm not sure what the point you are trying to make here is - unless it is simply that in Rodwill's day in the 50s and 60s a lot more people turned out to watch live football, including relatively local Highland League matches.

On the other hand the "6000+ at some games" (pretty few I would hasten to add) would most recently include Caley v St Johnstone in the Cup in February 1992 which I believe may have been the last time any Highland League ground hosted a crowd of over 6000. In fact, courtesy of the Elfin Safety lobby, this may never be seen again.

Aye, but since the merger, crowds at football matches in Inverness just aren't the same as they were in the good old days of the Highland League because everybody stays away in protest now....

Edited June 2, 201115 yr by Charles Bannerman

Did he not end his days living in St Fergus Drive? I'm sure he did a bit of match reporting too?

I have been trying to track down a copy of Rod Clyne's In a Different League. My dad used to have it, and i have got it into my head that Caley in the HL days, back in the 50s and 60s used to get a bigger attendance than ICT do in the SPL. IM sure there are quite a lot of mentions of times when Caley would get 6000-7000 against the likes of Lossiemouth etc and against Clach, even more. Id be curious to see if i recall correctly. Must be 20 yrs since i last saw the book.

Did he not end his days living in St Fergus Drive? I'm sure he did a bit of match reporting too?

Is or was (I'm not sure if he is still alive) it not Rodwill's brother Bill who lived in St Fergus Drive? Bill worked with my dad in the Inland Revenue for years and there was also another younger brother Douglas who became a minister.

Rod was also Captain of the 9th Hilton BBs for a while so my dad, who was Captain of the 1st Company, also knew Rod through that. But yes, Rod did do a fair bit of football reporting. In fact I think it was mainly for the Sunday Post along with Ross County legend Jack Lornie.

The book is an excellent insight into playing in the Highland League in its golden era of the 50s and 60s.

Ah....the holy grail has turned up!! I have mentioned this book a few times. Flick thro that book and notice some of the Crowds that Caley were getting in them days. Im sure they were getting 6000+ at some games! anyhoo....wee side note...i think that book is quite rare now, so dont go throwing it in the bin. I think it could be worth about ?20, mibees even more

I'm quite sure they were though I dont really think comparrisons can be made. Football had no real competition for fans in them days. I recently read an article that stated Partick Thistle had an average 30,000 in the 50's. These were the years of getting back to grips without war. The industrial boom and all that. Pubs closed at half two. Game started at three. The saturday release from a hard working week. Oh how the world has changed.