The History of Newtongrange Star
1956/57
STORY OF THE SEASON
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    At the start of the season Star lost four players to the senior ranks. Danny Paton and Terry Tighe were covered in last season’s article, but a further two players joined Hibernian. Goalkeeper Lawrie Leslie who had been with Star for three years, went on to have a long and successful senior career with the Hibees, Airdrie, Stoke, West Ham United, Millwall and Southend. He played nearly 350 professional league games and won 5 full caps for Scotland. Also on the move to Easter Road was centre half Joe McLelland. He was a stalwart of the Easter Road side that did so well in Europe around 1960. He later joined Wrexham.

    Star ended the season in 4th place in the Mid/East Division of the Edinburgh and District League – their lowest position for many years. However, the League was very tight and Star were just three points behind champions Haddington – Dalkeith and Arniston finished in second and third places. With so many teams in Midlothian competition was very tough and at the end of the season Rosewell Rosedale resigned from the League.

    The Scottish Junior Cup provided some excitement for the fans. The first round brought a trip to Grangemouth to play newly formed Grangemouth United – an amalgamation of Forth Rangers and Grange Rovers. Slater (2) and Hunter scored as Star made heavy weather of gaining a 3-2 win. Bo’ness United came to Victoria Park in the second round and the crowd were treated to a great game. Paton (2), Hunter and Castle scored for Star as play raged from end to end. Star finally won 4-3. Alva Albion Rangers, one of the strugglers from the West Division, were next to take a trip to Midlothian. Slater (4) and Castle scored as Star won 5-2. Stoneyburn were next to fall to the Star by 4-1, before Armadale came calling in Round 5. Another double from Slater was enough to earn a 2-1 win.

    That took Star through to the Quarter Final stage where they were drawn away to Banks o’ Dee. The Aberdeen side were going through a purple patch and the tie caught the imagination of the public in Aberdeen. The game was switched to Pittodrie and a crowd of 16,369 attended – including an estimated 1200 who had travelled in support of the Star. Once again Slater scored but Star were well beaten by an impressive home side with a final score of 3-1. Banks o’ Dee went on to win the trophy, defeating Kilsyth Rangers in the Final at Hampden Park.

    The nearest Star came to winning a trophy was in the East of Scotland Cup. Wins over Ormiston, Arniston and Whitburn led them to the Final where they faced Haddington at Easter Road. Star were not at the races that day and could have no complaints about a 2-0 defeat – Haddington were in rampant form and went on to complete a ‘double’ when they defeated Broxburn over 2 legs for the overall Edinburgh and District Championship.

    Star reached the Semi Final of the Murray Cup, losing 4-3 to Armadale, and the same stage of the Thornton Shield when they lost out 5-4 to Pumpherston at King’s Park in Dalkeith.. There were early exits in the other competitions.

    At the end of the season centre forward Alex Paterson was signed by Dunfermline Athletic.

    Source: Newtongrange Star FC match programme [8-Nov-2008]
EDINBURGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE MID/EAST DIVISION
Pld W D L F A Pts
Haddington Athletic 26 19 2 5 82 40 40
Dalkeith Thistle 26 17 5 4 85 46 39
Arniston Rangers* 26 17 1 8 80 48 37
Newtongrange Star* 26 15 5 6 76 54 37
Loanhead Mayflower 25 11 4 10 45 48 26
Bonnyrigg Rose 26 12 1 13 60 56 25
Tranent Juniors 26 11 3 12 64 71 25
Dunbar United 26 8 8 10 46 53 24
Penicuik Athletic 26 10 3 13 53 55 23
Rosewell Rosedale 26 10 3 13 64 79 23
Easthouses Lily 26 9 3 14 49 65 21
Preston Athletic 26 7 5 14 44 62 19
Ormiston Primrose 25 5 5 15 41 73 15
Musselburgh Athletic 26 5 2 19 35 74 12
* 2pts awarded due to an opponent fielding inelligible players
Opponents Venue F A Scorers Team Info
Arniston Rangers H 5 2 Paton, Hunter 2, Slater 2
A 2 6 ?
Bonnyrigg Rose H 3 2 Castle 2, Paterson
A 0 1
Dalkeith Thistle H 2 1 Hunter, Newman
A 1 2 Slater
Dunbar United H 1 6 Ross
A 2 2 Slater, Hunter
Easthouses Lily H 5 4 Ross 2, Hunter, Paterson, Paton
A 2 2 Hunter, Slater
Haddington Athletic H 1 3 Paton
A 1 1 ?
Loanhead Mayflower H 2 1 Slater 2
A 1 2 Slater
Musselburgh Athletic H 7 1 Paterson 2, Castle, Paton, ?
A 3 1 Slater 2, OG
Ormiston Primrose H 3 1 Hunter, Ross, Smith
A 4 4 Paterson 2, Slater, Ross
Penicuik Athletic H 3 1 Ross, Slater, Whitelaw
A 3 1 ?
Preston Athletic H 3 3 Slater 2, Whitelaw
A 5 2 Hunter, Paterson 3, Slater
Rosewell Rosedale H 9 2 Paterson 4, Hunter 2, Castle 2, Slater
A 4 2 Hunter, White, Slater, Ross
Tranent Juniors H 2 1 Watson, Paton
A 2 0 Slater, Paterson
SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Crowd
1 A Grangemouth United 3 2 Slater 2, Hunter
2 A Ormiston Primrose 4 0 Paterson 2, Castle, Slater
3 H Alva Albion Rangers 5 2 Slater 4, Castle
4 H Stoneyburn Juniors 4 1 Hunter, Paton, Paterson, Slater Duncan, White, Ferguson, Delaney, Durie, Higgins, Paton, Slater, Paterson, Hunter, Castle.
5 H Armadale Thistle 2 1 Slater 2 Duncan, White, Ferguson, Delaney, Durie, Higgins, Paton, Slater, Paterson, Hunter, Castle.
QF A Banks O'Dee 1 3 Slater Duncan, White, Ferguson, Delaney, Durie, Higgins, Paton, Slater, Paterson, Hunter, Castle. 16,369
THORNTON SHIELD
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 A Penicuik Athletic 6 4 OG, Ferguson, Paterson 3, Hunter
2 A Dalkeith Thistle 2 1 Hunter, Slater
QF A Fauldhouse United 4 4 Watson, OG, Ross, Castle
H Fauldhouse United 8 3 Delaney, Gilroy, Hunter, Castle, Ross 3, Slater Duncan, Hewitt, Ferguson, Gilroy, Durie, Higgins, Ross, Delaney, Slater, Hunter, Castle.
SF N Pumpherston Juniors 4 5 Castle 3, Paton
EAST OF SCOTLAND CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 Bye
2 H Bo'ness United 4 3 Paton 2, Hunter, Castle Duncan, Durie, Valentine, Delaney, White, Higgins, Paton, Slater, Paterson, Hunter, Castle.
QF A Arniston Rangers 7 0 Paterson 4, Ross, Slater, Paton
SF N Whitburn Juniors 3 1 Ross 2, Hunter Duncan, Valentine, Ferguson, Delaney, Durie, Higgins, Paton, Slater, Ross, Hunter, Castle.
F N Haddington Athletic 0 2 Duncan, Valentine, Ferguson, Delaney, Durie, Hewitt, Ross, Slater, Paterson, Hunter, Paton.
ST MICHAELS CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 Bye
2 A Penicuik Athletic 3 2 Hunter, Paton, Castle
QF H Tranent Juniors 4 1 Paton, Slater 2, Paterson
SF N Dalkeith Thistle 2 5 Ross 2
BROWN CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 H Ormiston Primrose 5 0 Slater 2, Hunter 2, Ross
2 H Preston Athletic 2 3 Durie, Paton
R L RAE CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 H Haddington Athletic 2 1 OG, Paton
2 H Loanhead Mayflower 0 2
MURRAY CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 A Bonnyrigg Rose 3 3 Paton, Paterson, Ross
H Bonnyrigg Rose 5 1 Hunter 3, Slater, Castle
2 A Stoneyburn Juniors 4 2 Slater 2, Hunter, Linton Duncan, White, Ferguson, Hewitt, Durie, Higgins, Linton, Slater, Rose, Hunter, Paton.
QF H Linlithgow Rose 2 0 Paterson, Ross
SF N Armadale Thistle 3 4 Hunter, Paterson, Castle Duncan, White, Ferguson, Delaney, Durie, Higgins, Ross, Slater, Paterson, Hunter, Castle.