The History of Newtongrange Star
1968/69
Star players and officials at the player's annual awards ceremony
STORY OF THE SEASON
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    Star retained the Mid / East Division title that they had won the previous year. However, for the second year in succession they lost the play off for the overall title this time to Bo’ness United.

    Pre-season Friendlies were starting to come into vogue and Star fought out a 2-2 draw with Johnstone Burgh which saw one man from each team sent off.

    The Scottish Junior Cup was a bit of a disaster for Star in the 1960s and this year was no better. After a Bye in Round One, Star travelled to windswept Muirkirk in Round Two where they were beaten 4-2.

    The Fife and Lothians Cup saw Star exit in Round 1 in a replay against Tulliallan Thistle at Kincardine.

    In the East of Scotland Cup Star fought their was past Fauldhouse and Bathgate but were beaten 2-1 at Victoria Park in the Quarter Finals by Bo’ness United.

    The best Cup run came in the St Michael Cup. Wins over Broxburn, Whitburn, Sauchie and Pumpherston led to a Final appearance against Linlithgow Rose. The game was played at Easter Road with the West Lothian team winning 2-1. Bobby Grant scored the Star goal.

    In the Brown Cup Star went out in the Quarter Finals to Whitburn, and in the RL Rae Cup they had a first round ko from Bo’ness.

    A typical Star line-up from this season read: Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Dickson, Gardiner, Fraser, Hay, Greenan, Grant, O’Connor and Hastie. Other players to the fore included Combe and Paterson. Winger Jim Hastie had been signed from Hibs at the end of 1967/8 and he was a popular player. His runs and crosses produced many chances for centre Bobby Grant, who would join Stirling Albion later in 1969.

    Source: Newtongrange Star FC match programme [13-May-2009]
EAST REGION MID/EAST DIVISION
Pld W D L F A Pts
Newtongrange Star 22 13 6 3 32
Tranent Juniors 21 12 5 4 29
Dalkeith Thistle 22 12 2 8 26
Arniston Rangers 21 10 4 7 24
Dunbar United 19 9 5 5 23
Haddington Athletic 22 8 5 9 21
Penicuik Athletic 20 8 4 8 20
Musselburgh Athletic 20 7 5 8 19
Peebles Rovers 22 6 7 9 19
Bonnyrigg Rose 21 6 5 10 17
Preston Athletic 21 6 4 11 16
Easthouses & Mayfield United 22 3 2 17 8
Opponents Venue F A Scorers Team Info
Arniston Rangers H
A 4 1 Grant 3, Greenan
Bonnyrigg Rose H 1 1 Anderson Wagley, Dickson, Douglas, Williamson, Rennie, Combe, Latto, Greenan, Anderson, O'Connor. Sub: Ferguson.
A 7 0 ?
Dalkeith Thistle H 1 0 OG
A 1 5 ?
Dunbar United H 2 1 ?
A
Easthouses & Mayfield United H 4 0 Grant 3, Patterson Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Dickson, Gardiner, Fraser, Hay, Patterson, Grant, O'Conner, Hastie. Sub: Combe.
A
Haddington Athletic H 6 1 Greenan 2, Patterson, Grant, Fraser, OG
A 1 1 ?
Musselburgh Athletic H 4 0 Hay 2, Greenan, Grant
A
Peebles Rovers H 2 2 Hastie, ?
A 1 1 ?
Penicuik Athletic H 1 0 Hay
A
Preston Athletic H 3 1 ?
A 3 0 Grant 2, Patterson
Tranent Juniors H 2 2 ?
A 2 1 Grant, ?
EDINBURGH & DISTRICT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF
Mid/East Division winners v West Division winners
Round Venue Opponents F A Scorers Team Info
1st Leg A Bo'ness United 0 3
2nd Leg H Bo'ness United 1 0 Hay
(Aggregate) 1 3
SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 Bye
2 A Muirkirk Juniors 2 4 ?
FIFE & LOTHIANS CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 H Tulliallan Thistle 1 1 Hastie
A Tulliallan Thistle 0 1
EAST OF SCOTLAND CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 A Fauldhouse United 2 2 Grant, Greenan Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Fraser, Rennie, Combe, Latto, Patterson, Grant, Greenan, Hastie. Sub: Williamson.
H Fauldhouse United 4 0 Greenan, Grant, ? Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Rennie, Gardner, Fraser, Hay, Patterson, Grant, Greenan, Hastie. Sub: Combe.
2 H Bathgate Thistle 4 3 Grant 2, Greenan, Combe Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Dickson, Gardner, Fraser, Grant, Rennie, Patterson, Greenan, Hastie. Sub: Combe.
QF H Bo'ness United 1 2 Grant Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Fraser, Gardner, Combe, Grant, Greenan, Hay, Rennie, O'Connor. Sub: Patterson.
ST MICHAELS CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 H Broxburn Athletic 3 1 Patterson 2, Combe Wagley, Ferguson, Douglas, Hunter, Rennie, Fraser, Latto, Greenan, Patterson, Combe, Hastie. Sub: Dickson.
2 H Whitburn Juniors 2 1 Grant, Fraser Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Dickson, Rennie, Fraser, Grant, Greenan, Patterson, Combe, Hastie. Sub: O'Connor.
QF H Sauchie Juniors 3 2 Greenan 2, Connor
SF H Pumpherston Juniors 5 1 Patterson 2, Hay, Greenan, Grant Wagley, Hunter, Douglas, Fraser, Rennie, Combe, Grant, Patterson, Hay, Greenan, Hastie. Sub: Dickson.
F N Linlithgow Rose 1 2 Grant Wagley, Hunter, Dickson, Fraser, Rennie, Combe, Grant, Patterson, Hay, Greenan, Hastie. Sub: Gardner.
BROWN CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 H Dalkeith Thistle 3 1 ?
2 H Sauchie Juniors 2 2 Greenan 2
Sauchie Juniors 2 1 Hay, Grant
QF H Whitburn Juniors 0 2 Wagley, Hunter, Hagart, Combe, Rennie, Fraser, Grant, Greenan, Hay, O'Connor, Hastie. Sub: Gardner.
R L RAE CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 A Bo'ness United 1 2 ?