The History of Newtongrange Star
1978/79
Back: P. Kerr (Trainer), M. Jones, D. Dick, D. Gowrie, T. Cropley, G. Grandison, K. Russell, B. Brown (Co-Manager), B. McDonald (Co-Manager).
Front: G. Bate, A. Duthie, A. Reid, J. Hislop, J. Pryde, B. Turner, N. Forbes.
Player of the Year awards
STORY OF THE SEASON
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    The Star emerged on top of their League Cup group, which included an excellent 4-1 victory over Scottish Junior Cup holders Bonnyrigg Rose. A John Hislop double secured a 2-1 win over Camelon in the quarter-final before another goal from Hislop and one from Tom Cropley earned a 2-0 win over Linlithgow Rose in the semi-final. The final was to be a disappointment though as the Star went down to a solitary goal against Tranent.

    The Star's defence of the Fife & Lothians Cup, now sponsored by Scottish Brewers, took them to Kirkcaldy and Tulliallan before they met local rivals Arniston Rangers in the third round at Victoria Park. Goals from Hislop and Kenny Donald secured a 2-0 win and a place in the quarter-final against Broxburn Athletic that the Star would lose by a single goal.

    Participation in the Scottish Junior Cup ended in the second round. The Star were drawn at home to top Ayrshire side Cumnock. Despite two goals from Junior Internationalist John Hislop, the Star had to settle for a draw. The team lost the replay through in Ayrshire 2-0 against a team that would go on to lift the trophy in May with a 1-0 win over Bo'ness United.

    The Star's league campaign for 1978/79 started well with home and away wins over Bo'ness United and a win over Dalkeith Thistle. However, a 6-2 thumping at Bonnyrigg Rose indicated that a season of inconsistent results was ahead. Indeed there was inconsistency from all the participating teams. So much so that third place was only four points ahead of Broxburn Athletic, who finished second bottom and were relegated, and five points behind eventual champions Penicuik Athletic, who only won the league with 29 points, a total that would only have secured fifth place the season before.

    Source: The History of Newtongrange Star FC [2010]
LORIMER LEAGUE 'A' DIVISION
Pld W D L F A GD Pts
Penicuik Athletic 22 12 5 5 29
Camelon Juniors 22 9 7 6 25
Newtongrange Star 22 8 8 6 24
Livingston United 22 9 6 7 24
Sauchie Juniors 22 6 11 5 23
Linlithgow Rose 22 7 8 7 22
Bonnyrigg Rose 22 8 5 9 21
Dalkeith Thistle 22 9 3 10 21
Bo'ness United 22 10 1 11 21
Tranent Juniors 22 7 6 9 20
Broxburn Athletic 22 7 6 9 20
Fauldhouse United 22 3 8 11 14
Relegated from 'A' Division: Broxburn Athletic
Fauldhouse United
Promoted to 'A' Division: Whitburn Juniors
Bonnybridge Juniors
Opponents Venue F A Scorers Team Info
Bo'ness United H 2 0 Balanowski, Pryde Ross, Grandison, Jones, Cropley, Forbes, Russell, Turner, Reid, Hislop, Balanowski, Pryde. Subs: Bate, Fleming.
A 2 0 Hislop 2 Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Pryde, Turner. Subs: Fleming, Bate.
Bonnyrigg Rose H 1 1 Balanowski Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Bate, Fleming.
A 2 6 Hislop, Duthie Gowrie, Jones, Russell, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Duthie, Reid, Hislop, Balanowski, Turner. Subs: Pryde, Bate.
Broxburn Athletic H 0 0 Ball, Jones, Russell, Donald, Grandison, Downie, Reid, Fleming, Hislop, Balanowski, Gilmour. Subs: Turner, Cropley.
A 1 2 Balanowski Gowrie, Russell, Dick, Cropley, Downie, Gilmour, Balanowski, Fleming, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Bate, Hastie.
Camelon Juniors H 1 1 Jones Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Gilmour, Russell, Fleming, Hislop, Donald, Bate. Subs: Turner, Forbes.
A 1 1 Hislop Gowrie, Jones, Brown, Downie, McIntosh, Gilmour, Reid, Fleming, Hislop, Balanowski, Turner. Subs: Davidson, Ball.
Dalkeith Thistle H 2 1 Hislop, Balanowski Ball, Jones, Russell, Cropley, Forbes, Fleming, Balanowski, Duthie, Hislop, Bate, Reid. Subs: Pryde, Love.
A 2 1 Hislop, Donald Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Donald, Bate. Subs: Hastie, Fleming.
Fauldhouse United H 1 2 Hislop Ball, Downie, Young, Russell, Grandison, Gilmour, Reid, Fleming, Hislop, Balanowski, Turner. Subs: Jones, Davidson.
A 0 0 Gowrie, Cropley, Dick, Fleming, Forbes, Gilmour, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Pryde, Turner. Subs: Reid, Donald.
Linlithgow Rose H 0 1 Ball, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Donald, Fleming. Subs: Russell, Bate.
A 3 0 Reid, Russell, Donald Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Balanowski, Russell, Reid, Donald, Gilmour. Subs: Duthie, Turner.
Livingston United H 1 2 Bate Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Bate, Fleming. Subs: Donald, Downie.
A 2 2 Hislop, OG McDonald, Jones, Russell, Cropley, Forbes, Fleming, Balanowski, Duthie, Hislop, Pryde, Reid. Subs: Turner, Bate.
Penicuik Athletic H 2 2 Hislop 2 Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Donald, Fleming. Subs: Bate, Downie.
A 1 2 Bate Ball, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Turner, Balanowski, Hislop, Pryde, Bate. Subs: Russell, Fleming.
Sauchie Juniors H 3 0 Hislop, Balanowski, Lynch Gowrie, Jones, Russell, Downie, Grandison, Gilmour, Reid, Lynch, Hislop, Balanowski, Turner. Subs: Fleming, Brown.
A 1 1 Hislop Gowrie, Jones, Fleming, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Donald, Gilmour. Subs: Bate, Turner.
Tranent Juniors H 2 1 Donald, Turner Ball, Jones, Dick, Russell, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Turner, Hislop, Fleming, Donald. Subs: Bate, Downie.
A 2 1 Hislop 2 Ball, Jones, Dick, Russell, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Fleming, Bate. Subs: Hastie, Millar.
SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 Bye
2 H Cumnock Juniors 2 2 Hislop 2 Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Donald, Gilmour. Subs: Reid, Turner.
A Cumnock Juniors 0 2 Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Reid, Gilmour. Subs: Donald, Fleming.
SCOTTISH BREWERS CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 A Kirkcaldy YMCA 2 0 Russell, Duthie Gowrie, Grandison, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Russell, Balanowski, Fleming, Hislop, Duthie, Turner. Subs: Bate, Donald.
2 A Tulliallan Thistle 1 1 Russell Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Donald, Gilmour. Subs: Reid, Duthie.
H Tulliallan Thistle 2 0 Hislop 2 Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Turner, Balanowski, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Fleming, Bate.
3 H Arniston Rangers 2 0 Hislop, Donald Ball, Jones, Russell, Cropley, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Turner, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Bate, Fleming.
QF A Broxburn Athletic 0 1 Gowrie, Jones, Russell, Downie, Grandison, Gilmour, Reid, Fleming, Hislop, Balanowski, Turner. Subs: Ball, Brown.
DRYBOROUGH CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 Bye
2 A Broxburn Athletic 3 3 Hislop 3 Gowrie, Jones, Fleming, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Balanowski, Reid, Hislop, Donald, Gilmour. Subs: Bate, Dick.
H Broxburn Athletic 3 1 Fleming 2, Turner Ball, Jones, Dick, Russell, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Turner, Hislop, Fleming, Bate. Subs: Donald, Reid.
QF A Camelon Juniors 0 1 Ball, Jones, Dick, Russell, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Turner, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Bate, Downie.
LAIDLAW CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
1 H Livingston United 0 0 Gowrie, Jones, Russell, Cropley, Forbes, Gilmour, Balanowski, Fleming, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Bate, Grandison.
A Livingston United 1 2 Reid Ball, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Gilmour, Balanowski, Russell, Hislop, Donald, Reid. Subs: Bate, Hastie.
HIGHLAND QUEEN LEAGUE CUP
Pld W D L F A GD Pts
Newtongrange Star 4 3 0 1 9 4 +5 6
Bonnyrigg Rose 4 1 1 2 4 6 -2 3
Arniston Rangers 4 1 1 2 3 6 -3 3
Opponents Venue F A Scorers Team Info
Arniston Rangers H 3 1 OG, Hislop, Bate Glynn, Fleming, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Turner, Balanowski, Hislop, Pryde, Reid. Subs: Bate, Duthie.
A 2 0 Hislop, Reid Ball, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Grandison, Turner, Balanowski, Hislop, Pryde, Reid. Subs: Russell, Bate.
Bonnyrigg Rose H 4 1 Reid 2, Balanowski, Hislop Glynn, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Turner, Balanowski, Hislop, Pryde, Reid. Subs: Bate, Fleming.
A 0 2 Ball, Jones, Russell, Cropley, Forbes, Fleming, Balanowski, Duthie, Hislop, Pryde, Bate. Subs: Reid, Turner.
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Info
QF H Camelon Juniors 2 1 Hislop 2 Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Duthie, Reid, Hislop, Pryde, Turner. Subs: Bate, Forbes.
SF H Linlithgow Rose 2 0 Cropley, Hislop Gowrie, Jones, Dick, Cropley, Grandison, Russell, Balanowski, Fleming, Hislop, Duthie, Reid. Subs: Love, Turner.
F N Tranent Juniors 0 1 Gowrie, Grandison, Dick, Cropley, Forbes, Russell, Balanowski, Pryde, Hislop, Duthie, Reid. Subs: Fleming, Turner.