The History of Newtongrange Star
2001/02
STORY OF THE SEASON
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    2001/02 was to be a season of change. Junior clubs in the East had agreed to the formation of a new Superleague at the start of the following season that would include the best clubs from the Lothians, Fife and Tayside. The top five places in the John Walker League First Division would guarantee a place in the new league. The Star though had a very disappointing season with heavy defeats recorded against Linlithgow Rose (1-8), Bonnyrigg Rose (0-4), Whitburn (0-4) and Musselburgh Athletic (1-6) meaning the club ultimately finished second bottom. In any other season such a position would have meant relegation, but league reconstruction at least saved such ignominy.

    The Star could only look on in envy as Bonnyrigg Rose joined the new Superleague with a fourth place finish. Arniston Rangers also made it despite finishing sixth after Whitburn turned down the offer of a place in the league.

    The Scottish Junior Cup was no less a disappointment as the Star were drawn once again against Kilwinning Rangers. Just like the season before there was disappointment as the Star lost 1-0 through in Ayrshire.

    In the other cup competitions, two quarter-finals were the best that could be attained.

    Further change came in the form of manager Alan O'Connor's departure towards the end of the season with player/coach Willie Jamieson taking over and after 17 years of service to Newtongrange Star, Gordon Fraser and Tony O'Hara decided to call it a day and retired from playing.

    Tony O'Hara was a fan's favourite during those 17 years. He was previously with Haddington Athletic, Berwick Rangers and Dunfermline Athletic before joining the Star. He picked up many a winner's medal in that time and scored many memorable goals along the way. The only goal against Scottish Junior Cup holders Cumnock in 1989/90, the long-range strike against Glenafton Athletic in the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final of 1990/91 and his dance through the Linlithgow Rose defence in the AGM Interiors Cup of 1991/92 were just some of the best examples.

    Formerly with Meadowbank Thistle and Falkirk, Gordon Fraser, also known by his nickname 'Puskas', played a key role in the Star's defence over 17 years. He was involved in the very successful period of the early 1990's and became Club Captain in 1994 following the retiral of Kevin McColl. A dependable and disciplined left back, his performances led to 3 caps for Junior Scotland.

    Source: The History of Newtongrange Star FC [2010]
JOHN WALKER LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION
Pld W D L F A GD Pts
Linlithgow Rose 22 18 1 3 60 20 +40 55
Whitburn Juniors* 22 12 4 6 46 28 +18 40
Bathgate Thistle 22 11 5 6 40 32 +8 38
Bonnyrigg Rose 22 10 2 10 35 31 +4 32
Edinburgh United 22 9 5 8 32 32 0 32
Arniston Rangers 22 9 4 9 37 45 -8 31
Bo'ness United 22 9 3 10 35 38 -3 30
Camelon Juniors 22 8 3 11 38 43 -5 27
Musselburgh Athletic 22 7 3 12 38 47 -9 24
Armadale Thistle 22 6 5 11 31 43 -12 23
Newtongrange Star 22 6 5 11 28 46 -18 23
Haddington Athletic 22 5 4 13 33 48 -15 19
Promoted to new Superleague: Linlithgow Rose
Bathgate Thistle
Bonnyrigg Rose
Edinburgh United
Arniston Rangers
*Whitburn Juniors declined promotion to new Superleague
Relegated to Second Division: Haddington Athletic
Promoted from Second Division: Fauldhouse United
Bonnybridge Juniors
Sauchie Juniors
Pumpherston Juniors
Opponents Venue F A Scorers Team Media
Armadale Thistle H 0 0 Oliver, Dewar, Tait, Baigrie, Aitchison, McCaul, Milne, Carson, Rixon, O'Hara, Coyle. Subs: Leishman, Innes, Jenkins, Herriot, Dyett.
A 1 1 Hardie Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Aitchison, Cunningham, Leishman, Rixon, Tait, Carson. Subs: Dewar, Forrest, Reynolds, Carver.
Arniston Rangers H 1 2 Rixon Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Carson, Aitchison, Hardie, Milne, Buchan, Rixon, Tait, Devlin. Subs: Leishman, Herriot, Quinn, O'Hara, Jamieson.
A 2 3 Milne, Baigrie Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Aitchison, Robertson, Hardie, Milne, Baigrie, Rixon, Buchan, Tait. Subs: Carson, Leishman, O'Hara, Devlin.
Bathgate Thistle H 1 1 Rixon Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Robertson, Hardie, Leishman, Coyle, Buchan, Rixon, Tait, Baigrie. Subs: O'Hara, Aitchison, Jamieson.
A 4 1 Milne, Rixon, McCaul, Innes Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Quinn, Aitchison, Herriot, Milne, Leishman, Rixon, O'Hara, Tait. Subs: Jamieson, Innes, Carson, Hardie.
Bo'ness United H 0 1 Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Quinn, Robertson, Trialist, Milne, Baigrie, Rixon, Buchan, Tait. Subs: Trialist, Coyle, Devlin, Carson, O'Hara.
A 0 2 Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Cunningham, Carson, Leishman, Rixon, Milne, Tait. Subs: Reynolds, Herriot, Forrest.
Bonnyrigg Rose H 3 1 Milne, Rixon 2 Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Aitchison, Rixon, Leishman, Milne, O'Hara, Tait. Subs: Carson, Reynolds, Forrest, Fraser.
A 0 4 Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Baigrie, Aitchison, Robertson, Milne, Hardie, Rixon, Buchan, Tait. Subs: Quinn, Leishman, Coyle, Carson.
Camelon Juniors H 0 1 Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Aitchison, Milne, Leishman, Innes, O'Hara, Cunningham. Subs: Forrest, Carson, Reynolds, Rixon.
A 0 2 Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Tait, Hardie, Buchan, Coyle, Leishman, Devlin, Baigrie, Herriot. Subs: Aitchison, Trialist, Trialist, Jamieson, Trialist.
Edinburgh United H 2 0 Rixon 2 Oliver, Carson, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Hardie, Cunningham, Leishman, Rixon, Tait, Milne. Subs: O'Hara, Aitchison, Herriot, Dewar, Forrest.
A 1 0 Rixon Oliver, Dewar, Herriot, Hardie, Aitchison, McCaul, Milne, Leishman, Rixon, Innes, Coyle. Subs: O'Hara, Jenkins, Inglis, Jamieson, Carson.
Haddington Athletic H 3 2 Milne 2, Cunningham Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Cunningham, Milne, Leishman, Rixon, Tait, Dyett. Subs: Aitchison, Reynolds, Jenkins, Carver, Dewar.
A 3 3 Milne 2, Devlin Oliver, Dewar, Tait, Baigrie, Aitchison, McCaul, Milne, Carson, Rixon, Jamieson, Devlin. Subs: Innes, Leishman, Dyett, Herriot, Coyle.
Linlithgow Rose H 0 1 Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, McCaul, Quinn, Jamieson, Aitchison, Milne, O'Hara, Rixon, Tait, Innes. Subs: Herriot, Leishman, Cunningham, Fraser.
A 1 8 Rixon Oliver, Carson, McCaul, Quinn, Dewar, Tait, Milne, Baigrie, Rixon, Buchan, Devlin. Subs: Coyle, Leishman, Jamieson.
Musselburgh Athletic H 2 0 Rixon, Carson Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Hardie, Aitchison, Buchan, Coyle, Jamieson, Tait, Devlin, Rixon. Subs: Carson, Innes, Leishman, Herriot, Baigrie.
A 1 6 Cunningham Oliver, Aitchison, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Tait, Milne, Carson, Rixon, Leishman, Cunningham. Subs: Hardie, Quinn, Reynolds, Forrest, O'Hara.
Whitburn Juniors H 0 4 Oliver, Dewar, Herriot, Coyle, Aitchison, McCaul, Milne, Leishman, Rixon, O'Hara, Innes. Subs: Hardie, Carson, Fraser, Jenkins, Jamieson.
A 3 3 Rixon 3 Oliver, Dewar, Tait, Baigrie, McCaul, Trialist, Milne, Buchan, Rixon, O'Hara, Coyle. Subs: Quinn, Carson, Devlin, Leishman, Robertson.
OVD SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Media
1 A Kilwinning Rangers 0 1 Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Hardie, Milne, Innes, Rixon, O'Hara, Tait. Subs: Cunningham, Quinn, Leishman, Aitchison, Herriot.
HEINEKEN FIFE & LOTHIANS CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Media
1 Bye
2 H Lochore Welfare 3 1 Innes 3 Oliver, Dewar, Herriot, Aitchison, McCaul, O'Hara, Leishman, Carson, Rixon, Milne, Innes. Subs: Jamieson, Forrest, Hardie.
3 A Edinburgh United 1 0 Coyle Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Baigrie, Aitchison, Hardie, Milne, Buchan, Rixon, Tait, Coyle. Subs: Leishman, Herriot, Devlin, Carson, Jamieson.
QF H Armadale Thistle 0 1 Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Leishman, Aitchison, Robertson, Buchan, Carson, Rixon, Baigrie, Tait. Subs: Devlin, Dewar, Melrose, Jamieson, Quinn.
CALDERS EAST OF SCOTLAND CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Media
1 H Haddington Athletic 6 1 Innes, Cunningham 2, Milne 2, Leishman Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Aitchison, Milne, Leishman, Innes, O'Hara, Cunningham. Subs: Carson, Reynolds, Forrest.
2 H Camelon Juniors 2 4 Rixon, Innes Oliver, Dewar, Carson, Leishman, Hardie, McCaul, Milne, Innes, Rixon, O'Hara, Coyle. Subs: Aitchison, Herriot, Tait, Jamieson, Barrett.
STREAMLINE TAXIS CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Media
1 Bye
2 A Fauldhouse United 1 3 Devlin Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Hardie, Milne, Buchan, Rixon, Tait, Devlin. Subs: O'Hara, Leishman, Quinn, Carson.
DOUG N' AL CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Media
1 A Pumpherston Juniors 2 2 5 4 Rixon, Milne Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Baigrie, Aitchison, Hardie, Milne, Carson, Rixon, Tait, Coyle. Subs: Leishman, Devlin, Robertson, Buchan, Jamieson.
2 A Tranent Juniors 0 1 Oliver, Dewar, McCaul, Baigrie, Aitchison, Robertson, Milne, Carson, Rixon, Tait, Coyle. Subs: Quinn, Hardie, Leishman, Devlin, Buchan.
CARLSBERG LEAGUE CUP
Round Venue Opponents F A PenF PenA Scorers Team Media
1 A Stoneyburn Juniors 2 1 Milne 2 Carver, Hardie, McCaul, Baigrie, Jamieson, Milne, Dyett, Leishman, Rixon, Tait, Innes. Subs: Aitchison, O'Hara, Carson, Forrest, Oliver.
2 A West Calder United 3 2 Leishman, Rixon, Tait Carver, Reynolds, McCaul, Hardie, Jamieson, Milne, Baigrie, Leishman, Rixon, Tait, Cunningham. Subs: Carson, Forrest, Dyett, Oliver.
QF A Linlithgow Rose 2 3 Rixon 2 Oliver, Hardie, McCaul, Carson, Jamieson, Aitchison, Milne, Leishman, Rixon, Tait, Cunningham. Subs: Baigrie, O'Hara, Dewar, Herriot, Carver.
SQUAD
  • Stevie Oliver
  • Fraser Carver
  • Scott Dewar
  • Gordon Fraser
  • Alan Carson
  • Willie Jamieson
  • Richie McCaul
  • Steven Hardie
  • Tam Aitchison
  • Darren Robertson
  • Andrew Reynolds
  • Jamie MacNamara
  • John Tait
  • John Baigrie
  • Kevin Milne
  • Malcolm Coyle
  • Tony O'Hara
  • Jordan Leishman
  • Craig Cunningham
  • Scott Dyett
  • Stevie Rixon
  • Ally Innes
  • Colin Herriot
  • John Jenkins
  • John Devlin
  • Brian Quinn
TESTIMONIAL


TAM AITCHISON
Newtongrange Star 1-1 Hibs/Hearts XI
(Hibs/Hearts XI won 5-4 on penalties)