Scottish Amateur Football Association - 1960 - 1969 Years of Enlightment and Hope

1969 Years of Enlightment and Hope

Training in First Aid was mooted for club officials, but the SAFA advised teams to contact their local St Andrews Ambulance Service direct. The popular Coaching Commission courses continued and in 1960 there were forty six participants.

The Dumfries & C District AFL were advised they could not fine players for misconduct offences but where appropriate they could fine clubs. The National Registration Scheme was again debated but turned down by Council before it was taken to the AGM. Similar proposals for such a scheme were rejected at the 1963 and 1964 AGMs.

However, in 1962 the SFA agreed at their AGM to the SAFA proposal that an amateur player on a “B Form” could have his registration cancelled on request and altered their Articles of Association accordingly. A record two hundred and fifty nine entries for the Scottish Cup in 1962 was exceeded in 1965 when two hundred and eighty four entered.

In 1965 the SAFA promoted an Inter League Youth Competition to start the following season and Foulden Fc playing in the North Northumberland League were permitted by the SFA to affiliate to the SAFA. The SFA also suggested that one substitute might be used at anytime in a game but this met with a muted response at the SAFA.

In April 1966 an SAFA Select played Edinburgh University to commemorate the Centenary of the Edinburgh University Athletic Club.

By the 1966 AGM, the SAFA secretary Murray McNab had moved to Alexander Sloan & Co who carried out the secretarial work on behalf of the Association. A proposal for a National Registration Scheme was again debated and rejected.

A major step was taken in August 1966 when the SAFA agreed that one substitute might be allowed but only to replace an injured player. He had to be on the team lines and, if used in a cup competition, would be considered cup tied. A few weeks later the SAFA showed their teeth and told Lawside FP (Midlands AFA) to return the North of Tay Cup and all individual plaques when it was found they had played a professional player in the final. Stirling & District AFA were warned that they must give dated suspensions and not game suspensions. In the course of the previous season, twenty five Appeals were dealt with. In August 1967 the referee’s tariff for the Scottish Cup was set at £1.00 plus travelling expenses and the SAFA funds stood at £1271.00. The SAFA were prepared to permit one substitute for cup games but each Association/League could decide for themselves whether to adopt this rule.

In October 1967 the sons of Alex F Baxter, who for years had been the amateur football columnist with the Glasgow Evening Times, approached the SAFA and offered a trophy in their father’s memory. The initial suggestion was to split the West of Scotland Cup into two sections, but this was rejected in favour of a knock out competition between the Associations/Leagues in the West of Scotland.

In April 1968 the AF Baxter Trophy was handed over to the SAFA by the late columnist’s two sons.

Also in 1968 it was suggested the post of President be restricted to one of three years but this was not accepted. In April 1969 Alexander Sloan & Co became the SAFA Treasurers and the SAFA registered office would be the companies address at 142 St Vincent Street, Glasgow. An auditor was appointed and the position of Secretary/Treasurer was combined and taken on by Murray McNab. An assistant secretary was to be appointed at the following AGM. At the 1969 AGM, these two appointments were confirmed with the assistant secretary dealing with all Youth matters. Once again a proposal for a National Registration Scheme was debated and rejected.

Tragedy struck the newly appointed Secretary/Treasurer when he was badly injured in a fall at home and he died in September 1969 from his injuries. The assistant secretary, Leslie Michie, who had never taken up that position, was appointed Secretary/Treasurer until the following AGM