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  1. #1
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    50 Club

    Hi Everyone, Just looking to pick a few brains. Was down opposite the west stand today and noticed a sign for the Russian visa application centre in a building on Albion Road, during my early days of attending matches it was known as the 50 Club and had links to HFC but no idea in what capacity
    Anyone enlighten me
    Thanks


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    @hibs.net private member Frazerbob's Avatar
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    My Dad was a founder member. The 50 Club was set up by 50 original members who were mostly Leith business men. It operated out of the club rooms you are talking about and was independent from the football club. A few years before the old main stand was replaced, Hibs invited them to move into the old Toyota Lounge in the main stand with seats behind the directors box. The members agreed and sold the premises on Albion Road. When the new stand was built, they were not offered an alternative venue in it and that pretty much signaled the end of the club. Many of the members still attend but sadly some have now passed on. In its heyday the players would often head to the 50 Club after games for a few refreshments and mingle with the fans.

    I’m sure some can offer more details (and probably correct my recollections).

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    Left by mutual consent! Peevemor's Avatar
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    The building in question was the premises of Metro Press, a printing company owned by a good hibee. At one point the 50 Club owned the basement, and Metro the ground floor and first floor (which they rented to Hibs as their admin offices). Eventually both Hibs and the 50 Club moved out and Metro took over the whole building.

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    @hibs.net private member weecounty hibby's Avatar
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    I don't know the details of the building or even the club but I do remember being taken quite a few times as a wee boy by an acquaintance of my uncle. It was a great place for a wee bit to go as there was always loads of players in

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    Thanks for the info

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    @hibs.net private member Carheenlea's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frazerbob View Post
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    My Dad was a founder member. The 50 Club was set up by 50 original members who were mostly Leith business men. It operated out of the club rooms you are talking about and was independent from the football club. A few years before the old main stand was replaced, Hibs invited them to move into the old Toyota Lounge in the main stand with seats behind the directors box. The members agreed and sold the premises on Albion Road. When the new stand was built, they were not offered an alternative venue in it and that pretty much signaled the end of the club. Many of the members still attend but sadly some have now passed on. In its heyday the players would often head to the 50 Club after games for a few refreshments and mingle with the fans.

    I’m sure some can offer more details (and probably correct my recollections).
    Was there any criteria for membership of the club, and did the club have any particular agenda or influence, or was it more simply a club for like minded people to socialise and enjoy on match days?
    I’d be young at the time but remember that members were always pretty well respected, and as you highlighted, came from the business community. It’s a shame it wound down eventually.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carheenlea View Post
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    Was there any criteria for membership of the club, and did the club have any particular agenda or influence, or was it more simply a club for like minded people to socialise and enjoy on match days?
    I’d be young at the time but remember that members were always pretty well respected, and as you highlighted, came from the business community. It’s a shame it wound down eventually.
    Maybe cos most of the committee ended up on the board, Kenny McLean Snr, Douglas Cromb and Tom Omalley, All great Hibs men.

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    Left by mutual consent! Peevemor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carheenlea View Post
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    Was there any criteria for membership of the club, and did the club have any particular agenda or influence, or was it more simply a club for like minded people to socialise and enjoy on match days?
    I’d be young at the time but remember that members were always pretty well respected, and as you highlighted, came from the business community. It’s a shame it wound down eventually.
    I always understood that it was the 50 Club, because membership was restricted to 50 - ie. a coach full.

    Membership was by invitation when a place became available, and was generally drawn from the business community.

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    @hibs.net private member Frazerbob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Liam978 View Post
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    Maybe cos most of the committee ended up on the board, Kenny McLean Snr, Douglas Cromb and Tom Omalley, All great Hibs men.
    Allan Young, John Douglas, Kenny Waugh were all members who went on to become directors (and Chairman).

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    @hibs.net private member Frazerbob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carheenlea View Post
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    Was there any criteria for membership of the club, and did the club have any particular agenda or influence, or was it more simply a club for like minded people to socialise and enjoy on match days?
    I’d be young at the time but remember that members were always pretty well respected, and as you highlighted, came from the business community. It’s a shame it wound down eventually.
    No idea what the original idea was but seemed to be a bit of an old fashioned gentleman’s club. Always reminded me of The Winchester Club from Minder.

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    @hibs.net private member Kojock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frazerbob View Post
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    No idea what the original idea was but seemed to be a bit of an old fashioned gentleman’s club. Always reminded me of The Winchester Club from Minder.
    Remember someone telling me when I was a wee boy that it was called the 50 club cause you had to have £50,000 in the bank lol

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    @hibs.net private member brog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frazerbob View Post
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    My Dad was a founder member. The 50 Club was set up by 50 original members who were mostly Leith business men. It operated out of the club rooms you are talking about and was independent from the football club. A few years before the old main stand was replaced, Hibs invited them to move into the old Toyota Lounge in the main stand with seats behind the directors box. The members agreed and sold the premises on Albion Road. When the new stand was built, they were not offered an alternative venue in it and that pretty much signaled the end of the club. Many of the members still attend but sadly some have now passed on. In its heyday the players would often head to the 50 Club after games for a few refreshments and mingle with the fans.

    I’m sure some can offer more details (and probably correct my recollections).

    My Dad was a member also, possibly a founder member. It's maybe the passage of time but my recall was that it started in the old stand & then moved across the road. It may then have moved back across to the Toyota lounge. It was definitely restricted to 50 members & I can definitely confirm £50k was not a criteria!

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    I met Jackie MacnaMara once coming out of it

    I remember as a laddie that my local newsagent owner (Mr. Fleming?) who had his business at the junction of Craigentinny Avenue and Restalrig Avenue was a member

    It was always perceived that it was a club for those that had dosh, and that the fifty members paid a substantial membership fee

  15. #14
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    Heard about the 50 club, never really understood what it was about....

    Sounds like it was some sort of Hibs secret society.. Are they still meeting in some sort of "Knights of the templar" fashion and plotting who the next manager is? :)


    ps. Can we start a new one up?

  16. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by brog View Post
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    My Dad was a member also, possibly a founder member. It's maybe the passage of time but my recall was that it started in the old stand & then moved across the road. It may then have moved back across to the Toyota lounge. It was definitely restricted to 50 members & I can definitely confirm £50k was not a criteria!

    Yes.I think they fell out with Tom Hart and moved across the road/.He retaliated by having only one turnstyle for season ticket holders and two for pay at the gate to the main stand.When season ticket holders complained that they were having to queue and often missed the kick off while two turnstyles were unused he put up a notice saying season ticket holders should be in their seats ten minutes before kickoff.An old charmer was Tom.

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    Quote Originally Posted by brog View Post
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    My Dad was a member also, possibly a founder member. It's maybe the passage of time but my recall was that it started in the old stand & then moved across the road. It may then have moved back across to the Toyota lounge. It was definitely restricted to 50 members & I can definitely confirm £50k was not a criteria!
    Correct Brog
    I recall that many members were not wealthy businessmen as some may think.
    Certainly many were prominent and well known in the wider Edinburgh/Leith community.
    If i recall correctly, like your father, there were academics and councillors in the 50 club over the years.
    For many members it was more than a social club.
    They strived financially or otherwise to serve the best interests of Hibernian.

    I was in a few times back in the day,though of course,never a member !!

    I was not aware (or dont recall) that Tom Hart "barred" the "50s" from using the stand.
    Be interested to know that full story.

    Or even how many STs we had then.
    I only knew a handful then.
    So i cant see why they would need more than one turnstile (in the old main stand)

    In saying that, all of the names aforementioned on this thread were good servants to the football club.
    Last edited by Mick O'Rourke; 08-02-2019 at 08:48 PM.

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    First Team Breakthrough jingler1954's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frazerbob View Post
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    My Dad was a founder member. The 50 Club was set up by 50 original members who were mostly Leith business men. It operated out of the club rooms you are talking about and was independent from the football club. A few years before the old main stand was replaced, Hibs invited them to move into the old Toyota Lounge in the main stand with seats behind the directors box. The members agreed and sold the premises on Albion Road. When the new stand was built, they were not offered an alternative venue in it and that pretty much signaled the end of the club. Many of the members still attend but sadly some have now passed on. In its heyday the players would often head to the 50 Club after games for a few refreshments and mingle with the fans.

    I’m sure some can offer more details (and probably correct my recollections).
    I used to go with a publican from leith the Hibs players used to come in after matches I remember George Best coming in used to talk to us at the bar like one of the boys. It was the time he had an implant in his stomach to stop him drinking. He was on fresh orange but I was sure the barman had vodka in the glass before he poured the orange. Great times GGTTH

  19. #18
    The building that the 50 club was in was the offices of Redpath Brown where i served my apprenticeship and i now the interior well, for those of who don't remember when we had a manufacturing industry Redpaths was a structural steelworks who used to employ hundreds of men and women. As boys we used to get sent up to the offices with all the piece work sheets to the typing pool to all those old women who used to rip the p... out of us, the oldest was about 23 ! Happy days !

  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick O'Rourke View Post
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    Correct Brog
    I recall that many members were not wealthy businessmen as some may think.
    Certainly many were prominent and well known in the wider Edinburgh/Leith community.
    If i recall correctly, like your father, there were academics and councillors in the 50 club over the years.
    For many members it was more than a social club.
    They strived financially or otherwise to serve the best interests of Hibernian.

    I was in a few times back in the day,though of course,never a member !!

    I was not aware (or dont recall) that Tom Hart "barred" the "50s" from using the stand.
    Be interested to know that full story.

    Or even how many STs we had then.
    I only knew a handful then.
    So i cant see why they would need more than one turnstile (in the old main stand)

    In saying that, all of the names aforementioned on this thread were good servants to the football club.
    Fifty or sixty guys with their wee season books having to tear out the correct match number at two minutes to kick off were not poetry in motion.Probably 6/700 s.t.holders in those days.

  21. #20
    What a refreshingly interesting thread. Thanks for the contributions, good read so far. Had a quick Google and nothing comes up. Is there anywhere to read more about it?

  22. #21
    Don’t recall ever seeing anything specifically about it.It would sometimes get a mention in the papers if there was an article ,say about Kenny McLean,but just as an aside.I suspect many Hibs fans who went on the main terracing and were never round the back of the stand had never heard of it.

  23. #22
    Testimonial Due Mick O'Rourke's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ancient hibee View Post
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    Fifty or sixty guys with their wee season books having to tear out the correct match number at two minutes to kick off were not poetry in motion.Probably 6/700 s.t.holders in those days.
    Surprised we had that many STs in the 70s
    Me and my mates were usually skint on a Monday in those days ;-)
    Never mind being able to buy an ST.

    You have just gave me an image of all those 50 Club members finishing their drinks at 5 minutes to 3, then dashing across the road,fumbling wae their season tickets with 2 minutes to kick off. -)

    I can just imagine the scene and the expletives ringing up and down the queue !


    Load of drunks !!

  24. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by ancient hibee View Post
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    Don’t recall ever seeing anything specifically about it.It would sometimes get a mention in the papers if there was an article ,say about Kenny McLean,but just as an aside.I suspect many Hibs fans who went on the main terracing and were never round the back of the stand had never heard of it.
    OK, thanks. The hibs secret society🤐😜

  25. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Mick O'Rourke View Post
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    Surprised we had that many STs in the 70s
    Me and my mates were usually skint on a Monday in those days ;-)
    Never mind being able to buy an ST.

    You have just gave me an image of all those 50 Club members all finishing their drinks at 5 minutes to 3, then dashing across the road,fumbling wae their season tickets with 2 minutes to kick off.
    I could imagine the scene and the expletives ringing up and down the queue !


    Load of drunks !!
    And a good number of them future directors!I got my first season ticket in 1969.They were only for the main stand and my seat was about four rows behind the directors box.Most were in the centre of the stand although there were some diehards in the north.The ticket covered all home games for the first team and reserve matches.Nine quid.

  26. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Peevemor View Post
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    The building in question was the premises of Metro Press, a printing company owned by a good hibee. At one point the 50 Club owned the basement, and Metro the ground floor and first floor (which they rented to Hibs as their admin offices). Eventually both Hibs and the 50 Club moved out and Metro took over the whole building.


    Dougie Crombe invited me in for a meeting once, it took place in that building, I recall it being rather cramped & dingy, untidy with stacks of paperwork etc lying around, not what I really expected.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ancient hibee View Post
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    Fifty or sixty guys with their wee season books having to tear out the correct match number at two minutes to kick off were not poetry in motion.Probably 6/700 s.t.holders in those days.
    My old man was a season ticket holder with one of the wee green season ticket books...still remember his number....J35

    I used it once to watch a game....he refused To go to Celtic games as he thought their supporters were Neanderthal.

    Perched high in the old centre stand.....not my cup of tea, and couldn’t wait to get back in the cow shed next game

    Not many people had season tickets in the early 70’s

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    Quote Originally Posted by greenpaper55 View Post
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    The building that the 50 club was in was the offices of Redpath Brown where i served my apprenticeship and i now the interior well, for those of who don't remember when we had a manufacturing industry Redpaths was a structural steelworks who used to employ hundreds of men and women. As boys we used to get sent up to the offices with all the piece work sheets to the typing pool to all those old women who used to rip the p... out of us, the oldest was about 23 ! Happy days !
    The workshop part of the steelworks finished life as Aardvark Self Storage

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    Quote Originally Posted by Peevemor View Post
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    The workshop part of the steelworks finished life as Aardvark Self Storage
    That's the one, it really was huge with it's own railway siding ! we used to watch the Hibs players coming back from training to ER and they all used their own cars, changed days.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Forza Fred View Post
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    I met Jackie MacnaMara once coming out of it

    I remember as a laddie that my local newsagent owner (Mr. Fleming?) who had his business at the junction of Craigentinny Avenue and Restalrig Avenue was a member

    It was always perceived that it was a club for those that had dosh, and that the fifty members paid a substantial membership fee
    Where did you grow up Forza? I was in restalrig crescent

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bukta#8 View Post
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    Hi Everyone, Just looking to pick a few brains. Was down opposite the west stand today and noticed a sign for the Russian visa application centre in a building on Albion Road, during my early days of attending matches it was known as the 50 Club and had links to HFC but no idea in what capacity
    Anyone enlighten me
    Thanks
    Opening of chat but this is a great part Hibs historyHow did it the 50 club get round private bar? Think know answer but it's illegal Scotland to have private clubs.

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