Macmerry & Tranent HFC connections

[Monktonhall 7]

Apologies that this wont be relevant to all, but Scoopyboys message last week when the E Lothian supporters bus turned up at his house to wish him a happy birthday got me thinking about the huge Hibs support down the east coast. I started going to the games with the Cross Keys bus late 60s, and remember Jackie McBride was the club organiser. Most of the guys that started going then, still mainly go today, 40 years later, and I see the McBrides, Jock Henderson etc regulalry at the matches. That was before Turnbulls team but the base was there for ET to take forward, and then we were hooked for life. My gut feel is that we are in a similar position again, and if we can get people to come along now, they will become "lifers" like us.

Anyway, the point of this post is if you are from Macmerry/Tranent and are members of Hibs.net respond and let me know who you are.

PS I'm Fox.

[MrSmith]

Every post like this is well worthy!

Agree completely! been a lifer since my old fella took me to ER in 71' he was a lifer also and he was Polish! 62 years he lived in Scotland after being shipped out of Poland aged 14 in 1939.

[Monktonhall 7]

I'm beginning to think that there are not as many Hibbies in Macmerry/Tranent as I thought. Or maybe they are all out on a Xmas night out.

[HibeeMcGinn1]

Ive been going on the bus for the last 10years and try to help out when I can with raising a bit of cash. Bus is ran by Brooster and Scoopyboy just now but in the past its been ran by a few folk. The guys that go on the bus now are great, strong number for home games will familiar faces every week and always a few new people. Have struggled now and then but times are good with the Hibees just now so hopefully we can get a few more numbers coming along. Always get great banter with some cracking away trips.
John Reynolds ran the bus 30 odd year ago then my Dad and Uncle Greg had a shot. Dont know who had it after them.
Possibly missing some information here, sure my auld man can fill some in.

PS im Josh

GGTTH

[Monktonhall 7]

Josh, cheers for that. I was trying hard to remember the names, but John Reynolds is spot on. I'm the same age as Johns daughter and went to Ross High with her. Early memories of going to the games was stopping at the Keys, and all the men from Macmerry, who had only just left the Miners club, running in for a quick pint, and us bairns sitting peed off waiting for them on the bus. Ah, the memories.

[Monktonhall 7]

Every post like this is well worthy!

Agree completely! been a lifer since my old fella took me to ER in 71' he was a lifer also and he was Polish! 62 years he lived in Scotland after being shipped out of Poland aged 14 in 1939.

Mr Smith you make a great point. Get them in early, and they are here for life. I'm delighted that my seven year old nephew, (from Tranent) wants a Hibs strip with Riordans name on,for Xmas. I was up at the shop in a shot!

Another member of the growing family. The future is Green.:notworthy:

[Tranent Hibby]

I remember the Cross Keys bus well. John Reynolds, Jackie McBride , Rab Taylor et al (a big fella from the pans was a great guy but cannot remember his name) had a huge membership list both adults and kids numbering hundreds of members.
At one point a bid was made to purchase a building in Tranent to run an East Lothian Hibernian Club and my information is that only a lack of parking facilities made the project unworkable.
Great memories from an early age.

[crewetollhibee]

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Josh, cheers for that. I was trying hard to remember the names, but John Reynolds is spot on. I'm the same age as Johns daughter and went to Ross High with her. Early memories of going to the games was stopping at the Keys, and all the men from Macmerry, who had only just left the Miners club, running in for a quick pint, and us bairns sitting peed off waiting for them on the bus. Ah, the memories.

You must have been at school with me too, I was in Karen's year too !! My best memory was Best's first game at Love St. McBride Snr had to hold accelator cable on the bus to get us through. We left early and only discovered Best had scored when we stopped on Princes St and saw a billboard for the Pink ! Dunsmuir's buses didn't have radio either. Jimmy Logan driving, Key's for a few bevvies; ah, happy days !!!!

[MSK]

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I remember the Cross Keys bus well. John Reynolds, Jackie McBride , Rab Taylor et al (a big fella from the pans was a great guy but cannot remember his name) had a huge membership list both adults and kids numbering hundreds of members.
At one point a bid was made to purchase a building in Tranent to run an East Lothian Hibernian Club and my information is that only a lack of parking facilities made the project unworkable.
Great memories from an early age.

My old friend Neil McKillop (R.I.P) once told me a hibs bus used to leave from the Key's ..a tic fan (but a decent one) said there was a good number of hibbies used to leave from that boozer ..

Anyone remember the hibs bus that left from the Key's ..?

[tamig]

I used to go on the bus in the early 80s getting on at the Pans with Jim Gray and co. Regulars on the bus then were the McBrides, Bob Carr, Tyson etc. Good times.

[Monktonhall 7]

So CrewtollHibee, who are you then?
I was in the same year as big Tyson, Jock McBride, Dougie Gray, Jock & Jamie Thomson who all went on the Keys/Tranent bust, (and Neil McKillop). I really cant remember any Jambos at Ross High , or have I just managed to rid these from my memory.

[Tranent Hibby]

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I used to go on the bus in the early 80s getting on at the Pans with Jim Gray and co. Regulars on the bus then were the McBrides, Bob Carr, Tyson etc. Good times.

Jim Gray that was his name thanks bud he was a great bloke, his lads came on the bus I think good pans crowd as well. Hibby Days

[monktonharp]

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I remember the Cross Keys bus well. John Reynolds, Jackie McBride , Rab Taylor et al (a big fella from the pans was a great guy but cannot remember his name) had a huge membership list both adults and kids numbering hundreds of members.
At one point a bid was made to purchase a building in Tranent to run an East Lothian Hibernian Club and my information is that only a lack of parking facilities made the project unworkable.
Great memories from an early age.

do you remember Liam Ward? he was a "keys" man ,worked with me doon the pit. was a great wee Hibby,but dont know if he travelled on the bus. used to meet him at ER though. sadly passed away,by all accounts too much swally never helpedwould have been well into his 60's now .

[Tranent Hibby]

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My old friend Neil McKillop (R.I.P) once told me a hibs bus used to leave from the Key's ..a tic fan (but a decent one) said there was a good number of hibbies used to leave from that boozer ..

Anyone remember the hibs bus that left from the Key's ..?

Neil was a wonderful bloke and a big influence on us Northern Soul boys from Tranent. He did his best to turn the Keys into a Celtic pub when he had it but knew we were too set to move. Was a great bloke who let the Bouncy Bouncy happen in his boozer.

[Tranent Hibby]

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do you remember Liam Ward? he was a "keys" man ,worked with me doon the pit. was a great wee Hibby,but dont know if he travelled on the bus. used to meet him at ER though. sadly passed away,by all accounts too much swally never helpedwould have been well into his 60's now .

I do mate from what I recall he didnt travel much but would welcome the troops back from the game with a rousing GLORY GLORY.

[Tranent Hibby]

Now this is a vague (drink) memory from the early eighties. Cross Keys on a Sat with the Celtic v Hibees called off a hastly rearranged friendly at ER as we had undersoil and we turned them over 6-3 full teams playing. Benny scored a hat trick the third was a pen into the coo-shed.

The Keys was bouncing that night and the Celtic boys had no answer.

[monktonharp]

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I do mate from what I recall he didnt travel much but would welcome the troops back from the game with a rousing GLORY GLORY.

thanks for that. good memories of the wee man,work and Hibiness

[MSK]

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Neil was a wonderful bloke and a big influence on us Northern Soul boys from Tranent. He did his best to turn the Keys into a Celtic pub when he had it but knew we were too set to move. Was a great bloke who let the Bouncy Bouncy happen in his boozer.

I met Neil when i delivered beer to the Key's, great guy & always had time to blether about hibs..celtic & golf..worked his ass of trying to make the pub "his own" but always had obstacles in his way ..ie adding sound proofing etc at a healthy cost ....bevvied wi him at a race night at the P.O club in Lochend a month before his tragic sudden death..

Dont mean to turn this thread into a tribute to Neil but many if not all my good times in Tranent were spent yapping to him aboot football ..more than i can say about my other mucker Tam "the yam" Tiffney fi the Brigg !!!!! ...

[crewetollhibee]

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So CrewtollHibee, who are you then?
I was in the same year as big Tyson, Jock McBride, Dougie Gray, Jock & Jamie Thomson who all went on the Keys/Tranent bust, (and Neil McKillop). I really cant remember any Jambos at Ross High , or have I just managed to rid these from my memory.

Russell Watson. Ring any bells ?

[Monktonhall 7]

Yeah, Russell, I remember you, probably in some classes together.

Craig Burnett, from Macmerry nicknamed Foxy at school.

Cheers

[crewetollhibee]

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Yeah, Russell, I remember you, probably in some classes together.

Craig Burnett, from Macmerry nicknamed Foxy at school.

Cheers

We were indeed mate. First year IIRC . Best wishes, good time to be a Hibby. Then and now, of course.

[Monktonhall 7]

I remember the Keys bus going down to Prestonpans to pick up a couple of guys. One was nicknamed Beastie, cant remember his mate, but they always seemed to be, eh, let me say well on, and usually there was a bit of inter-bus bother. But then we did have Dave McGovern, Breeks & Korky on our side. It was pretty mental, but a great laugh.

[Monktonhall 7]

We were indeed mate. First year IIRC . Best wishes, good time to be a Hibby. Then and now, of course.

Russell good to hear that you are keeping the faith with HFC. Sometimes I think of it as a life sentence, but when you start talking about all the great memories that HFC have given us, then it makes it all worthwhile. E.g I went to the 0-7 game on 1st Jan 1973 with the Tranent bus from the Cross Keys. Nobody can ever take that away.

All the best.

[crewetollhibee]

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I remember the Keys bus going down to Prestonpans to pick up a couple of guys. One was nicknamed Beastie, cant remember his mate, but they always seemed to be, eh, let me say well on, and usually there was a bit of inter-bus bother. But then we did have Dave McGovern, Breeks & Korky on our side. It was pretty mental, but a great laugh.

I remember bumping to the three musketeers from Macmerry (Bob Carr and his 2 mates, one was about 6ft 6) at Preston railway station in about 1991. They had given up on Hibs for a while and had season tickets for the Kop . They also went to all Liverpool's away games as far as Notts Forest, as that was their limit for getting a train back that night !! Have to go for now, Craig. GGTTH.

[hibee92]

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My old friend Neil McKillop (R.I.P) once told me a hibs bus used to leave from the Key's ..a tic fan (but a decent one) said there was a good number of hibbies used to leave from that boozer ..

Anyone remember the hibs bus that left from the Key's ..?

great mates with his laddie, another tic as it goes but a decent one

been going on the tranent bus for a good 6-7 years now, only 17 mind you

[Boris]

Not sure if its the same bus you're all posting about but when I was helping to run the Musselburgh bus in the mid to late 70's we had close ties with the Tranent bus - they'd invite our committee to their do'd & vice-versa. The "smokers" the Tranent bus ran - in the Macmerry Miners Club if I remember rightly - were legendary & rightly so! Fantastic nights!!! Great memories but I'm no as young as I used to be & I canni remember the names of the committee boys now.

[Rasta_Hibs]

Being a Tranent Hibee born and bred i can mind of the Keys bus. Sadly now the Key's is now shut down and i doubt it will ever re-open in these times.

Total shame! There will never be another pub like the Keys in Tranent. I went to most of the hampden trips under McCleish on it.

I think both Hibs & Hearts busses leave from the Brig now, the brig being another really good pub these days.

Its always good to go to after the game where plenty of Hibees on one side of the bar and Jambos on the other with good banter. WHen the derby is on in the pub the atmosphere is great with no trouble and lots of banter between the Hibs and Hearts fans.

Now when the Celtic v Rangers game is on now thats another story, always nothing but trouble in the town especially further up the street! Yi dont get trouble much in the brig its a good boozer!

[Brooster]

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Yeah, Russell, I remember you, probably in some classes together.

Craig Burnett, from Macmerry nicknamed Foxy at school.

Cheers

Hows it going Foxy? Stevie Clark here mate. Being a bit younger than you I was never on the old Tranent bus but I was involved in the creation of the the current version in 1991 - East Lothian Hibs Supporters Club. Myself and Sccoopyboy (Jock) run the bus between us but couldn't do so without the back up of Adam Gray and Brian Scott. We take buses to all home games and selected away games, the reason for selective away games is that it is just so bl00dy expensive for coach hire these days. We pay the best part of £300 just to go to Easter Road and back! Killie last week cost us just under £500, we had 49 folk on the bus last week and after a few pints at the Fenwick Hotel on the way back we piled into Jocks garden to sing happy birthday as you know - brilliant.

You will know the hardcore of boys no doubt, in fact you will probably know the mums and dads of most of the young boys. You are more than welcome to travel away with us mate........I'll keep a seat beside Donaldson for you!

[Monktonhall 7]

Stevie, cheers mate, never knew you as Brooster. Put 2 and 2 together and got that Jock was Scoopy, but thought that Jocks post last week was brilliant. Well done East Lothian Hibees.

Met Donaldson at the Hospitality at the Motherwell game. He was an original on the old Keys bus that became Tranent Hibs, way back late 60s early 70s. From where I sit in West stand Lower, we usually hear Donaldson from 50 yards away. Please dont move any closer!

The point of starting this thread was to identify the guys that started going on that bus all those years ago, and its amazing how many of us still go, and are mainly season ticket holders. Bill Poon returned last year, and joins me behind the goals for a pre-match beverage, and his son Gregg is now a regular home and away, and I think on your bus last Saturday.

Catch up soon mate. GGTTH

[WHAM]

started going on the bus from the keys when I was a wee laddie early 90s. Then was a regular week in week out until I moved through here around 5 years ago. Don't get on the bus as much as I would like now but still enjoy the banter with uncle scoop and stevie etc when I can! haha

Ma old man is from Tranent and he and my uncle (Adam Gray and Dougie Gray) got the 70s bus from the keys. Some good stories from that era! Think the keys also hosted the legendary post SKOL cup win celebrations that I've heard a lot about...sounded like a mad nite!

ps. I'm Adam too