Helicopter Dreams – the quest for the Holy Grail.
Written by Ron Ferguson, Published by Northern Books.
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil’ by Ron Ferguson I looked into his other books and found two others that interested me. Firstly I read ‘The Reluctant Reformation of Clarence McGonigall’ from Steve Savage publishers 2003. This short (126 page) story about the last years of the Reverend J Clarence McGonigall MA BD in the Scottish Kirk. He rails against the church being taken over by marketing gurus who talk about customers and targets. His travails get him into trouble on lots of fronts but this grumpy, antagonistic man has a good heart and a great passion for what he believes. I won’t say more just buy the book and have a smile in a cosy chair by the fire with a wee dram.
You will remember from my blog about ‘Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil’ that it was about Cowdenbeath FC and their disasterous season of 1992/93 when they were relegated having been promoted the year before. It was as much a social history of the club, the town, the religious and political scene and most importantly the players and people.
Well this is about the 2005/06 season which starts badly but the arrival of a manager from Finland transforms them into promotion battlers. This book is more about the games, team and past players as Ron Ferguson inducts ex players into his ‘Hall of Fame’. There is also some more local and family history. I do not want to give away the ending of the book but it’s a good read.
Reading all of the books Cowdenbeath has seeped into my conscioisness and I now have to check on their results. Perhaps one day I will visit.
Payonthegate 