1998 LINDSAY CADDEN TROPHY
Forthbank Stadium, Stirling
Saturday 23rd May 1998

This trophy is dedicated to one of the OFF THE BALL BBC team, and the first one was contested in 1997. NIT were not represented last year but were happy to accept our invitation this year, in a competition which contained anyone of any interest in fanzine circles (apart from the old firm, they don't get invited 'cos no-one likes them!).

The 12 teams were split up into two groups of six, which meant we were guaranteed at least five matches. Round robin results were as follows...

GROUP A

	DU	SM	EF	RR	BBC	Points
Dundee (Eh Mind O Gillie)	2-0	1-1	2-2	0-3	6-2	8
Dundee.U (Final Hurdle)		2-2	1-2	3-1	4-0	7
St Mirren			2-3	5-0	5-0	8
E.Fife (Away from numbers)				1-1	4-3	11
Raith Rovers					5-1	7
BBC Radio Scotland (Off The Ball)						0

GROUP B

	Hi	Cow	Mw	Fk	X	Points
Hearts (No Idle Talk)	0-0	1-2	3-0	3-1	1-0	10
Hibs (Mass Hibsteria)		1-1	2-0	4-0	2-0	11
Cowdenbeath (Blue Brazil)			4-0	3-1	2-1	13
Motherwell (One Step beyond)				2-1	3-0	6
Falkirk (One F in Falkirk)					2-2	1
Team X (Misfits)						1

QUARTER FINALS

East Fife 3-2 Motherwell
St.Mirren 0-0 Hearts
(Hearts won 2-1 on pens)
Dundee 0-2 Hibs
Dundee.U 1-4 Cowdenbeath
SEMI FINALS

East Fife 2-5 Hibs
Hearts 1-5 Cowdenbeath
3rd PLACE PLAY OFF

East Fife 2-2 Hearts
(E.Fife won 3-2 on pens)
FINAL

Cowdenbeath 3-2 Hibs

Just a few words about the day itself. It was sunny which helped, and it also helped that we had won the cup the week before, so I bet the hibs team were delighted to draw us in their section! We turned up with a mixture of youth and experience and were told the Hibbys were the team to watch. Our game against them was not a classic, and it was thanks to Tony our keeper for keeping us in the game at times. Pie will remember the game for his two tussles with hibby, Grant will remember his day which included two missed penalties.

We didn't expect to progress in the tournament and it was a surprise to find ourselves topping the section after 2 games. It was seven a side on astroturf, so there wasn't a knee in sight that didn't have blood on it. For a tournament not to be taken seriously, it doesn't take long to suss out the teams who are there to win, as opposed to the teams (us) who are sinking the cans of Miller at every opportunity. Hibs, Cowdenbeath, Dundee and St Mirren fall into that category. Cowden beat us in the group games and didn't look that good, scoring a winner in the last minute. However, they rogered us in the semi final when the fitness started to tell.

In the end, the final between Hibs and Cowden was taking place at the same time as our 3rd place play-off and I think we lost concentration a bit, because East Fife weren't that good (then again maybe it was because I was in goals for my one and only game).

In the end, the whole day was a good laugh for us. We took on the favourites and held them, and we reinforced our good relations with other fanzines. Bad points? Nothing really, except that some people were convinced that they recognised two of the Cowdenbeath first team players!

Roll on next year!

Craig Young - Ed