This Saturday leads Kevin Kelly’s team to the Hamish B Allan stadium to face Rutherglen Glencairn in a crucial game that looks as if it will have a big say on who will be entering into the WOSFL Premier Division next season. The sides currently sit on the same number of points with The Glens only ahead of The Buffs on goal difference.
Founded in 1896, 3 years prior to The Buffs, The Glens were very successful in their early years with the club winning 4 Scottish junior Cups in the first 43 years of Glencairn’s existence. The club even won a treble in 1901-02 which included the Scottish Junior Cup, Glasgow League Championship and Glasgow Exhibition Championship. Hamish B Allan stadium will be well remembered by Buffs fans as it was the venue for, The Buffs’ first ever Scottish Cup tie which finished 2-2 back in August 2022, as well as a very memorable Buffs comeback when Chris Strain’s side recovered from being 4-1 down to win the match 5-4 thanks to a David Syme last minute winner.
The Glens currently occupy 4th place, in the WOSFL First Division, sitting just 3 points off top spot with a game in hand. The clubs have an identical league record so far this season with both clubs wining 7, drawing 6 and losing 2. Despite the overall identical record, the league form of the 2 clubs couldn’t be much more different. The Glens have only not won in their last 5 league games whereas The Buffs are amid a 9-league match unbeaten run which has seen them claw themselves back into promotion contention after a rocky start to the season. When the clubs met on the 3rd match of the campaign at Buffs Park The Glens embarrassed The Buffs by steamrolling them 0-4 and handing Kevin Kelly his biggest defeat of his tenure so far. Striker Scott Jarvie tops the scoring charts for Rutherglen with 8 goals so far this season following his arrival in the summer with other summer signings Jack McIlveen and Ryan McManus backing the forward up with 6 goals each. Bryan Boylan’s rich vein of form has propelled him to topping Buffs’ scoring charts alongside midfielder Mark Lamont with both players netting 9 goals this season. A win for either side could send them to the top of the table if other results were to go their way which adds even more importance to a game which is already stacking up to be a very highly contested affair.
The Buffs have failed to beat Rutherglen in their last 3 attempts which is a record that Kevin Kelly will be desperate to change as he looks to further his side’s recent rise up the table which has fired them into the promotion battle.