Spartans could become an SPFL club today – and one of the driving forces behind their success is from Aberdeenshire.
Chairman Craig Graham, who grew up in Alford and attended Aberdeen University, hopes to see the Lowland League champions defeat Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill this afternoon to earn a place in League Two.
The 60-year-old played in goal for Alford amateurs and Culter, before they moved up to the junior ranks, and also turned out for Aberdeen University and sporadically for Inverurie Locos.
Graham first joined Spartans in 1984 and returned to the Ainslie Park outfit in 1994 before becoming chairman in the late 90s.
Reflecting on the rise of the Edinburgh side he said: “The club is almost unrecognisable from when I first played.
“Even in the mid-90s we had three men’s teams two in the amateurs and the first-team.
“If you look now we have 600 boys and girls who play across the age groups, we’ve got over-35s, we’ve got 100 playing para-disability football.
“We also coach U8s that are not yet in the club so in football terms we’ve grown massively.
🎥 Highlights from our Pyramid Play-Off Final 1st Leg v @albionrovers now available to view online:
— The Spartans FC (@spartansfc) May 14, 2023
“Aside from that we’ve got our charitable foundation attached to the club which employs 25 people and does some fantastic work in North Edinburgh.
“The club is unrecognisable from the mid-90s when we started, the great thing is we’ve got our own home within the community in North Edinburgh which is used all day every day.
“We obviously want to win the play-off and get into the SPFL, it would be a reward for the hard work of everyone if we could do it.
“But regardless of the outcome we’ll still run all our youth programmes, our education programmes, the walking football will still be on on Monday afternoon.
“The men’s team playing on a Saturday and the women’s team playing on a Sunday gives it a vocal point, but there’s a lot of other stuff that goes on.”
Helping hand from Dons legend
Over the years Spartans have become built up an excellent facility at Ainslie Park and they’ve been helped along the way by a Gothenburg Great.
Graham explained: “When I was young I trained with Aberdeen for a little while alongside the likes of Bryan Gunn and Nicky Walker.
“I met Gordon Strachan because the goalies stayed behind and helped with extra things.
“At that time Gordon was just breaking into the first-team and he’s now the patron of Spartans.
“When we were starting this project about building our home and foundation he was Southampton manager and I phoned him up.
“He’s from North Edinburgh and his mum still lives in the area. I said ‘you probably won’t remember me, but I was wondering if you could help us?’
“He’s been very supportive ever since. We’ve got his number seven jersey that he wore for Aberdeen in European Cup Winners’ Cup final against Real Madrid in Gothenburg hanging in the clubhouse along with some other medals and jerseys.”
More memories
Graham also came across some more north-east football luminaries during his playing days.
He said: “When I played for Aberdeen University I remember Joe Harper scoring a hat-trick past me in the Aberdeenshire Cup when he was playing for Peterhead.
“My first game for Inverurie Locos was a pre-season friendly when I was 17 and we lost 2-0 to Aberdeen reserves which I didn’t think was a bad result.
“Ian Angus scored this goal in the bottom corner from 20 yards. The manager Pat Nicol was my PE teacher at Alford Academy and I remember Pat wasn’t very happy at losing that goal.
“Given he was my PE teacher it was quite hard to argue with him about it.”
