Cathkin Park

The park formerly contained a football stadium, which had played host to organised football since 1884.[1] It was originally known as Hampden Park (the second by that name, succeeding the original Hampden Park) and was rented by Queen's Park between 1884 and 1903; the first match was on 18 October 1884, a goalless draw against Dumbarton watched by 7,000.[1] As Hampden Park, the ground hosted seven Scottish Cup finals (plus two replays) between 1885 and 1899, as well as several finals of the Glasgow Cup and Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup, the 'unofficial World Championship' club challenge match in 1888, and nine Scotland international fixtures between 1885 and 1890.[2][3] A single rugby union international (which usually took place in Edinburgh) was played there: Scotland defeated England in the 1896 Home Nations Championship in front of 20,000 spectators.[4]

When Queen's Park decided to build their own stadium and moved to the third (and current) Hampden Park on open ground about 500 yards (460 m) further south,[5] Third Lanark took over the lease.[6] They renamed it New Cathkin Park as they had previously played at another stadium named Cathkin Park just to the east of Dixon Halls on the east side of Cathcart Road, about 500 yards (460 m) north of their new home. Third Lanark failed to agree a fee with Queen's Park for the pavilion and other fittings (which they owned, while the ground itself was leased), resulting in the departing club removing the existing structures for use at their new stadium and the new occupiers having to rebuild virtually from scratch.[6][7] During the first season following the move (1903–04, in which they finished as champions), Third Lanark played several of their home matches at the new Hampden while work was carried out on Cathkin Park. No major finals were played at this version of the ground, but it became the regular home of the Home Scots v Anglo-Scots international trial match which ran from the 1890s to the 1920s.

Third Lanark's last match at Cathkin took place on 25 April 1967, when they played out a 3–3 draw against Queen of the South. Jimmy Davidson scored one goal for Queens and Brian McMurdo two, including the last senior football goal at the park (the Thirds goals came from Kinnaird with two goals and McLaughlan with the other). A Glasgow Challenge Cup Final was played at Cathkin on 13 May 1967 between two Junior sides, Cambuslang Rangers and Rutherglen Glencairn (Cambuslang winning 2–0); this was the final football match played at Cathkin before Third Lanark folded later that year. The final goal to be scored at Cathkin came from Cambuslang Rangers forward Peter Coleman after 17 minutes.

The stadium subsequently fell into disrepair and most of the fabric was gradually removed. The remains of the terraces from three sides of the ground can be seen in the park. However, a reformed Third Lanark team, which plays in the Greater Glasgow Amateur League, currently plays in the park,[8] as do Hampden AFC[9] and boys team the Jimmy Johnstone Academy.

In 2017, Third Lanark A.F.C. announced a £5 million plan to return to Cathkin and redevelop the ground, with an all-weather pitch, a 2000-seat stand, floodlights and community facilities for football and cricket.[10] In the meantime, the latest of several projects to carry out basic renovations on the remaining terracing and barriers by volunteers, including actor Simon Weir, took place in early 2019.[11]

Hampden Park hosted the Scottish Amateur Athletics Association championships on a number of occasions, starting on Saturday 25 June 1887. E. Latimer Stones (Partick Thistle FC) broke the Scottish record for the pole vault with his winning height of 11 feet (3.35m), and the half mile was won by John Braid (Stanley House Cricket Club) who competed in the Olympic Games in 1900, playing cricket, for France.[12] The championships returned to Hampden Park on Saturday 22 June 1889 when athletes from Clydesdale Harriers won both the 1 mile (Charles Pennycook 4:29 4/5) and 4 miles (John W. McWilliam 20:56 1/5) championships, with both men setting Championship Best performances. James Greig, from Perth, a student at Clare College, Cambridge, won the 120 yard hurdles (16 2/5) and the high jump (5ft 6in, 1.67m). Greig later became the vice-President of the Scottish AAA. E. Latimer Stones of Ulverston AC returned to defend his pole vault title and set new Scottish All-comers record figures of 11ft 4in (3.45m).[13][14] This remained a Scottish All-comers record until 26 July 1924, and a Scottish Native record and Championship Best performance until 27 June 1931 when it was beaten by Patrick Ogilvie of Cambridge University at the other Hampden Park.[15] On Thursday 2 April 1891 the Scottish 10 mile Championship was held at Hampden Park. Andrew Hannah of Clydesdale Harriers won the event for the third successive year, and set Scottish All-comers records at 5 miles (26:35 3/5), 6 miles (32:11 2/5), 7 miles (37:41 4/5), 8 miles (43:13 3/5), 9 miles (48:48 1/5), and 10 miles (54:18 3/5). The only other finisher was William Carment (Edinburgh H.) in 58:12 4/5. Hannah would eventually win this title a record seven times between 1889 and 1896.[16] On Saturday 20 June 1891 the Scottish Amateur Athletics Championships returned to Hampden Park when David Duncan, a former pupil of Royal High School in Edinburgh and a former President of the Scottish AAA won the 1 mile for the fifth time representing Edinburgh Harriers. Duncan won the 1 mile at the first four Championships from 1883 to 1886.[17][16]

There had for a number of years been a disagreement in Scottish athletics over whether professional cycle racing events should be allowed at amateur athletics meetings. There were strong views both in favour and against the position, and arriving at a deadlock in their negotiations several western district clubs in favour of allowing professional cycle events, led by Clydesdale Harriers, seceded from the Scottish AAA and formed the Scottish Amateur Athletics Union (SAAU). The consequence of this was that there were two national championships in both 1895 and 1896 held under the auspices of the two separate bodies. In 1895 they were both held on the same day in the same city, at the grounds of opposing football clubs, and if attendance is anything to go by the Scottish public made their feeling on the topic abundantly clear. Over 6,000 fans attended the breakaway SAAU championships at Hampden Park where Robert Langlands of Clydesdale Harriers became the first Scottish athlete to break two minutes for 880 yards, whilst barely 1000 spectators saw Mrs McNab, the wife of the Hon. Secretary SAAA, present the prizes at Ibrox Park where Alfred Downer (Scottish Pelicans) won the 100 yards, 220 yards, and 440 yards titles for the third consecutive year.[18][16][13]

On Saturday 27 June 1896 the Scottish AAU Championships returned to Hampden Park when two men from Clydesdale Harriers set Scottish Native records in winning their events. William Robertson won the mile in 4:27 1/5 and Stewart Duffus won the 4 miles in 20:10 4/5.[19][16][13]

• 
  A view of one of the terraces from the pitch
• 
  Close view of an abandoned terrace
• 
  View from the back of the terrace with the pitch and other terraces visible

• Media related to Cathkin Park at Wikimedia Commons
• Historic Environment Scotland. "Glasgow, Langside, Myrtle Park, Cathkin Park, Third Lanark Football Ground (295563)". Canmore.
• Video of the remaining terraces, May 2011
• The Hampden Collection, cultural preservation society