FOOTBALL historians will look back on 1922 as a golden year for football on the Lower Clyde.

In that year Morton beat Rangers at Hampden to bring the Scottish Cup to Greenock for the first time and Greenock High School FPs brought the Scottish Amateur Cup to the town, also for the first time. The FPs also won the League Championship Cup.

High's 1922 first crack at winning the Amateur Cup was not very successful and they nearly went down to the hard-fighting Borders team Coldstream, in a mid-week match at Cappielow. Their opponents created a new record in amateur circles by travelling more than 300 miles to play the game.

The one-goal each draw at Cappielow rather cooled the Greenock football enthusiasts' ardour as the local team was expected - if not to have a runaway victory - at least to have a comfortable win.

For, up to that time, High School had played 36 games without losing (34 wins and two draws) and had netted 136 goals for a loss of only 23.

The replay took place at Berwick on 13 May 1922, and it somehow seemed to the numerous Greenock spectators who made the journey with the team that it was going to be an unlucky day. After all, they had nearly been defeated on their home ground, the argument went.

And things were not so bright for the prospect of an away victory after the gruelling train trip.

Spirits rose a bit when Greenock took to the field with the advantage of a strong breeze for the first half - only to be dashed when, inside 15 minutes, Coldstream took the lead, rather against the run of play.

This goal, however, seemed to bring out the best in the Greenock amateurs for, three minutes later, J Devlin crossed perfectly for centre forward Hugh McNeill to head home a picture goal.

The High School now had their tails up and almost walked away with the rest of the half, scoring again to seize the lead at half-time through J McMillan from the left wing.

After the interval, although battling against the wind, the Greenock team showed their true championship form and before the final whistle, Hugh McNeill had added another goal to give the High School a convincing 3-1 win.

The victorious team comprised D McKechnie, J Morris, Willie Purcell, A Phillips, Duncan McNeill, R Benzie, R Herd, J Devlin, Hugh McNeill, Bob Drainer and J McMillan.

Greenock High School FPs won the Scottish Amateur Cup for the second time in 1949.