the boys from maybole - '82

Twenty Six years ago, a group of local lads bought a 22 year old double decker bus, did it up, named it Auld Reekie and took it to Spain to support Scotland in the World Cup. And they made the round trip with no spare wheel and the only tools they carried were a hammer, and a hacksaw. The “Boys from Maybole” were Billy Hamilton; Robert Conn; Tommy Campbell; Eddie Glass; Jim McCulloch; Gordon Walker; Richard Ferrol; Harry McDill; Campbell Conn; Billy Milligan; Tommy McMillan; Cohn Harvey; and Willie Docherty — all regulars in the Gluepot Inn, Welltrees Street. Anyone who remembers Cliff Richard in “Summer Holiday” and the double decker he and his mates used to travel across Europe will be able to imagine the boys from Maybole —especially as their trip was filmed by Scottish Television and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
                 
Their plans nearly collapsed, mind you, only two weeks before they set off when the bus engine blew up as they returned from a game at Hampden against England. They did manage to get it repaired with help from Western SMT, a local bus company, and set off from Maybole on June 7, 1982.

 
 
They travelled during the night through England and got lost in Paris the following day. A cracked pipe held them up in Bordeaux for three hours but they did complete the journey without any more problems. When they did arrive in Spain they received a great welcome from the locals who jammed the streets and cheered them on, shouting “El Reekie, El Reekie”. The bus became so well known that when the lads cashed their travellers cheques some cashiers just wrote “Bus” or “Hotel Reekie” on the back.
 
Based in Torremolinos at first for Scotland’s win over New Zealand, they then set off for Seville for the game against Brazil — guess who won 4-1? They did enjoy, however, a night out afterwards with forty Brazil fans who bought them champagne! With a sore head or two the next day it was off to Malaga to see Scotland exit the competition against Russia. There they met the great Eusebio, Gordon Strachan and John Robertson -who told them he never thought they would make it past Ayr.

CBC showed the programme in Canada later in 1982— complete with sub-titles and Scottish Television showed their programme, written and directed by Ian Archer, as part on the New Year schedules on January 3, 1983. The boys themselves got a preview the previous week when they travelled in Auhd Reekie to the STV studios in Glasgow. That day started with a photo-call in the Gluepot then it was off to Glasgow complete with “carry oot”. Unfortunately, Cohn Harvey, Jim McCulloch, Richard Ferrol and Harry McDill were unable to make the preview so Andy Clark, Ronnie Campbell and Alex Conn went in their place.
       

 

        
After a buffet and some drinks they settled down to watch the film and they were all very impressed despite the record number of bleeps as frustration with their team got the better of them. Ian Archer then treated them to a round of drinks before the boarded their bus for the journey back to Maybole. When the programme “The Boys from Maybole” was screened it made them international stars and attracted the attention of most national newspapers as well Auld Reekie - a 22 year old double decker bus in 1982— will always have a special place in the hearts of thirteen lads from Maybole.