Glenafton captain Craig Pettigrew has called it day with the club and left this heart-felt message for the supporters.

All the best to everyone involved at Glenafton Athletic Official, good club with good people involved up there. Enjoyed my 6 years playing for the club, playing most of that time as club captain was a massive honour for me.

It’s been a disappointing season for me personally, missing the last 9 weeks of the season with a knee injury has meant I’m leaving the club, certainly not the way I wanted to end it but that’s football at times unfortunately.

Heading off on holiday in a couple of weeks to hopefully recharge the batteries, talk to a few beers and will then see what the future brings, might be another year left in me yet!

Craig had a spell at Lugar Boswell Thistle before joining the youth set-up at his beloved Ayr United. In the summer of 2008, he joined Auchinleck Talbot and during six successful seasons at Beechwood the club won (among others) three Scottish Junior Cups and two Premier Division titles as well as being capped for Scotland. He then stepped up to the Seniors at Stranraer for two seasons and then at Dumbarton for another before returning to Stair Park for a brief spell. Craig returned to Talbot in 2017 but within a few months moved on to Kilwinning Rangers.

Season 2019/20: Manager Craig McEwan

Craig joined Glenafton at the start of Season 2019/20, signed by manager Craig McEwan. The pre-season friendlies began with a home game against Cumbernauld United in the ‘Maggie Buchan Memorial Shield’ where Petts not only met up with his new team he scored what proved to be the winner in the penalty shoot-out!

Back Row: Craig McEwan (manager), Mick McCann, ?. Ryan McChesney, Craig Pettigrew, Craig Burns, Michelle McInnes (physio), ? Front Row: Ally Park, Craig Menzies (captain), Alan Cairns, Lee Gallacher, Dale Moore, Billy Peacock (goalkeeping coach), Cameron Marlow, Joe Andrew

Craig scored his first competitive goal for the club in the Scottish Junior Cup 2nd round home-tie against West Calder United, opening the scoring with a 30 yard screamer in a 13-0 victory.

Petts also scored in the home league 2-1 defeat to Rossvale. However, as a consequence of the Coronavirus pandemic the League fixtures closed down on the 11th March 2020. Since the teams in the league had played a different number of games the West Region SFA declared the league based on average points with Auchinleck Talbot crowned champions and Glens finishing in 4th position.

Glenafton’s final game, their 20th league game of the season, concluded with a 5-1 victory over Largs Thistle. Indeed this proved to be the last league game under the auspices of the Scottish Junior Football Association following the formation of the West of Scotland Football League (WOSFL).

Season 2020/21: Manager Craig McEwan

Glenafton played 5 pre-season friendlies under the COVID rules. On 11th October 2020 the club notified the WOSFL, along with several other clubs, that they would not be competing league or cup games. The management team resigned andGlenafton released all of their players from their contracts with the best wishes of the club.

However, the pandemic had the last say and the season was closed down, with all the fixtures that had been played were considered null and void.

Season 2021/2: Managers Mick McCann ; Ryan Stevenson

The West of Scotland Football League opened for business at the start of Season 2021/22. The club began to rebuild a squad to compete in the Premier Division comprising a handful of former Glens players returning to the club, including Craig who was appointed club captain; with several other experienced ‘Juniors’ and a good proportion of young players.

Glens got off to a great start with a 3-1 away at Irvine Meadow.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC at Meadow Park. Back Row: Justin Devenny, Sean Bennie, Ross Fisher, Ryan McChesney, Daniel Sloan, Scott Johnson, Craig Pettigrew, Sean McIlroy, Leon Murphy. Front Row: Calum Thomson, Scott Sherrie, Mark Gilmour, Lewis, Alan Cairns, David Blythe, Cameron Marlow, Darren Curtis.

Craig made 44 starts in league and cup games and bagged a couple of goals, both in the league. A bullet header from 6 yards out in a 1-0 home win over Bonnyton Thistle and and header into the roof of the net in a 4-1 win away to Cumnock Juniors.

The Premier Division comprised 20 teams, however reconstruction was planned for the following season to reduce it to 16 teams. As such 7 teams would be relegated and 3 promoted from the First Division. The Glens avoided relegation finishing in 12th place while there were early exits in the Cup competitions.

Season 2022/23: Manager Ryan Stevenson

The new 16 team Premier Division came into play and Glens finished in 10th place comfortably avoiding relegation from the bottom 3. Craig scored in the 3-2 defeat away to Pollok, drilling a low shot from the 18 yard line.

GLENAFTON at home to Cambuslang: Back Row: Alan Cairns, Sam McKee, Leon Murphy, Craig Pettigrew, Michael McMullin, Ollie Rowe, David Markey, Hugh Kerr, Michale Moffat, Ryan Nisbet. Front Row: Aiden Russell, Callum McFadyen, Alex McWaters, Scott McLean, Adam Caldwell, Paul Paton, Dylan O’Kane. Calvin Kemp (missing)

The club enjoyed a good run in the Scottish Junior Cup reaching the Semi-final only to lose out to neighbours Cumnock Juniors who went on to win the trophy.

1st Round: East Kilbride H 8-1

2nd Round: Rothie Rovers A 5-1,

3rd Round: Stoneyburn H 4-1

4th Round: Carnoustie Panmure A 3-1

Craig missed the game through injury.

Quarter Final: Bellshill Athletic A 4-0

Semi-Final at Meadow Park: Cumnock Juniors 2-4

Season 2023/24: Manager Ryan Stevenson; Mark Roberts, Ryan Caddis

The start of Season 2023/24 saw Glenafton Athletic granted membership of the Scottish Football Association at the SFA Annual General Meeting, Hampden Park on 6th June 2024, allowing the club to gain entry to the Scottish Cup. Glens had previously entered the competition in Season 2017/18 as West Region Champions (and Scottish Junior Cup winners).

The league campaign began with a trip to Darvel where Craig made his 100th start from Glenafton and celebrated a 2-1 victory.

Darvel later turned the table knocking the Glens out of the Scottish Cup and the Scottish Junior Cup.

Glens reached the 4th round of the WOSFL Cup and the Quarter Final of the South Challenge Cup only to lose out against Shotts Bon Accord at Loch Park on both occasions.

The league campaign got off to a poor start. Having amassed only 12 points in the first half of the season saw the departure of two managers, however a third delivered 21 points in the second half of another challenging season. Premier Division survival was secured on the penultimate game of the season by 1 point with a 5-0 cuffing of Cumnock at Loch Park.

Season 2024/25: Manager Ryan Caddis; Paul Paton

Pre-season included a friendly at home to Partick Thistle, the Glasgow club having signed former Glens player Luke McBeth last season. A minutes silence was observed for the recent passing of Gerry Collins, having managed both clubs.

Although the league campaign began with two victories there was only one point added in the next five games. Glens made early exits in two cup competitions two 3rd Division sides.

Former Glens player Paul Paton was appointed manager in September and kicked off with a 4-1 win away at Ellon United in the 2nd Round of the Scottish Junior Cup. Victories over Deveronside and Bathgate followed to set up an astonishing 5th Round tie away to Tranent where the home side went in at the break 3-0 up only for Glens to fight back to 3-3 before the final twist with the home side scoring a late late winner.

The league form began to improve including a 2-0 home win over Beith which proved to be Craig’s last match at Loch Park. Sadly the following week he sustained a serious knee injury at the game away to Drumchapel United, and his season was over. Craig supported the team from the sidelines the Glens pulled clear of the relegation battle to finished in 10th place

*some of the substitutions may be missing

Craig has played a huge part as Glenafton has had to rebuild from scratch following the release of all their players in Season 2020/21 and will be greatly missed, both on and of the park. So too will his family, who follow him home and away. Everyone at the club would to thank Craig and wish him all the best’, and hopefully ‘he still has another year in him‘.

Craig sharing his celebrations with his son Corey

Bobby Guthrie.