We conclude our series of reflective interviews, celebrating the 145^th Anniversary of our beloved Club, with the legend that is Davey Larter recalling our promotion winning season of 1991/92.

Qu 1 – What are your abiding memories of the day you won promotion?

It was not just the day it was the whole weekend we knew we just had to equal Cowdenbeath’s result and we were promoted to the now Championship, so a lot of pressure on the last game of the season but our fate was in our own hands.

We travelled down on the Friday and stayed in Moffatt. Had a nice meal on the Friday night and the Boys were pretty relaxed. We awakened to an overcast but dry Saturday and after breakfast we went to the local putting green and had a great competition. I think Stevie King Won……

After the Pre Match we headed on to the coach for the 30min drive down to Palmerston Park for the big game and Bradley Kerr produced a tape for some music and the 1^st Track was Crystal Watters, Gypsy Woman the song that had the chorus La Da Dee La Da Da… around 6 times…….. well the whole coach started singing the chorus…… when the track finished Bradley played it again and everybody just kept singing. This continued until we got to the park – we had played Crystal Watters for half an hour with the whole coach singing La Da Dee La Da Da – it was just so surreal but absolutely brilliant and if you ask anybody who was there, they will tell you about that song.

As it was now the last game of the season Palmerston Park was not in good shape, it was bone hard and from goal to goal it was dry, dusty, hard mud – the usual for most grounds. We knew it was not going to be pretty but all we had to do was win.

We started the game at a pace and within 30min we were 3 up due to 2 goals from Gary Murray and 1 from big Doug Rougvie – game over and our mission was done. We managed the rest of the game out in front of around 200 Mighty Mo Fans who were up my end in the 2^nd half and what a feeling it was to bring promotion.

At the final whistle we celebrated with the fans and each other – our season long mission achieved to the Championship for Montrose.

The only regret from that weekend was that rather and go back to Montrose the Chairman had booked us into a Glasgow hotel for the night and although we celebrated together, it would have been much better to celebrate back in Montrose with the Mighty Mo Fans and the backroom staff of those days, Brian Leiper, George Ferris, and Harry Miller.

But I, and I’m sure my teammates and all that were there that weekend will never forget the 11^th May 1991.

Qu 2 – At the start of that season, how did you assess the squad around you and how well did you think it would do?

At the start of the season, we thought we had a decent squad with the likes of Morrison, King, Allan, Lyons, J McGlashan and goal scorers Murray and MacKay and with the arrival of Doug Rougvie who had won multiple major trophies with Aberdeen and under the guidance of League Winning Manger Ian Stewart we would have a chance to go far.

But on the eve of the season starting Ian Stewart was relieved of his duties and Chic McLelland and Doug Rougvie were appointed Co Mangers, then the news that John McGlashan was moving to Millwall certainly rocked the squad a bit.

After the first couple of weeks Chic and Doug brought in a few new players, Fleming, Fotheringham and Dolan who would certainly play their part in the season that would unfold.

Qu 3 – What were the key moments/games in that campaign for you?

W actually won out first 2 games to go top of the league but then went on a bad run losing far too many games and only winning around 3 until mid-December when we now found ourselves a way down at the bottom of the league. But just before Christmas we beat Albion Rovers 5-0 and a corner was turned. Little did we know what lay ahead and that we would only lose 3 out of the next 22 games.

Qu 4 – At what stage in the season did you start to think, we could do this?

On this run we started to climb the table from 10^th to 3^rd by end of February and then hovered around 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th for a month then after our 3^rd defeat to League Champions Stirling Albion on 6^th April, we were in 5^th place and we then went on a 5 game run of 5 wins, 12 goals, and 5 clean sheets to secure our promotion spot. But the key game was 3^rd last game away to Queens Park at the old Hampden. We were in 3^rd place and Queens Park was always a hard place to go under Eddie Hunter, but we blew them away with goals from Gary Murray and 2 from hotshot Hamish MacKay to go above Cowdenbeath into 2^nd position. Again, we had about 200 Mighty Mo Fans up in the corner of the old stand and they cheered us on for the whole 90mins and it sounded like there were thousands in that stand.

That is a game that stands out in my memory and at that point with 2 games to go against East Stirling and QOS I believed we would do it.

Qu 5 – What are you most proud of from that season?

I am very proud of the whole squad after the turmoil at the start of the season with the change of Management the loss of John McGlashan. Apart from the first 2 games, which we won, we had a horrendous run of only winning 6 games from the first 17 and found ourselves languishing towards the bottom of the League. Then to bounce back and sustain a level of football that helped us achieve only 3 losses in the next 22 was remarkable all whilst training up at Rossie School with the one light run by a generator was testament to our attitude and commitment to the Mighty Mo cause.

On a personal note, 20 clean sheets out of 39 and only 34 goals against was at the time about the 4^th best in ALL the divisions both Scotland and England – excellent considering that when Chic and Doug took over they were going to get rid of me! I then signed a 3-year contract at the start of the following season.

Qu 6 – How does it make you feel to know you were part of a successful period in the history of Montrose FC?

I feel very proud to be part of a successful side in Montrose’s history and that season 1990/91 will live with me forever.

In my 40 years’ association with the Club, I have been lucky to be part of a few successes – a small part of the League Winning side of 84/85. A major part of 90/91 Promotion side to the Championship. Another major part of the 94/95 Promotion side where I had 18 clean sheets out of 36 with 32 goals against. Ambassador when Stewart Petrie led the team to League Champions in 2018, and now to be part of the continuing success is absolutely brilliant and also as Honorary President of the Supporters Club it makes me feel very proud to be a Gable Endie.

Not bad from a boy from Edinburgh who on his first visit to Montrose had his night shattered as a young 15-year-old Hibs supporter in September 1975, when Les Barr scored from Wellington Street to win the League Cup match and send me back down the road to think again.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Montrose would then be a major part of my life for 40 years and also to still be part of it as I reach pension age.

Proud to be a Gable Endie!

Read our previous interview with Charlotte Gammie about Season 2022/23 https://montrosefc.co.uk/2024/11/05/in-their-own-words-season-2022-23/

Read our previous interview with Andy Steeves about Season 2017/18 https://montrosefc.co.uk/2024/11/03/in-their-own-words-season-2017-18/

Read our previous interview with John Sheran about Season 1984/85 https://montrosefc.co.uk/2024/11/01/in-their-own-words-season-1984-85/

Read our previous interview with Aimee Ridgeway about Season 2021/22 https://montrosefc.co.uk/2024/10/30/in-their-own-words-season-2021-22/

Read our previous interview with Mark Haro about Season 1994/95 – https://montrosefc.co.uk/2024/10/28/in-their-own-words-season-1994-95/

All our interviews, plus much more will be published in a commemorative 145^th Anniversary souvenir matchday programme on Saturday 9^th November for our game against Arbroath.