Football Without Fans – Kilbirnie Paradise CSC

Kilbirnie Paradise CSC…

Founded in 1989, it is still going strong with 62 season ticket holders. Kilbirnie had supporters clubs in the past, but none have survived as long.

Prior to 1989, Gordon McConnell travelled in a minibus with the Kilbirnie legend, Big Cally, and around another dozen fans. During this period, Kilbirnie had many other Celtic fans travelling by car or train. Although most of the supporters travelled their separate ways, they were united by the St. Brigid’s Social Club, which was better known as the Pope Inn.

The Pope Inn

There had been occasions where Big Cally had organised full coaches and the odd double-decker to attend semi-finals and finals from there. It was after the 1988 season that a group of regulars from the club suggested that they all get together and run a supporter’s club. On 6 February, 1989, at a meeting in the Pope Inn, Kilbirnie Paradise CSC was founded.

Committee members included Dougie Johnstone (Secretary), Gary Young (President), Robert Douglas (Treasurer), Paul Smith, and David Ronney (Bus Conveners). By this time, Big Cally had moved down to London, where he continued to be part of supporters clubs until his death in 2022, when he was president of Brother Walfrid CSC in East London.

Their pick-ups started in Beith, then Kilbirnie, and onto Lochwinnoch before heading to Paradise. They also had a few people from Dalry and Irvine who joined the club in the early days.

Tragedy struck the club in the summer of 1989

Tragedy struck the club in the summer of 1989 when five of the Bhoys travelled to Inverness for a pre-season friendly. On their journey back home on 2 August, 1989, they were involved in a fatal road accident with only one survivor. The oldest to have died that tragic day was only 28 years old, and the youngest was 21 years old. Joe McCluskey, who survived, was 18 years old.

They will never be forgotten.
Billy Hood
Mark Hampson
Ian Swindle
David Ronney

The CSC went on to have many dances, with players like Pat Bonner, Charlie Nicholas, Paul McStay, Peter Grant, and many others making the journey to the Walker Hall in Kilbirnie.

Celtic Director Brian Wilson

Celtic Director Brian Wilson was a regular at the Pope Inn, and their supporters club was invited to his leaving night from the Labour Party. This was as it was announced he was joining Celtic. In his speech, he called out the CSC. However, it was only to tell them that although he was joining the Celtic board, it didn’t mean free tickets for matches.

Kilbirnie Paradise CSC snoods

Over the years, they have enjoyed many memorable bus journeys to friendlies and testimonials in England, with Bryan Robson and Peter Beardsley standing out. The Road to Seville was a great time, with the club securing 28 tickets. They have a full range of merchandise, from jackets, sweatshirts, shorts, scarves, and polo shirts, and during COVID, they got their own Kilbirnie Paradise CSC snoods.

They sadly no longer have the Pope Inn. It is now an Indian Restaurant. They still have pick-ups in Beith, Kilbirnie, and Lochwinnoch, where they are made most welcome in the Three Churches Pub. None of the original committee members travel on the bus any longer, and it is very much a bus for home matches, semi-finals, and finals.

Their dream is for them to find another home like in the good old days of the Pope Inn.

An extract from Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs by David McIntyre (Celtic Bars). Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs is out now and available in print and kindle versions HERE.

More to follow from Football Without Fans on The Celtic Star, the Celtic supporters website. Will it be your CSC that’s featured? Well next up is Jim Craig CSC Belfast No.1 CSC…

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