19-05-2025
Port Glasgow boss proud of players' efforts despite missing out on league title
PORT Glasgow manager Tam Jamieson says he's proud of his players' efforts despite watching their bid for Fourth Division title glory fall just short on Saturday.
Jamieson's men did what was required of them by sweeping aside St Peter's 3-0 at Parklea in their final match of the season in front of a bumper crowd.
The Undertakers have known for some weeks that they'll be playing Third Division football in 2025-26, promotion having been secured with a 6-1 win away to Campbeltown Pupils on April 12.
But those hoping to see the Undertakers snatch the championship trophy from under the noses of long-time leaders Knightswood saw those dreams dashed as the Glasgow side, who started the final day three points ahead of Jamieson's men, romped to the title with a 5-1 win at home to Eglinton.
Missing out on the title, though, didn't dampen the Port players' moods too much, with plenty of celebrations when they returned to the dressing room after the final whistle.
Missing out on the title didn't stop Port Glasgow's players celebrating promotion in style. (Image: alex craig) And Jamieson could only hail his troops for doing what was required as results elsewhere went against them.
He told the Tele: 'We've said it for much of the season, we weren't going away and we've stayed there all year up until a final kick of the ball.
'Fair play to Knightswood for getting the job done and doing what was required when it mattered most.
'It's important we build now for next season and approach the Third Division as strongly as possible.
'We've finished off with three goals and a clean sheet. We can't really ask for much more.
READ MORE: Port Glasgow boss wants home crowd to bring the noise for final day title decider
'The job's done. We've done what we set out to do which was to get the club back into the third division at the first time of asking.
'It was good for Wiggzy [Shaun Wigzell] to finish off with a clean sheet too.'
After a goalless first 45 minutes, Port took the lead barely five minutes into the second half thanks to an inspired substitution by Jamieson: Kenny Mearns only had two touches of the ball since his introduction at the interval, but his third, fourth and fifth proved decisive as he picked up the ball with his back to goal before instinctively turning into space and driving the ball into the bottom left corner.
Ronnie Wilson thought he'd doubled his side's lead with an hour gone; he did well to win the ball high and tee up Dylan McLaughlin, who saw his effort parried into the path of the stand-in midfielder, and though Wilson timed his follow-up run well, he could only find the side netting from close range.
Dylan McLaughlin scored the Port's second and third goals. (Image: alex craig) Their second would come five minutes later after Mearns was scythed down in the penalty area, with McLaughlin refusing to leave anything to chance by rifling the resulting spot-kick into the bottom corner with his right foot.
And McLaughlin completed the scoring when he doubled up in style 20 minutes from time thanks to some good work from full-back Josh McGilvarey, who teed up his team-mate nicely for a cool finish into the bottom corner.
The win saw the Port finish on 73 points but with the proud record of the highest goal tally in any of the WoSFL's five divisions – a total of 110 across their 30 league fixtures.
And Jamieson says that the win caps off the progress that the Undertakers have made over the course of the last 12 months to bounce straight back after their relegation to the bottom tier.
He added: 'The progress we've made from the start of the season until now is night and say.
Port Glasgow boss Tam Jamieson told the Tele he's delighted with the progress the club has made in the last 12 months. (Image: alex craig) 'Players have joined, players have left. We're delighted with the way the club is going if I'm being honest.
'We just need to add a bit more and hopefully we can kick on again next year.'
Joining the Port and Knightswood in the Third Division next season will be Kello Rovers, who also bounced back in style after being relegated 12 months ago and who sealed their promotion with a 3-1 midweek win away to East Kilbride Thistle.
The Undertakers' promotion also sets up the juicy prospect of an Inverclyde 'El Clasico' next season after Greenock Juniors missed out on promotion to the Second Division by an agonising one-point margin on the final day.
