The last pit in the Fife Coalfield closed in 1988. The first had opened in the middle of the previous century and by the turn of the century what had been a large, rural area in the south-centre of the Kingdom had been changed into into three parallel concentrations, running north-west to south east of industry that required and imported manual labour from the rest of Scotland and Ireland. Westernmost was Cowdenbeath with Kelty to the north and Hill of Beath and Crossgates to the south-west. Eastermost there was Cardenden via Bowhill to Auchterderran. And in the middle lay Lochgelly to Lochore and, perched in the northern braes, Ballingry. All were difficult places to exist but were connected by a railway, still largely there today, that carried away the hard-won "black gold" towards Dunfermline or Kirkcaldy and for a good number was also the footballing route to a better life, be it in Scotland, Down South or elsewhere, a significant number taking the boat to North America, some to return, others not.