Plinths & Plaques, Statues and Graves
As with not just this but all our trails, local, national and country, we hold the view that merely recording or even putting on-line is a start but not enough. To do justice to the pioneers, as have a few clubs, even countries, to which they went, as in Scotland in the case of Tommy Donohoe and following the lead of Brazils's Bangu, Busby has too and as has SHFG again in Scotland, but also in England and Northern Ireland, there should be, both at home and elsewhere, place for more statues, golden or otherwise, restored, maintained graves, busts on plinths and if not them then plaques.
So, whilst we research and provide biographical and other details of as many of those Scots, native and Diasporan, who through deed and feet spread globally and uniquely the footballing word, we also look at where, in places from which they came or they rest, and as visual expression of our contemporary, national pride in them and those same localities, some form of physical, outdoor recognition would be both appropriate and feasible.
The Kinross & West Fife Trail
Although it is the Kinross and West Fife Trail in fact it falls into three parts, one admittedly shared with the Fife Coalfields. Northernmost is Kinross itself with two players, who went on to the senior game. Then there are two more from Kelty and eight from Dunfermline and the mining villages to its north, with finally one from the banks of the Forth at Inverkeithing.
In fact, considering that current League club, Dunfermline Athletic, had been formed in 1885 as a split-off from Dunfermline F.C., itself founded in 1874, so very early, especially in Scottish terms, the numbers, just four, particular from a place that in 1901 had a population of 30,000, are poor. And this is both in overall and also in international terms, just three, one only from the town, with no obvious explanation. Although Dunfermline's wealth had been based not on heavy industry but first on the weaving of damask and then linen, so had that of Newmilns and Darvel on silk- and lace-weaving with about a fifth of the population but almost four times the player product.