Season 2005-06 is Kenny Hannah's
testimonial season with Whitburn, recognising ten seasons with the club.
During that period, Kenny has been one of Whitburn's most consistent players,
averaging 40 games per season, and at the time of writing has played 372
games in total and scored 63 goals. All being well, Kenny should reach another landmark this
season when he plays his 400th game for Whitburn.
Not many players remain with
one club long enough to be awarded a testimonial season, so the recognition
that Kenny will receive for his loyalty is well deserved. The Supporters Club
congratulate Kenny on his achievement and wish him well for this season and
beyond.
Kenny is from Whitburn, and
played a few games for a Whitburn boy's team, Kepscaith Dons, before being
snapped up by Polbeth, one of the top boys clubs at that time. He eventually
progressed to Senior football with Alloa Athletic.
It is Whitburn's good
fortune, and Alloa's loss that Kenny was brought back to play junior football
by then Whitburn manager Brian McNaughton.
Although his first season
with the club did not bring any trophies, the following season, Kenny played a
major part in one of Whitburn's best ever season's when, under the guidance of
new manager Brian Fairley, the club won the League and three cups. The only
other time Whitburn had won 4 trophies in one season was back in 1969-70.
Two year's later, and Kenny
became part of Whitburn legend when he was part of the team that won the
Scottish Junior Cup, defeating Johnstone Burgh in an exciting game that went
to extra time and had eventually to be decided by penalty kicks.
Here
are some of the highlights of Kenny's Whitburn career.
Season
1996-97
Joined
Whitburn in July 1996, from Alloa Athletic
Season
1997-98
League
Winner
East
of Scotland cup Winner
League
cup Winner
St
Michael’s cup Winner
Season
1998-99
League
cup Winner
Fife
and Lothians cup winner
Season
1999-00
Scottish
Junior cup winner
Season
2000-01
League
Winner
Brown
cup winner
Season
2001-02
East
of Scotland Cup winner
Season
2003-04
Played
his 300th game for Whitburn.
Season
2004-05
League
Winner
Season
2005-06
Testimonial
Season.
Played
his 400th game for Whitburn.
Summary
3
League winners
1
Scottish Cup winners
2
League Cup winners
2
East of Scotland cup winners
1
Fife & Lothians cup winners
1
St. Michael’s cup winners
1
Brown cup winners
4
League runners up
7
local cup runners up
The following events
have been arranged for Kenny's testimonial season. Further information will be
added as it is known.
Friday
November 11th 2005
Race
night
The first of the events to be held for Kenny's testimonial season was a Race Night that
took place in the Social Club
on Friday 11th November 2005. The event was very well attended by friends,
family, supporters, team-mates and former team-mates who all helped make it a
successful evening.
Friday
February 3rd 2006
Quiz
night
This
was organised by the Supporters Club. The evening was a great success with the
function hall filled to capacity, 38 teams taking part.
Quizmaster
Danny Flannagan provided a good spectrum of general knowledge questions, that
kept the competition going right to the last round.
In
attendance were Kenny's team-mates, past and present, his family and friends,
and representation from organisations and individuals from throughout Whitburn
and further afield.
The
results were as follows:
1st
RC4
87 points
2nd
Blaeberryhill
Inn
86 points
3rd
The Downdies
80 points
4th
Whitburn Junior
FC
78 points
5th
Auld Toon
4
76 points
6th
Jaga
75 points
Lodge Polkemmet
Probus Club
They Think They Know It All
Whitburn Miners Welfare
11th
Whitburn SCA
74 points
12th
The Courier
Masters
72 points
13th
The
Housekeepers
71 points
14th
Hannah's
Heroes
70 points
15th
The Scotts
69 points
16th
Poxy
4
68 points
We might Be...
18th
Whitburn Bowling
Club
67 points
19th
The Dukes Of
Hazard
65 points
20th
St. Joseph's Men's
Club
64 points
Tosh Builder
22nd
Knock On
Wood!
61 points
23rd
Come Oot o'
There!
60 points
24th
Evan Help
Us
57 points
25th
Hic Up
Harry
54 points
26th
The Clever
Cookies
52 points
27th
The New
Arrivals
51 points
28th
Carbray
Clan
49 points
Mason's delight
The A Team
The Flannigans
32nd
The Hampden
Roar
47 points
33rd
The
Judges
45 points
34th
Clan
Macdonald
43 points
The
Misfits
36th
Smarties
41 points
37th
Wots On At The
Kirk's
39 points
38th
The
Masterminds
34 points
Tuesday
February 28th 2006
Pie, peas and bingo evening.
Whitburn
Junior Social Club
Once
again, the hall was filled to capacity making it another successful
evening.
The
organisers would like to thank local butcher Jim McIlwraith who sponsored
the
event by supplying pies for everyone taking part.
7th
May
The
main event of Kenny's testimonial season was on Sunday 7th May when the
testimonial game took place at Central Park, followed by a Sportsman's Dinner in the Social
Club.
The
Match
click
on pictures to enlarge
The
game was between the present Whitburn team and the Scottish Cup winning team of
2000, with appearances by some of Kenny's other
former team mates.
Most
of the cup winning team were there and it was good to welcome back the guys who brought the Scottish Cup back to
Whitburn.
The
starting lineups were as follows -
Whitburn
Present Team
Aaron
Stalker
Allan
Carswell
Lee
McCawley
Richie
Carson
Craig
Macmillan
Jamie
Valentine
Willie
Kirk
Eamon
McNelis
Colin
Strickland
Mark
Sinclair
Peter
Lynch
Manager
- Derek Strickland
Substitutes
Stewart
Kenny
Craig
McLintock
Allan
McCawley
Derek
Strickland
Joe
Mbu
Lloyd
Haddow
Cup
Winners
Stewart
Walker
Bruce
Clouston
Colin
J. Campbell
Stevie
Prior
Callum
Milne
Kenny
Hannah
Sean
Bonnar
Graeme
Landels
Stuart
Gilmour
Terry
Wilson
Paul
Taylor
Manager
- Keith Burgess
Substitutes
John
Sokoluk
Kevin
Craig
Iain
Ramage
Scott
Macdonald
Rab
Beveridge
Mark
McGinley
The
referee was John Hannah.
Also
spotted, although not playing were David Wood, Colin C. Campbell and Lee Bullen.
As
is the norm on these occasions, substitutions were informal and frequent, and
near the end of the game we had the unusual sight of father and son partnership
of Derek and Colin Strickland taking to the field
Unfortunately,
no amount of planning can guarantee good weather, and the game was played in a
constant drizzle. However, it was played in good spirit and the crowd watching
enjoyed what was quite an entertaining game.
The
final score was 5-2 to the Cup Winning team, the scorers being Terry Wilson,
John Sokoluk and, appropriately, Kenny Hannah with a hat-trick. Mark Sinclair
and Lloyd Haddow replied for the "Young Team".
Sportsman's
Dinner
The
Sportsman's Dinner was compered by John
"scoop" Gilmour, and the
guest speakers were former Motherwell player John Gaghan, former Glasgow police
superintendant John McKelvie, and comedian Joe Cammy.
During
the evening an auction was held for signed football jerseys from Rangers, Hearts
and Sheffield Wednesday, the latter being supplied by former Whitburn player Lee
Bullen, now with "The Owls".
John
Gilmour also made a presentation to Kenny on behalf of the Supporters Club, of a
Whitburn jersey that had been signed by all the players taking part in the
testimonial game.
Once
again the hall was filled to capacity, showing the high regard in which Kenny is
held, and giving proper recognition to his achievement.
