GLENBUCK’S last professional footballer recalled his dream debut for Motherwell in the early 1960s.

Billy Wallace was at a meeting of the group which has two goals in their sights — recognition for the heritage of the former mining village and entry into Scottish Football’s Hall of Fame.

Long before the days of substitutes, he had been injured in the opening stages of his debut against Falkirk and Billy, grandson of William Wallace, one of the first Glenbuck footballing exports, was frustrated.

He said: “I gathered the ball quite a distance from goal and, because I wasn’t able to run properly, just hit it as hard as I could and it went in the net.

“The headline in the Saturday night edition of the Evening Times, which reported on the first half of the match, said it was a wonder goal.”

Monday’s meeting at the Boswell Centre in Auchinleck was attended by Michele Palilla and Ben Browning, who have spearheaded the bid for entry into the hall of fame.

Michele said: “The campaign, called This is Glenbuck, started just 10 days ago and 10,000 people have voted for it from all over the world.

“Liverpool fans, in particular the 30,000 members of the Spirit Of Shankly group have backed us. We are asking people to vote before the deadline of Friday, August 10.”

Being accepted as a candidate in the first place involved a bit of work and meant several visits to the Hampden Park Football Museum.

Ben added: “It is not just the number of votes that will decide. A panel of football historians will decide on the merits of each candidate.

“I have been invited to speak at the AGM of the Liverpool Supporters Club Glasgow branch on Saturday and will be giving them an update. We are also in the process of getting t-shirts printed.”