A Gala Affair: Elegant light at Netherdale

Words: Dave Harry

Images: Dave Harry

The A7 connecting Carlisle to Edinburgh is exactly as the exit signs say it is, the Borders Historic Route and a scenic drive. Its sweeping hills and historic sites make for a pleasant journey and the Welcome To Scotland sign says ‘Keep Scotland Bonnie’, its that picture perfect.

It is not a place you’d expect to find one of the finest examples of modernist post WW2 architecture but in Galashiels you do.

Netherdale is the home of Gala Fairydean Rovers FC. Its main stand, opened in 1964, is one of Peter Womersley’s most famous works and is a Category A listed building, one that classifies it as of special architectural interest and as an outstanding example of its type.

It is all of that.

©Dave Harry/ Terrace Edition. Gala Fairydean Rovers. Scotland.

As you descend down Tweed Road the back of the stand comes into sight. Though its striking and arguably brutalist in style, the first thing that leaps out to me is the scale of the complex at Netherdale.

The rugby ground sits next to the football club, and beyond it are a large number of pitches used at local level. It’s a facility you’re far more likely to see on the continent than in the UK and it looks visionary to this day, forward looking and futuristic, which is how I’d describe Womersley’s stand.

It’s a beaut. Its cantilever structures are elegant and discreet, from a distance the roof on the stand appears to levitate above the seating, it’s a wonderful optical illusion and it allows light to stream into the stand from all directions.

The stand was significantly renovated in the early 2020s as water problems and other faults were rectified and it’s been returned to its original glory.

It’s hard not to take too many photos but I can’t help it. There’s a lot of good angles, from the lighting in the roof to simple elegance of what looks like a draw dropping structure (or a pac-man!) and it a perfect view of the football pitch and to the left, a reasonable view of the game taking place on the rugby ground as well.

On the pitch, the visitors from Tranent Juniors win 2-0 thanks to two first-half goals. The hosts are a little unlucky not to get a penalty and miss a very good chance late on, and given the love I have for the ground and the welcome, I’m sorry they didn’t get anything from the game. That won’t trouble the visitors who took a decent following.

Off the pitch, the sky is glorious with the low winter sun peeking through the stand and giving way to a beautiful pink sky which blends perfectly with the grey concrete of the stand.

I leave happy and ready to hit the A7 again. The drive was one that made we think I’d like to go back and do it again; Netherdale convinces me that I have to.

Dave is on Twitter: @daveharry007

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