Club History 8 of 9

8. 1990s and a march to the top


1990s AND A MARCH TO THE TOP

In a remarkably short space of time in 1991 the club raised nearly £70,000 to erect a 250-seat grandstand and match floodlights and these attracted both representative and minor international matches to Beveridge Park.

After a third place finish in the second division in 1994-95 Kirkcaldy found themselves consigned to the newly created Premiership.

Another third place followed and it not until the 1996-97 season before promotion was gained. This season without a doubt was the best in the club's history. In addition to the third division title, the Blues reached the semi-final of the national cup competition, losing to Melrose in a controversial game played at Galashiels, the Midlands Cup retained and four sevens tournaments were won. Individual success also came Kirkcaldy's way and no fewer than nine of the first team squad appeared for Caledonia Reds in the Heineken European Cup.

The reputation of the club was now such that many experienced players joined the ranks from elsewhere. In 1998 Gordon Simpson arrived from New Zealand on an SRU contract and was assigned to Kirkcaldy. In June of that year he became the club's fourth capped player when he took the field for Scotland against Australia in Sydney. Local talent also came to fore and former first team captain Willie Anderson had eleven appearances for Scotland A as well as playing against Spain in a World Cup qualifying game.

After yet another third place in 1998-99 Kirkcaldy eventually attained first division status in 2000 finishing second to Boroughmuir in the Division table thereby becoming the first team from Fife to win its way to the top division for more than quarter of a century.

There were two seasons of first division rugby, the first of which was enhanced by the performances of Quintan Sanft recruited from New Zealand. During his stay at Beveridge Park Sanft won two caps for Samoa, including one against Scotland at Murrayfield.There had been some outstanding performances in that first season of first division rugby including substantial home wins against Melrose and Gala.

The second season was much less productive and relegation for the first time followed. While the club lost in the third round of the national BT Cup there was some consolation in that there was now entry into the BT Shield which was duly won at Murrayfield. Relegation inevitably led to an exodus of players and it was a particularly young side which played through the 2002-03 season and showed much promise for the future.