The magic of The Pink - an Edinburgh institution

The Pink was an institution in Edinburgh, Much like the Green 'Un in Aberdeen and the Sporting Post in Dundee.

It rolled off the presses early Saturday night, and had all the match reports, tables, results and scorers published for posterity when the cheers of the crowd at the full-time whistle were still ringing in your ears.

Producing and printing a newspaper, from scratch, in the space of an afternoon remains an astonishing feat - but one that happened in every major city every weekend.

The thrill of being part of it - even a small, walk-on role - has never diminished.

I was 15 years old and desperate to be  a journalist when I got a chance to work on The Pink.

I went to a Hearts game midweek, wrote a report and posted it  off to Bill Lothian that night to show what I could do. Pretty sure Willie Gibson bagged the winner in that game ...

Next week or so, a plain white postcard dropped through our letter box at Cobbinshaw House in Wester Hailes detailing my first assignment -  Civil Service Strollers v Postal United in the east of Scotland League down at Granton.

My instructions: Teams and referee before the start, 100 words at half-time, 50 words at 4:20, and then final score with any additional scorers.

I recall going armed with half a dozen pens and a spare notebook - just in case! - and a bunch of two pence pieces for the phone which, thankfully, was inside the clubhouse.

Finding a working phone box near some of the grounds was quite a challenge, and there was always the fear it'd be occupied when you needed it.

I'd never dictated copy before and still blush at the memory of phoning in and saying "Hello it's me" only to be asked "Aye, who are you and where are you?"

I soon got the format: "Allan Crow, Teams for Postal Utd v Civil Service Strollers. United: Smith, McDonald (M-c-Cap D), Johnston, no E, Edgar (Captain) ..."

I was astounded at the speed at which the typists rattled it all down in real time.

I soon got used to the lingo - poss S for apostrophes, new par and "Smith usual spelling" to indicate no 'Y' or 'E' at the end.

The clackety-clack of the keys matched my dictation, and the typists were gone even before you'd said goodbye, Every second mattered producing The Pink.

My first report got a headline - "No Goals But Tempers Fray" - and my dad got one of those old registers from his work and started a scrapbook. He still has it to this day.

My East of Scotland League patch took me to Spartans' old ground off Ferry Road which had its own stand and facilities. That also meant I had to report on their midfielder, Danny Costello, who was also my PE teacher at WHEC. Always made sure he was praised! 

I also got to do a reserve game at Tynecastle. 

I was a Jambo back then, who spent every other weekend in the Shed with my mate Stephen Young, so the thrill of sitting in the press box, even an empty one, surrounded by lots of old-style round dial telephones,  was just incredible.

One weekend, I was sent Meadowbank to cover a boxing tournament despite knowing absolutely nothing about the sport. The sight of the favourite being knocked out in his first fight made my spirits soar. I had my intro! 

The Pink didn't just fuel my passion to work in newspapers, it also taught me so much about deadlines (don't miss them otherwise you'll get a bollocking), writing to length, ensuring every name was spelled correctly, and having to dredge up the confidence to go ask a manager or trainer mid-game who made the pass that led to their equaliser.

I got paid £2.66 per report, but the experience was priceless.

There's a century of Edinburgh's sporting history in the archives of the Pink. 

And, here's the thing. I doubt that with today's wifi, laptops and smart phones we could come even close to replicating what the subs, writers, copy typists, and 'togs did all those decades ago with pen, paper and rolls of film.

They created a newspaper in the blink of an eye, working at a speed, and under a pressure which  few people outwith the industry can comprehend.

They had it wrapped and sent to presses, and bundled up into vans - and trains to Fife - even before some fans had made it home from the match.

The days of scouring the Stop Press column for the result from that late kick-off - the one your pools coupon relied on to hit the jackpot - may be gone forever, but The Pink returns to this weekend's Evening News. 

I suspect more than a few of us will head out to grab a copy. The memories it conjures up still burn bright.