Stoneywood-Dyce Cricket Club is a go-ahead club in the north-west suburbs of Aberdeen, which has grown in stature from the amalgamation in April 1991 of the neighbouring Stoneywood CC and Dyce CC. The club occupies an area adjacent to Aberdeen Airport, and has always acted as responsible neighbours – no more so than in the past couple of years when they worked closely with BAA to allow for increased security at the airport.

Stoneywood CC were founded in 1850, as a result of the influence of the Pirie family of Stoneywood Paper Mill (who had learned the game at southern public schools). They were supported by excisemen, who also brought their sporting ‘customs’ to the area until the tax on paper was repealed in 1861. After brief sojourns at three separate sites within the mill precincts, the Club moved in 1880 to its present ground at the Market stance, which subsequently became known as the Peoples Park. It took with it the pavilion that had been erected ten years earlier and forms the core structure of today’s building – 137 not out!! Over the next ten years, the return to Stoneywood of Alex George Pirie (chairman of the paper company) saw the laying of the first asphalt wicket for net practices and the engagement for a few springs of well-known professionals for coaching purposes.

Dyce CC appeared in the records of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association as far back as 1902, but that side had no relationship to the team that continued through until the amalgamation and came into existence as Dyce Lads Club in 1948. The Club dropped ‘Lads Club’ from its name in 1960.

When the two clubs came together, the combined side - how the P&J; love using that term (for 17 seasons after the event, and counting!) when they are not referring to the airport side - fielded teams in Grades One and Four of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association (more commonly referred to as the Aberdeen Grades). But they had let their respective junior sections drift into a state of disrepair.

In 1994, the club entered the Strathmore Union (effectively the North’s ‘district’ league) and won it in both 1996 and 1997, with the latter triumph being followed by success in a play-off to enter the Scottish National Cricket Leagues. A successful 1998 saw the club reach the dizzy heights of the Premier League for 1999, but that proved a step too far. Following a reorganization of the SNCL in 2004, the club’s 1st XI now plies its trade in the SNCL Division Two with the 2nd XI in the Strathmore Union and a 3rd XI in Grade Three of the Aberdeen Grades.

Alongside the progress by the senior sides [evidenced in the chart] has been the creation of a vibrant junior section. This involves engaging a coaching professional each season to go into the local Primary Schools to generate the conveyor belt of players for the future, running age-group sides at U11, U13, U15 and U17, as well as actively contributing to the Grampian Junior Cricket Group through the provision of support from within the club’s volunteer coaches.

The club has had remarkable success at Junior Representative Levels since Stuart Coetzer was the first to make the breakthrough into the Scotland U13 side in 1995. Further evidence of the club’s success and of the commitment of its youngsters came when Kyle Coetzer joined the Academy at Durham County Cricket Club in 2003 and made his senior debut for Scotland. Kyle went on to make his First Class debut for Durham in 2004 and was followed into the Scotland side by Gordon Goudie, then older brother Stuart Coetzer. Gordon joined the MCC Young Cricketers set up in 2005 and played for Middlesex CCC 2nd XI in 2006. Now add Scott Redhead joining the Durham Academy in 2007.

The club has had less success in recent years in terms of junior development and has presently less of a conveyor belt of talent than for some time. But, since 2007, we have an aggressive programme to get back into the local schools through the appointment of a proven coach in Jan Stander.

Running a club of the stature of Stoneywood-Dyce is akin to running a small business and has many challenges. Fund-raising requirements are always high on the list of priorities. That part of Scottish cricket is never-ending and probably no easier in Aberdeen than anywhere else in the country. Traditionally, local clubs have had to depend on offspring of current/past players to flourish, or an influx of players through work commitments. But, with a sound junior structure in place, the Club hopes to be able to develop with new names rising to the top to go alongside the McRaes, Lambs, Coetzers, etc. as significant contributors to the Club.

Stoneywood-Dyce Cricket Club strongly believes in the structure that they have put in place, but it’s hard work and we stand by the saying “Success is a journey, not a destination”.