ABOUT H.W.E.U.C.S.C.

A Brief History (HWEUCSC)
Today, the Heriot-Watt and Edinburgh Universities Celtic Supporters Club (HWEUCSC) is one of the largest student societies in Edinburgh, and enjoys the status of one of the most high-profile of all Celtic Supporters Clubs. We run buses to every Celtic game and organise a number of regular social events, as well as running a football team for the more athletic members.
Back in 1983, however, a Celtic Supporters Club at either of the Universities in Edinburgh was conspicuous by its absence. A couple of first-year Heriot-Watt students decided that it was about time for a change, and after some negotiation with the Students association, funds were obtained, posters were dodgily photocopied, and the club set off to its first game. This was a League Cup tie in Aberdeen on February 1st 1984, which finished in an uninspiring 0-0 draw. The new club was not put off however, and were soon joined by the Celtic supporters of Edinburgh University, and later, membership was opened up to students of all the city's higher education institutions.

Every Supporters Club needs a place to call home, and members of the the HWEUCSC spend an inordinate amount of time (and grant money) in The International Bar , Tarvit Street, Edinburgh. This was not the original first-choice however, the club used to meet at the nearby Tap O'Lauriston(which no longer exists). This move was ultimately beneficial, as the club receives generous sponsorship from the International Bar, as well as a warm welcome and good beer.

The (in)famous Buckfast Tonic Wine holds a place close to the hearts of many in the club, and, in conjunction with a certain thick black brew from the Emerald Isle has been the cause of many missed early goals, indeed missed first-halves, over the years. The misguided idea that at five to three there is still "time for another" is still prevalent in the club, and it has been known for members to board the bus after the game wondering why everyone was so happy after a draw, when in fact they had entered the stadium 15 minutes late and missed the best goal of the season.

In 1987, the club held the first of what has now become almost an institution amongst Celtic supporters, our annual dinner, The Tommy Burns Supper . This event is probably the main reason why this club is so widely known, and you can read about its history elsewhere on the site. The Burns Supper, while it is the most prestigious, is far from the only social event which the club holds. Quiz nights are held three or four times a year. Small fortunes have been won and lost (mostly lost) at the club Race Night. These take place in the International Bar. A Christmas meal, and occasionally a Celtic Park meal are also held.

In recent years the nature of the club has changed somewhat. The spiralling cost of attending football, combined with the spiralling debt which many students find themselves incurring, means that few students can afford to go to games week in week out any more. The majority of club members are still students, but they are not generally in the majority on buses. Many people who joined as students are still in the club years after graduating, still singing the same songs, and wondering why the new generation of fresh-faced students don't know the words. We have quite a large number of members in possession of something that was almost unheard of back in 1984 - a season ticket, indeed the club itself has purchased season tickets, in an effort to make it possible for students to attend games at a reduced price, and in order to maximise the number of tickets available for each game. In another example of how the club has changed along with football itself, it owns, on behalf of its membership, five Ordinary Shares and five Convertible Cumulative Shares in Celtic Plc, purchased on 27 January 1995.

Of course, some things never change. Football, drink, and good craic are still the priorities for club members. The sight of an entire coach-load of football supporters, close to tears, attempting to run cross-legged across Gretna Green service station to the toilets after consuming too many lagers, despite being told that "we're definitely not stopping before Gretna" caused some bemused looks from all the coachloads of north-bound Saga Holidays old folks while we were on our way to a testimonial match at Old Trafford in 1993 ; and the club member who spent the whole of the time allocated for sightseeing asleep on a park bench in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower during the trip to Paris for the second round of the Cup-Winners Cup in 1995 is keeping up club tradition in grand style.