It is perhaps hard to believe that a match between Elgin City and Arbroath could attract a record- breaking crowd, but when the two sides met in the Scottish Cup on 17th February 1968 an incredible 12,608 people packed into Borough Briggs to watch what turned out to be a memorable encounter. This remains the highest attendance ever recorded at a Highland League ground.

Elgin were flying high at the time under the guidance of coach Innes MacDonald. They were well on the way to securing the Highland League title for sixth time in nine years with a free-scoring forward line spearheaded by Gerry Graham who scored 53 goals in all competitions that year, and a mean defence marshalled by captain Douglas Grant and backed by goalkeeper Dave Lawtie. During the season City lost just one league game, scored 117 goals in 30 matches and conceded a miserly 28.
The Moray club had long enjoyed a reputation as a side to be feared in the Scottish Cup. In 1960 they had come within a whisker of knocking Celtic out of the tournament, Willie Grant putting them ahead before two late goals gave the relieved Parkhead side a narrow victory in front of 11,207 at Borough Briggs.

But the 1967-68 Scottish Cup campaign surpassed everything that had gone before. Albion Rovers were beaten 3-1 in the first preliminary round before South of Scotland outfit Tarff Rovers were edged out 3-2 at the next stage of the competition. Forfar Athletic, with Archie Knox in the heart of their defence, then visited Borough Briggs in the First Round proper when a Bryan Thompson hat-trick inspired the home side to a 3-1 victory.

Albert Henderson’s Arbroath then stood between Elgin and a place in the Quarter finals. A place in the history books awaited the Moray outfit as never before had a Highland League club reached the last eight of the national tournament. But the Red Lichties at the time were one of the best sides outside the top division of the Scottish League, and would go on to secure promotion at the end of the season. In Jimmy Jack and Denis Bruce they possessed two of the most lethal strikers in the country.

The carnival atmosphere was enhanced by a huge travelling support with British Rail laying on a ‘football special’ to bring fansfrom Angus.

The game was hard fought from the start and although both sides had chances there was no scoring in the first 45 minutes. Elgin applied more pressure after the break, however, and finally broke through in 74 minutes. Gerry Graham chipped the ball into the box for Jimmy Anderson to send a header past Arbroath goalkeeper Jim Williamson from six yards.
The Gayfielders battled to get back into the game, but their hopes were extinguished six minutes from time when Thompson shrugged off a challenge from Arbroath centre half and captain Ian Stirling before slipping the ball into the net for his fifth Scottish Cup goal of the season.

Elgin’s great Cup run came to an end in the next round with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Morton, but their exploits were rewarded when they were awarded the Sunday Mirror Giant Killers Cup.

Steve Paterson was just a wee boy in the crowd at the time of Arbroath’s 1968 visit to Elgin, but when the Red Lichties made only their second competitive appearance in Moray, Pele was City’s manager. It was the First Round of the 1989-90 Scottish Cup, and on this occasion a more modest Borough Briggs crowd of 1,542 saw the home side win 2-1. John Teasdale gave Elgin the lead after four minutes with a goal direct from a corner, but Jimmy Fotheringham equalised for the visitors. The game was decided four minutes from time when Billy Ferries was fouled in the box by Graeme Carlin and Elgin captain Russell Mackay converted the resultant penalty to put the home side through. There was to be no further Cup glory for Elgin that season as Brechin City clobbered the Highland League side 8-0 in the next round after a replay. The first game had ended in a 2-2 draw.

Teams
Elgin City 2, Arbroath 0
17th February 1968
Elgin – Lawrie, Gerrard, Laing, Smith, D. Grant, Middleton, Dalziel, Graham, Anderson, Thomson, Gilbert.
Arbroath - Williamson, Cameron, Hughes, Cargill, Stirling, Pierson, Easton, Kennedy, Jack, Bruce, Finnie.

Elgin City 2, Arbroath 1
9th December 1989
Elgin City- Ure, McArthur, McLennan, Mone, Cran, Mackay, Ferries, M. Teasdale, Jappy, J. Teasdale, McGinlay. Subs: Bennet, Slavin
Arbroath – Jackson, W. Bennett, Fleming, Mitchell, Carlin, M. Bennet, Richardson, Gibson, Marshall, Fotheringham, Gallacher. Subs: Tindal, Dewar

Jimmy Anderson heads Elgin into the lead in the 1968 Scottish Cup tie