A 102-YEAR-OLD Tranent FC fan could be the club’s oldest ever supporter.

Jean Hendrie, a retired nurse who grew up in Tranent, has been a supporter of the club since she was a child when her father, Charles Maitland, served as secretary and later honorary president during the 1910s and 1920s.

Upon his retirement, Mr Maitland was presented with a clock from the club which was inscribed with the date of the presentation: September 19, 1925.

Mrs Hendrie still owns the clock, which is fully functioning.

East Lothian Courier: Jean Hendrie still has the clock presented to her father Charles, honorary president of Tranent Juniors, in 1925

Mrs Hendrie, now a resident of Forth Bay Care Home in Kincardine, grew up supporting the club alongside her siblings Bill and Elma and recalls when the side, formerly known as Tranent Juniors, lifted the Scottish Junior Cup in 1935, overcoming Petershill 6-1 at Ibrox Stadium in front of a crowd of 22,000.

Mrs Hendrie would later marry her husband Drew and give birth to three children, Ken, Douglas and Alister, before moving to Haddington and later Kinghorn in Fife.

Her son Ken told the Courier: “I have been picking mum’s brains the last few weeks about her clock and where it came from.

“She told me about her dad and his role at Tranent and I thought it was fascinating.

“I believe she went to quite a few games when she was younger certainly.

“Her dad gave her the clock and she keeps it with her at the care home. It’s fantastic that it is still working and is a real piece of history.”

And he added: “She told me about the Junior Cup win in 1935 and how her dad was part of the club. It was very interesting. We believe her dad at one time played for the club before becoming involved as a backroom member of staff.

“He was secretary for many years and later voted in as an honorary, president which is a huge honour.

“It is good to see him remembered with the clock too.”

Mrs Hendrie’s siblings like, of course, her father, have since passed away, as has her husband Drew, but Ken said that his mum was still enjoying life at the care home and was looking forward to her 103rd birthday in April next year.

A spokesperson for Tranent FC said: “The committee at Tranent Football Club were delighted to recently discover that we had a centurion amongst the ranks of our supporters.

“It is great to know that Jean’s long association with the town and ‘the Juniors’ lives on through her late father and the treasured clock maintains that link with the club’s history.

“Jean is a grand lady and everyone at Tranent FC wishes Jean and her family ongoing health and happiness.”