THE extent of how much football was played between the Germans and the Allies along the Western Front on Christmas Day 100 years ago remains an ongoing topic of conjecture and mythologising.

In contrast, the festive tale from Clydebank in 1976 is rather more clear-cut, with more than 10,000 witnesses there to recount events from what remains the last ever British senior game to be played on December 25.

Christmas fixtures had once been a regular occurrence both north and south of the border. They disappeared, however, from the English calendar in the late 1950s, although in Scotland - where Hogmanay was still seen as the bigger celebration - they still took place whenever Christmas Day happened to fall on a Saturday until the last full card in 1971.

By the time the dates aligned again in 1976 the new Scottish Premier League was a year old and a combination of poor weather and a general reluctance to play meant none of its 10 sides were in action on Christmas Day. Instead the focus fell on the two lower leagues. Alloa Athletic and Cowdenbeath of the second division provided the starter with an 11am kick-off, with Clydebank and St Mirren of the first division then taking centre stage at the more traditional time of 3pm.

Perhaps it was because it featured two entertaining, promotion-chasing teams, maybe it was because it wasn't too far for St Mirren supporters to journey across the Clyde, or simply because folk were just desperate to get out of the house, but they crammed them into Kilbowie. The official attendance was given as 10,000 but those who were there swear there were many more than that on the terraces.

"I was 15 at the time and still remember the game well," said Stevie McAneney, a Clydebank historian and now a director of the re-launched club. "The crowd was given as 10,000 but there were easily between 12,000 to 14,000 there. Both teams were going well that season which maybe explains the turn-out but I think it was a game that attracted a lot of neutrals as well."

Those who either rushed down their Christmas lunch or delayed their dinner to head out to the game were rewarded with an afternoon rich in entertainment and talking points. Bill Munro's Clydebank side, featuring players such as Davie Cooper, Jimmy Lumsden, and Jim Fallon, went two ahead through Billy McColl and Mike Larnach. That prompted an impromptu pitch invasion from the visiting fans, perhaps in an exuberant or desperate attempt to bring a halt to proceedings.

The game recommenced and St Mirren will be glad that it did. Managed by Alex Ferguson at that time and with Tony Fitzpatrick, Frank McGarvey and Jackie Copland in their starting line-up, they reduced the deficit through substitute Bobby Torrance and then drew level with a strike 20 minutes from time from Billy Stark. The teams eventually settled for a 2-2 draw and both were promoted at the end of the season, St Mirren as champions.

"It was a unique fixture so it's one that has stayed with me," Stark told Herald Sport. "As players we were used to training on Christmas Day but a game was a whole different experience. It was a sell-out as we had a really good rivalry with Clydebank at that time and both ended up going up to the Premier League. I think there was actually a bigger demand for tickets than normal as people wanted to be part of something a bit different."

The pitch invasion, thought to be motivated by high jinks rather than malice, was the only untoward point in an otherwise festive and friendly encounter. The clubs gave away a joint commemorative programme that featured a Santa bedecked half in Clydebank's red and white, and half in the black-and-white stripes of St Mirren for a match it dramatically described as the "battle of the gladiators of the first division."

The first 200 young fans entering the stadium were also presented with a free poster of their heroes created by the famous cartoonist McCormack, while both managers also took to the front page of the programme to offer a festive message.

"May I, on behalf of all connected with St Mirren Football Club, wish the Bankies and Saints supporters a very Merry Christmas and good wishes for the coming year," wrote Ferguson.

Munro was equally as generous in spirit. "It is with pleasure that I wish you, our supporters, and in the particular the folk who come with us to Arbroath and Perth, a very Happy Christmas and let's trust that Lady Fortune continues to smile on us in the New Year and, in this, I'm glad to include the St Mirren fans."

Ferguson, in fact, had been under a lot of bit of stress at that time, something that would cause him to chase after a poor linesman at one point.

"There there was an incident in the second half when the linesman gave offside against us and I reacted badly and chased up the touchline after him, only to be pulled back by the Clydebank manager," he recalled in his book, A Light In The North. "My reaction had been unnecessary but at the time I was under a lot of personal strain. I had even had to personally prepare Christmas dinners at one of my pubs three nights in a row as my cook had quit." An appearance on Celebrity Masterchef surely now awaits.