A GROUP of 30 German students were at Netherdale over the weekend - to support the stand.

 

The class from the Faculty of Architecture, TU Kaiserslautern, were visiting the Borders as part of a two-week visit the UK.

 

The pilgrimage to Galashiels was for a closer study of Peter Womersley's iconic stand at Gala Fairydean Rovers.

 

Womersley also designed the headquarters of Scottish Borders Council, Bernat Klein's Studio near Selkirk and the former Boiler House at Dingleton Hospital.

 

Johannes Schäfer, who was the Kaiserslautern group leader, told the Border Telegraph: "Visiting the stand at Netherdale completes our visit to sites of architectural importance in the UK.

 

"We started with the sports centre designed by Womersley at the University of Hull and have finished with the stand here in Galashiels."

 

The students also visited works of the renowned architects Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, and Basil Spence during the UK field study.

 

The substantial concrete canopy of the Galashiels football stand is cantilevered so that when viewed from the pitch, it appears to defy gravity and balance precariously on the thin back edge of the seating terrace.

 

It is one of only two football stands in Scotland with an A listing. The other is the Main Stand at Ibrox designed by Archibald Leitch.

 

Graeme McIver, secretary at Gala Fairydean Rovers, provided a guided tour for the German students.

 

Mr McIver said: "The Netherdale stand was constructed by a Newcastle based engineering firm called Ove Arup who also built Sydney Opera House and was opened in 1964 at a game against East Fife FC.

 

"The students enjoyed the tour and they already had a lot of knowlege about peter Womersley and his buildings."

 

The famous Fairydean stand cost just under £30,000 - over £425,000 in today's money.

 

The Architectural Review in 1965 described the stand as a “geometrical composition of unusual interest and subtlety”.