Scottish Football Historical Archive
Site maintained by Brian McColl (2002-2013)
A humble thanks go to all of this site's many contributors (particularly Gordon Hunter, John Aitken, Tom McGouran, Brian Doyle, Steve Bell, Stuart Robertson, Robert Hosie, Norman Nicol and Stewart Davidson) who have all generously shared their research, and who are all continually adding immensely to the rich history of Scottish football.
Please acknowledge the SCOTTISH FOOTBALL HISTORICAL ARCHIVE if using any material from it.
This archive is far from exhaustive as there are still numerous competitions which still need to be more researched. However I do have a substantial offline record, if there is a particular competition you would want to know more about. Also if you would like to contribute to the contents of this site, have any amendments or have any queries please CONTACT ME, anything on the history of football is always welcome.
A to Z Index
All-time Scottish Football Club Directory
Last updated on 19 June 2013
For copies of the Club Directory, click on the link above for the spreadsheet which contains information on nearly 7000 Senior and Junior clubs to have existed since the 1820s. The lists are by A-Z, with othershowing the clubs by grade, location, county, by formation and Scottish Cup entries.
This Directory has been growing slowly over the last 25 years, having started out as a personal all-time index of Senior clubs, initially those entering the Scottish Cup. The catalyst for the project was the publication of the seminal work by John Byrne, Scottish Cup 1873-1986. Thanks to numerous contributions, the original directory has been greatly expanded upon and also now includes nearly every Junior club to have existed. The Directory now has over 6500 clubs in its database. In particular I am most grateful to the following individuals for their invaluable help...
Stuart Robertson, for giving me access to his own list of Junior clubs
Alick Milne, for sharing his research of colours for a great many Senior clubs.
Tom Thornton (East Lothian), Graeme McGinty (West Lothian), Brian Reilly (clubs in Maryhill in the 1890s), John Meffen (Stirlingshire) and Malcolm Pagan (Dumfries & Galloway) who have all shared their research to greatly expand the number of clubs included.
I also have to thank Alan McCabe, and Stewart Davidson who kindly loaned me copies of club lists compiled by the late Jackie Heaney.
Where a name has been used on several occasions, these clubs have been differentiated by a number ie [1], [2] etc.
All dates given are inclusive ie 1890-1892 means seasons 1890-91 and 1891-92.
Where a date is unknown, this has been marked with an asterisk (*). Eg 18** denotes sometime between 1870 and 1890. 189* denotes sometime in the 1890s and so on. Any confirmed dates of formation and/or disbanding are given in bold, while all other dates are given as italics
Spreadsheet charting theleague careers of clubs in the pre-WWI era
JUNIOR LEAGUES 1891-2012
Updated 26 Feb 2013
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Norman Nicol has been using information fromboth theClub Directory and the SFHA site in generalto create an excelspreadsheet which follows the varying league careers of Junior clubs in the West of Scotland from 1891 to the present day. This superb file can be downloaded from the above link. If you have any amendments, correctionsor evenadditions, please email me.
A growing archive of minor cup results and miscellany
1870-71 to 1964-65
These files feature results from many of the regional, county and local cup competitions, as well as a number of reserve competitions and miscellaneous information such as county FA meetings and inter county matches. The files are, in the main, incomplete, and are solely intended as a starting point for other researchers to further their work. However if you can add any more results, or amendments and corrections, please contact me and Ill update them accordingly. In time, the more complete competitions will be moved to a dedicated page within the SFHA site. League competitions for these seasons can already be accessed through the A-Z Index link above.
Stuart Robertson's West of Scotland Junior Archive
1950-51 1951-52 1952-53 1953-54 1954-55 1955-56 1956-57 1957-58 1958-59 1959-60
Central Junior League grids by Robert Hosie
1960-61 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64 1964-65 1965-66 1966-67 1967-68 1968-69 1969-70
Transfer Lists by Robert Hosie
Renfrewshire Cup
DOWNLOADS
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Scottish Cup 1873-1986 by John Byrne.
Published in 1986 by the AFS, this book has been criminally out of print for a quarter of a century. It holds a whole raft of details from the very first competition in 1873-74 through to the 1985-86 season. Dates, results, half-time scores, goalscorers and attendances for most of the games are given along with line-ups and venues for all the semi finals and finals.Follow the above link to access copies of this essential work.
Fields of Fife
Defunct Clubs Ground Guide
The Football Wanderer
Below is the Scottish Consolation Cup which was competed for in the years leading up to WWI
South Ayrshire Junior League by Jim McCaulay
Excellent history of this league that operated in the 1920s and early 1930s complete with narrative and final tables.
History of Queen's Park FC 1867-1917
by Richard Robinson, published in 1920
Taken from the buckieheritage site
Glasgow Cup, last competed for by Senior clubs in 1988
Spreadsheet charting theleague careers of clubs in the pre-WWI era
JUNIOR LEAGUES 1891-2012
Updated 25 Oct 2012
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Norman Nicol has been using information fromboth theClub Directory and the SFHA site in generalto create an excelspreadsheet which follows the varying league careers of Junior clubs in the West of Scotland from 1891 to the present day. This superb file can be downloaded from the above link. If you have any amendments, correctionsor evenadditions, please email me.
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The SCOTTISH NON-LEAGUE REVIEW, in its 25th year, is now on sale for just 3 plus p&p. As well as featuring the usual final tables and results of every Junior and Senior competition from the 2011-12 season, this edition also has all the tables for the principal amateur leagues and a number of extra features. A bargain at the price and a must for all fans, contact Stewart Davidson for this and numerous other important historical publications.
John Aitken has also compiled a list of Scottish Newspapers that have been published through the years.
BRITISHRECORD? - Alistair Hay, whos researching the history of St Anthonys, has come up with a grand total of 88 competitive games played by the club in 1935-36 season.
Stewart Davidson has issued a new needs list for the Scottish Junior Cup project. He writes:
This is my current listing of queries from the Scottish Junior Cup (as at June 2011) between 1886 and 1950.
For many of the seasons, I have traced all or almost all the fixtures/results and have been able to list actual known queries.
I have recently been working on the pre-1920s era and compiled actual queries lists for most of these seasons, meaning that only a few seasons remain where I still have too many queries, and so I have listed the actual results I have.
For a handful of seasons, I currently have so few results that there is nothing listed.
This is an ongoing project with the Sunday/Monday papers still to be checked for some seasons, and the Victorian sports press (i.e the Scottish Referee / Umpire) for several seasons.
It is, I appreciate, a lengthy list but with the help of club historians and local newspapers and the like, most of these queries will be able to be traced.
I intend to continue updating this listing as and when there are a number of changes to be made. If anyone can help in any way, even with just one result, it would be very much appreciated. If possible, also note the source where this was obtained.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
Thank you
Stewart Davidson 12/6/2011
Please havea look at the amended list, and if there is anything you can help with, however small, please get in touch, either with me, or directly to Stewart via the email address given in the file.
Stuart Robertson and Stewart Davidson are in the process of compiling a statistical record of the above competition, but still need a number of results to complete the project. Please take a look at the list of games and if you can help with anything, please contact me and Ill pass all the material on to them.
Tom McGouran is looking for help to complete his research of reserve league football since WWI. If you can help in any way, please contact me and Ill pass on all info to Tom.
Ayr Parkhouse and Ayr, the two clubs which merged together as Ayr United in 1910.
Publications
East of Scotland Juniors by John Aitken. In 2005, John published a book featuring league and cup winners from the West of Scotland. He has followed this up with a comprehensive look at the East of the country ranging from Kincardinshire and Angus in the north, southwards through to the Borders. Like his previous book, this one also features the winners, runners-up and league members of almostevery the league since 1891.Copies of this important research are available for only 10 (including P&P) from the Scottish Non League Review.
To help complete his research for the forthcoming 125 Years of Scottish Junior Football, John also needs help on the Dumbartonshire Junior Cup 1909 - 1914 and 1920 - 1930, the Greenock & District Junior Cup between 1919 and 1935 and the Dumbartonshire & Renfrewshire Cup up to 1933. If you can help please contact me and I'll forward any material onto John.
Scottish Non League Review
As well as publishing the only annual dedicated to non-League football in Scotland since 1988, Stewart Davidson's Scottish Non League Review has also issued numerous booklets covering a huge range of subjects.
Stuart Robertson has compiled a series of booklets which gives the results of every Junior game played in Ayrshire between 1933 and 1968. An excellent addition to any library, these indispensible records can be obtained by emailing Stuart through the SFHA.
Soccer History magazine, which is edited by Ian Nannestad, is a quality publication covering football history over Britain with in depth coverage of the Scottish game.
Scottish Football Historian Each edition comprises 28 pages and contains original research on the history of the game in Scotland, its personalities, players and clubs. Reproductions of long-forgotten articles on Scottish Football History, book reviews, obituaries, exchange of information, and news and views of interest to all those with an interest in the history of Scottish Football.
The Same Old Game: The Complete Story of the Origins of Football by Mike Roberts. An excellent two volume study telling the origins of the various codes from ancient times to the modern game.
For full details on how to order in either book or kindle format,go to Mike's webpage at Football Origins.
Forrest Robertson has also updated his 30 year old seminal work on Scottish football records.The updated ebookis available via download at Scottish Football Facts
The Encyclopedia of Scottish Football 
(2nd Edition) by David Potter and Phil Hulme-Jones is an exceptional book covering a multitude of topics ranging from, amongst many others, abandoned games, senior non-league football, the junior and amateur scene and defunct clubs andleagues. Some encyclopedias focus too readily on more modern topics, but this book hits the spot, and is the perfect publication for those wishing to delve more deeply into the wealth Scotland's footballing history. Copies are available from Amazon
Aberdeen Men Can't Play Football by Fraser Clyne charts the incredible story of football in the Aberdeen up to 1903 when the city's three Senior clubs merged to form the present Aberdeen FC. On how to obtain a copy of this essential work, go to Fraser's site for further details.
Below is Rosbery Park, ground of defunct Glasgow Junior club, Shawfield who existed between 1918 and 1960
The Dewar Shield, awarded to the Champions of the four northern counties, Stirlingshire, Aberdeenshire, Forfarshire and Perthshire
Forfarshire 2nd XI Cup, competed for between 1883 and 1894.
Recent Updates
19 June - Gordon Hunter has added some more results for the 1938-39 Perthshire League and 1926-27 Tweedie Cup. He's also forwarded two more results for the Stirling Charity Cup.
Newly added: Gibson Charity Cup, Alva Tournament, Short Cup, Berwick Charity Cup, Shieldfield Cup, JT Robson Cup, Leith Burgh Cup, Leith Burgh Shield, Menzies Trophy, Clackmannanshire Championship, Edinburgh Exhibition 1890, Wigtownshire & District Cup, Cree Lodge Cup and Cafolla Cup.
15 June - Gordon Hunter has updated the 1882-83 Fifeshire Cup, 1909-10 Central League, and 1909-10 and 1910-11 Wemyss Cup.
Newly added: Potts Cup, 1885-86 Dumbartonshire Tournament, 1891 Scottish League Charity Competition and the 1907-08 Southern League (which was for Border clubs).
13 Jun - Gordon Baird and Gordon Hunter have added more 19th century results for the Edinburgh Cup, Fifeshire Cup, King Cup and Midland League. Also additional results from Airdrieonians' historian John Henderson for the 1890 Airdrie Charity Cup.
11 June - Tweedie Cup added.
10 June - Gordon Hunter has sent results of two more Perthshire competitions; Atholl Charity Cup and Rannoch Shield.
8 June - Photo line up for Duns' club Cumledge Mill which won the Dudley Cup in 1920 and 1921 (courtesy of Norman Nicol).
I've found a note of Birnam Rovers (1930-31) and Breadalbane (1934-35) winning the Birks Cup those seasons.
Robert Hosie has added the final table for the 1960-61 Central Junior League A Division.
Ian Lambert has amended two results in the 1925-26 Fifeshire Cup (Lochgelly v East Fife) and 1926-27 Wemyss Cup (Cowdenbeath v Lochgelly).
7 June - Gordon Hunter has added Perthshire League results grids for the 1930s to 1950s , and also more Birks Cup results for the 1930s.
6 June - Gordon Baird and Gordon Hunter have updated the following competitions... Birks Cup, Fifeshire Cup, Fife charity cups, Atholl Cup, Perthshire Cup, Perthshire Consolation Cup and Wemyss Cup.
Also added are three more pages of southern competitions - Southern Counties Consolation Cup, Annandale Cup and the Upper Nithsdale Charity Cup.
1 June - Southern Counties Cup, Law Galloway Cup, Wigtownshire Cup and Southern Counties Charity Cup added.
30 May - Kenny McLean has uncovered another Stirling Charity Cup match from the 1920s, and Gordon has added Birks Cup results for the 1950s.
New pages on the site give results for the following 19th century competitions; Graham Cup (a Glasgow charity competition), Johnstone & District Charity Cup, Kilmarnock Burns Cup, Kilsyth & District and Charity Cups, and the Renfrew & District Cup.
28 May - more Border League tables from Norman. Also a snippet confirming that Duns switched from rugby (since their founding in 1882) to soccer in 1888-89 season. Kenny McLean has also expanded on the post-WWII Stirling Charity Cup results.
27 May -Gordon has added Birks Cup results for the 1930s, and Norman the (near) final table of the 1903-04 Border League.
Some Bute Cup results for the early 1880s added.
26 May - Gordon has added more results for the Stark Cup, Dunfermline Charity Cup, Wemyss Cup and Northern League.
I've added the first two final tables (1896-1898) of the Border League.
Also, thanks to Ian Nannestad of Soccer History who has amended some results, dates and the final table of the 1944-45 North Eastern League (Second Series).
25 May - Results for the Carmichael Cup, Linlithgowshire Charity Cup, Calder Shield, Birks Cup, Stark Cup and Yoker Cup added.
24 May - Results for the Stirling Charity Cup and the 1878-79 President's Trophy, an Edinburgh competition, added.
Norman Nicol has been looking out various old league tables, and has come up with a few for the Border League. However these show fewer clubs involved than is suggested by the results grids featured on the site. It would appear that there were a couple of leagues operating in the area at the time, one of which was a Berwickshire League. Research is still ongoing, but we hope to unravel the story of Border football.
19 May - 1931-32 to 1937-38 Perthshire League results grids added by Gordon, plus some more results for the 1908-09 and 1909-10 Penman Cup.
14 May - 1952-53 to 1955-56 Perthshire League results grids added by Gordon.
13 May - 1950-51 and 1951-52 Perthshire League grids added by Gordon Hunter.
11 May - Norman has sent the standings (as of 3 Feb 1938) of the 1937-38 North Caledonian League (North 2nd XI League). This has been previously recorded as being unplayed; is there a note somewhere what the eventual winners were? Also many thanks again to Gordon Hunter for uncovering more Fifeshire Cup, Edinburgh 2nd XI Cup and East of Scotland Shield results from the 1880s. Gordon has also researched Perthshire League results for the 1950s, and these will be added within the next few days.
8 May - Norman Nicol has sent the standings (as of 4 Oct 1929) of that season's North Junior League, this was later renamed the North Caledonian League.
7 May - Gordon has added a number of results to the 1886-87 Fifeshire Cup, and Fifeshire 2nd XI Cup, 1905-06 Northern League and the 1907-08 Wemyss Cup.
4 May - Paisley Charity Cup results added.
2 May - Gordon Hunter has added more Perthshire Cup results (from 1950 to1957), and Tom has also supplied Combined Reserve League results including some from 1974-75 season.
30 Apr - 1973-74 Scottish Reserve League and League Cup results grids, Scottish 2nd XI Cup and Ayrshire Cup added with help from Tom McGouran. I've also added partial results for that season's Combined Reserve League (also known as the Scottish Reserve League Division 2) and the Lanarkshire Cup.
25 Apr - Paul Crankshaw has been tracking down the sites of old Lanarkshire Junior League clubs from the 1950s and has posted some of his findings on the Non League Matters site.
24 Apr - Gordon has added penalty shoot-out results for the Fifeshire Cup, details of the 1903-04 Dunfermline Charity Cup, and more of Hibernian's ties in the Edinburgh 2nd XI Cup and East of Scotland Shield.
22 Apr - Gordon has added more results for the Fifeshire Cup and Wemyss Cup from the 1890s. Plus Joe Kincaid has noted a typo in the date for the 1899 Stirlingshire Cup. Joe has been researching King's Park's early history, which can be viewed HERE.
20 Apr - Tom has added most of the missing results for the Scottish Reserve League and League Cup and the Wartime Glasgow & District Reserve League. I've also added (most of) the results for the 1972-73 Scottish 2nd XI Cup and the Lanarkshire Cup.
19 Apr - 1972-73 Scottish Reserve League and League Cup results grids added. There are a number of missing dates/results still to uncover, so again all help is graciously welcome.
18 Apr - More Fife charity cup additions from Gordon, plus an amendment to the 1898-99 EOS Consolation Cup.
17 Apr - Myself and Gordon Hunter have added more results for the Fifeshire Cup. Gordon has also added the results of the 1897-98 Dunfermline Charity Cup, which for this season was played for by Junior clubs.
14 Apr - Ayr Charity Cup and Kilmarnock Charity Cup added, and the 1910-11 Ayrshire League updated.
12 Apr - Many thanks again go to Tom and Scott for their additional results for the 1971-72 Scottish Reserve League, League Cup and Scottish 2nd XI Cup. I've also extended the results of the Ayrshire Cup up to the final competition in 1998. There are of course still a substantial number of results still to unearth, but hopefully these will surface in due course.
11 Apr - 1971-72 Scottish Reserve League and League Cup results grids, Scottish 2nd XI Cup and Ayrshire Cup added. Also an amendment has been made to that season's Dewar Shield.
8 Apr - Tom McGouran and Scott Cockburn have added most of the missing results for the 1970-71 Scottish Reserve League and 1969-70 Scottish 2nd XI Cup.
4 Apr - 1970-71 Scottish Reserve League and League Cup results grids, Scottish 2nd XI Cup and Ayrshire Cup added.
Plus two new pages covering southern competitions, the Candida Casa Cup and Dumfries & Galloway Cup.
1 Apr - Border League and Border Cup added.
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Norman Nicol has been reviewing the West Junior history for the Junior Spreadsheets, and has concluded that the Lanarkshire club Treemount Hearts who were recorded as winning the LJL second division in 1911 may actually have been Dechmont Hearts, the error being a spelling mistake. Dechmont are not as originally thought from the West Lothian village, but were probably from Motherwell, and likely a forerunner of New Logan Hearts who later served the town in the inter-war era as Motherwell Juniors.
Robert McGill-Watson of Ardrossan Winton Rovers, was Scottish Junior football's Player of the Year for 1969-70, the only time the award was presented. He was given the trophy below...
Robert was also awarded the Cap shown here for his international matches for that season.
Below is the trophy awarded to both clubs after two challenge matches in 1932. Rangers beat Newcastle United 4-1 at Ibrox on 14 September 1932, but crashed 5-0 inthe away game on the 21st at St James' Park.These were two of several Scottish Cup winners v English Cup winners games stretching way back to the 1880s.
Drummond Calder has sent two images of a medal awarded to East Stirlingshire's Peter Steel for winning the 1898-99 Scottish Qualifying Cup.
A medal awarded to the winners ofthe 1888 Ayr Charity Cup (thanks to George Phipps)
... and two pics of the the pocketwatch awarded to A Drysdale of Markinch Victoria Rangers, then an amateur club before their elevation to Junior status in 1938. (Thanks go to Al Smith)
The Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup, last played for in 1961.
The Carry Cup, awarded to the winners of the Forfarshire County League between 1897 and 1911
aberdeenbook.jpg
External Links
London Hearts Superb database of all things Hearts and Scotland.
Scottishleague.net Historical questions raised and answered.
Scottish Non League Review Stewart Davidsons invaluable books on the non League game, including the annual Scottish Non League Review.
Neil Browns Scottish player records charts all players careers since 1946.
Historical Football Kits Superb archive showing strips for every SFL/SPL club since 1867.
Tribal ColoursAntony Borrett's archive of Scottish strips going back to 1980.
RSSSF The world football database.
Soccer History Ian Nannestad's quarterly magazine.
Fitbastats Bobby Sinnet and Thomas Jamiesons excellent historical resource
Ayrshire Junior Football Archive Historical records going back to 1939.
Falkirk & District Football Excellent historical site covering football in Stirlingshire.
Stenhousemuir FC historical site dedicated to 'The Warriors'.
Football in Stevenston Short history of football in the Ayrshire town.
Football in Douglasdale Great historical site relating to the Junior and Juvenile scene in this part of Lanarkshire.
Fife Junior History, Eric Thomsons superb historical record of Fife Junior football.
East Fife Year by year record on the Methil club, giving results scorers etc.
The Gallant Pioneers focuses on the early years of Rangers.
Dave Beatties two sites have been combined into one at http://www.hibsprogrammes.co.uk/stats.html
Hibernian FC History site another Hibs database which gives complete line-ups, scores etc for every game.
Partick Thistle The Early Years Story of the Glasgow club from 1875 to 1900.
Newtongrange Star Historical site aiming to compile every result from Stars history.
Aberdeen FC Heritage Trust Ongoing research on Aberdeen FC
Arbroath History of the Red Lichties. **NOTE NEW ADDRESS**
Arniston Rangers which includes a copy of The History of Arniston Rangers written by Alexander Smith in 1991
Beith History of Beiths Senior and Junior clubs.
Blackburn United Excellent site devoted to the East Superleague club.
St Anthonys Alistair Hays excellent historical work on the Glasgow Junior club.
Benburb On Tinto's Slopes is the excellent historical blog on the famous Glasgow Junior club
Celtic Extensive contributory historical site.
Dundee Programme Collector an excellent site by Kris Scrimgeour that has excellent historical content on Dundee FC and their predecessor clubs.
Dundee's Footballing Victorians also by Kris, gives information on Dundees clubs from the 19th Century
Falkirk blogspot John Meffens historical musings on Falkirk FC well worth a look!
Clydebank Programmes Online Stevie McAneneys excellent site devoted to Clydebank FC from 1963.
ArdrossanFootballClubs.net George McGrattans research of football in the Ayrshire town
Brechin City Alex Wood's histories of the town's clubs.
Bettermeddle Andrew Huletts historical archive of Falkirk FC.
My Airdrie Programmes Andrew Dicks archive of Airdrieonians and Airdrie Uniteds match-day programmes
Dumfries Amateur League contains an excellent historical section which also has final league tables going back to the start in 1954. **NEW ADDRESS*
Vale of Leithen FC features an in depth history of the Border club.
Third Lanark commemorative site to the long defunct Glasgow club.
FoundItAtLastDescribing itself as 'The bookshop in the middle of nowhere', Steve James' shop is a goldmine of secondhand publications, including a great selection on football. Well worth a visit.
Glasgow FA website
And for English football history...
Non League Football Matters, extensive, growing archive giving the final tables of numerous non-League competitions, this is an epic site.
Football Club History Database Richard Rundle's superb stats site giving league and cup records of thousands of clubs.
