Rankinston F.C.
| Full name | Rankinston F.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Mountaineers | |
| Founded | 1876 | |
| Dissolved | 1883 | |
| Ground | Littlemills | |
| Match Secretary | Hugh Reynolds, Irvin Clifford | |
|
| ||
Rankinston Football Clubwas anassociation footballclub from the village ofRankinston,Ayrshire.
History
[edit]The club was founded asRankinston Mountaineersin 1876. Apart from a one-off reference in a friendly againstCoylton Coilain 1880,[1]its last recorded match under its full name was againstMauchlinein February 1878,[2]and the club was formally registered asRankinston,although the media occasionally used the Rankinstone spelling.
It was never a large club; its highest membership, in its last season of 1882–83, was a mere 35.[3]It was also never very active, only playing 10 matches in its last season before turning senior,[4]and 9 in its first senior season.
Nevertheless, it was one of the inaugural entrants to theAyrshire Cupin 1877–78, and it won through to the third round on three occasions, its best performance in 1879–80 seeing it only lose narrowly atKilmarnock Athleticat that stage.
Perhaps encouraged by that the club turned senior and entered the1880–81 Scottish Cup.It entered the national competition three times, and every time was drawn againstMaybolein the first round. The first tie between the sides in1880–81was a brutal one, Maybole allegedly audibly deciding to play the man rather than the ball, only for Rankinston to retaliate to greater effect, reducing Maybole to 10 men, and winning 1–0, two further goals "disallowed by the referee from Maybole".[5]Maybole however protested successfully against the lack of ropes and the Mountaineers' rough play, and the Scottish FA ordered a replay with a neutral referee.[6]The replay took place at Springvale Park, the home ofAyr F.C.,and Maybole scored a "decisive" 3–1 victory.[7]Rankinston had a change of approach in the aftermath - its thrilling 5–5 draw withHurlfordin the Ayrshire Cup later in October was "one of the best ever played in Rankinston" and "of a friendly nature all through".[8]
Its remaining Scottish Cup entries however were ignominious. In1881–82Maybole won 7–0[9]and in1882–83Rankinston simply scratched.[10]
The club's last run in the Ayrshire Cup, in 1882–83, came to an unfortunate end; drawn atLargs Athleticin the quarter-final, the club's players missed the train, and the club had to scratch.[11]The club's formal end came when it was struck off the Scottish FA's roll in August 1883.[12]The name was revived for aJuniorclub in 1890.[13]
Colours
[edit]The club wore black and white jerseys and hose.[14]
Ground
[edit]The club's ground, Littlemills, was 2½ miles fromDrongan railway station.[15]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Coylton Coyla v Rankinston Mountaineers".Irvine Herald:8. 1 May 1880.
- ^"Football".Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald:5. 2 March 1878.
- ^M'Dowall, John (1882).Scottish Football Association Annual 1882–83.Glasgow: W. Weatherston. p. 141.
- ^Fleming, J. S. (1880).Scottish Association Football Annual 1880–81.Gillespie Brothers. p. 48.
- ^"Rankinstone [sic] v Maybole".Ayrshire Weekly News:5. 18 September 1880.
- ^"Scottish Football Association".Glasgow Herald:7. 22 September 1880.
- ^"Maybole v Rankinstone (Protested Cup tie)".Glasgow Evening Post:4. 4 October 1880.
- ^"Rankinston v Hurlford - Cup tie".Ayrshire Weekly News and Galloway Press:3. 23 October 1880.
- ^"Scottish Cup".Glasgow Herald:7. 25 October 1880.
- ^Scottish FA Minutes 1881–84.Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 19 September 1882. p. 82.
- ^"Ayrshire Association".Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald:3. 30 December 1882.
- ^Scottish FA Minutes.Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 21 August 1883. p. 143.
- ^"Ayrshire Junior Football Association".Ayr Observer:8. 29 August 1890.
- ^Fleming, J. S. (1880).Scottish Association Football Annual 1880–81.Gillespie Brothers. p. 48.
- ^Livingstone, Robert (1881).Scottish Football Association Annual 1881–82.Gillespie Brothers. p. 107.