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Thistle Athletic F.C.

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Thistle Athletic
Full nameThistle Athletic Football Club
Founded1875/8
Dissolved1885
GroundDrumclog Park
SecretaryJohn D. G. Thomson
Milngaviecolours
Thistle Athletic colours

Thistle Athletic Football Clubwas anassociation footballclub based in the town ofMilngavie,at the time inDunbartonshire.

History

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Milngavie Football Club

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The first senior club in the town was the Milngavie club, founded in 1875.[1]It first recorded fixture was a 1–0 home defeat to the Grafton club ofGlasgowat the start of the 1876–77 season.[2]

The club entered theScottish Cupfor the first time in1877–78,and won atAlexandria,scoring in the second half after Alexandria dominated the first.[3]The club was brought down to earth by a 9–0 defeat atLennoxin the second.[4]

Thistle Athletic Football Club

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There is no further record of the Milngavie club; for the 1878–79 season, the town was represented by a club registered under the name ofThistle,which gave its foundation date as being 1878.[5]The club however played at the same ground as Milngavie and had the same club secretary, so was either a continuation of Milngavie, or a successor club.

Whether the Thistle was the same club as Milngavie or a separate club was not clear (or apparently important) at the time. The club's first Scottish Cup tie, in the first round in1878–79,was certainly a 3–0 defeat atLenzie,with Thistle disputing one of the goals. However, theNorth British Daily Mailgives the club's name as Milngavie,[6]theGlasgow Heraldas Thistle Athletics [sic]andthe Milngavie Club,[7]the Scotsmanas Thistle (Milngavie),[8]and theScottish Football AssociationYearbook as Milngavie Thistle.[9]One practical difference was that the Thistle club was entered in theStirlingshiresection of the Scottish Cup, whereas as Milngavie the club was considered a Dunbartonshire club.

In 1879, the club formally recorded its name asThistle Athletic.[10]It entered the Scottish Cup under that name until1881–82;[11]the club scratched to Lenzie before playing in1880–81.[12]

Its best run in the competition came in 1881–82. In the first round, the club drew twice withBridge of Allan,which should have put both clubs into the second round; indeed Bridge of Allan was drawn to playStrathblaneand Thistle a bye at the next stage.[13]However, perhaps to avoid giving a bye, a second replay was held, which Thistle won 8–0, Bridge of Allan only turning up with 9 men.[14]Thistle duly took Bridge of Allan's place against Strathblane in the second round, and won 3–2;[15]Strathblane protested against the competence of the referee, but the SFA took the dimmest view, refusing the protest and retaining Strathblane's protest deposit money.[16]The run came to an end againstFalkirkwith a 2–0 home defeat, the Thistle being accused of playing a "very rough game".[17]

Reversion to Milngavie

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In 1882, the club changed its name (back) toMilngavie,although it remained within the Stirlingshire region.[18]It was the club's final season as a senior club; although it enjoyed a fine win at home toEast Stirlingshirein the first round of the1882–83 Scottish Cup,it was hammered 16–0 byVale of Levenin the second round,[19]which equalled the world record defeat in competitive football (set byWanderersagainstFarninghamin the1874–75 FA Cup).[20]

The club was struck from the Scottish FA membership roll in August 1883.[21]Milngavie carried on for two seasons, being one of the first clubs to join the Stirlingshire Association in early 1884,[22]and played twice in theStirlingshire Cup.Its first entry, in 1883–84, ended with a 5–0 defeat to Falkirk in the second round, but the club was particularly unlucky in its last entry in 1884–85.[23]Milngavie beatCamelon2–1 in the first round,[24]but the tie was re-played on the basis that "the referee was in an intoxicated state".[25]Camelon won the replay, at neutral ground inStenhousemuir,4–1;[26]Milngavie put in a successful protest on the basis that one of the Camelon players had already representedTayavallain the competition, but the Stirlingshire committee ordered another replay,[27]and Milngavie appears to have disbanded before the replay could take place. Camelon went on to win the trophy.

The Milngavie name was used from 1888 for an unconnectedJuniorclub.[28]

Colours

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As Milngavie, the club played in 1 "blue and white hooped shirts, white knickers, and red hose.[29]As Thistle, the club played in 2 "red and yellow hooped jerseys and dark blue knickers.[30]

For the club's final incarnation, from 1882–83, it wore all white.[31]

Ground

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The club played at Drumclog, ten minutes' walk fromMilngavie railway station.[32]

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References

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  1. ^Dick, William (1877).Scottish Football Annual 1877–78.Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 97.
  2. ^"Football".Glasgow Herald:5. 16 October 1876.
  3. ^"Milngavie v Alexandria".North British Daily Mail:6. 1 October 1877.
  4. ^"Football - Saturday".North British Daily Mail:3. 22 October 1877.
  5. ^Dick, William (1878).Scottish Football Annual 1878–79.Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 67.
  6. ^"Lenzie v Milngavie".North British Daily Mail:3. 30 September 1878.
  7. ^"Lenzie v Thistle Athletics Milngavie".Glasgow Herald:5. 30 September 1878.
  8. ^"Football".The Scotsman.30 September 1878.
  9. ^Dick, William (1879).Scottish Football Annual 1879–80.Glasgow: Dunlop & Foote. p. 54.
  10. ^Dick, William (1879).Scottish Football Annual 1879–80.Glasgow: Dunlop & Foote. p. 80.The media remained unconcerned with accuracy, giving the name in various combinations of Milngavie, Thistle, and Athletic.
  11. ^Scottish FA Minutes 1881–84.Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 23 August 1881. p. 6.
  12. ^Livingstone, Robert (1881).Scottish Football Association Annual 1881–82.Gillespie Brothers. p. 116.
  13. ^Scottish FA Minutes 1881–84.Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 20 September 1881. p. 9.
  14. ^"Milngavie v Bridge of Allan".Glasgow Herald:3. 3 October 1881.
  15. ^"Milngavie v Strathblane (Cup tie)".North British Daily Mail:6. 10 October 1881.
  16. ^Scottish FA Minutes 1881–84.Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 11 October 1881. p. 13.
  17. ^"Falkirk v Milngavie Thistle (Cup tie)".Glasgow Herald:10. 24 October 1881.
  18. ^M'Dowall, John (1882).Scottish Football Association Annual 1882–83.Glasgow: W. Weatherston. p. 151.
  19. ^"Football - Saturday".North British Daily Mail:6. 2 October 1882.
  20. ^"Wanderers v Farningham".Morning Post:3. 2 November 1874.
  21. ^Minute Book S.F.A.Scottish Football Association. 21 August 1883.
  22. ^"Stirlingshire Football Association".Stirling Saturday Observer:3. 17 January 1884.
  23. ^McColl, Brian."Falkirk FC Matches"(PDF).oocities.Retrieved18 May2023.
  24. ^"Stirlingshire Cup".Bridge of Allan Gazette:4. 25 October 1884.
  25. ^"Stirlingshire Cup".Bridge of Allan Gazette:2. 1 November 1884.
  26. ^"Stirlingshire Cup".Stirling Observer:6. 6 November 1884.
  27. ^"Stirlingshire Football Association".Bridge of Allan Gazette:3. 15 November 1884.
  28. ^"Buchanan Charity Cup Competition".Lennox Herald:5. 15 September 1888.
  29. ^Dick, William (1877).Scottish Football Annual 1877–78.Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 97.
  30. ^Dick, William (1878).Scottish Football Annual 1878–79.Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 67.
  31. ^M'Dowall, John (1882).Scottish Football Association Annual 1882–83.Glasgow: W. Weatherston. p. 151.
  32. ^Dick, William (1877).Scottish Football Annual 1877–78.Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 97.
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