Lancefield Football Club was a 19th-century football club based in Govan, near Glasgow.

Lancefield
Full nameLancefield Football Club
Founded1874
Dissolved1882
GroundClifford Park
SecretaryGeorge Cross

History edit

The club claimed a foundation date of 1864, but this is probably the foundation date of the cricket club[1] from which the club seems to have arisen. The earliest matches recorded for the club are from the 1874–75 season.[2]

The club entered the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1876–77. Its first entry was its most successful. The club beat Parkgrove F.C. in the first round, at the latter's ground of Clifford Park, although Parkgrove would move out at the end of the season, allowing Lancefield to move in; Lancefield's two goals came from M'Callum and Jeffrey.[3] Lancefield won through to the quarter-finals, which, given the regional nature of the earlier rounds, was the final 6 of the competition. Lancefield was drawn at home to Ayr Thistle F.C. and the original tie at Brighton Park was the only senior match to survive an overnight snowstorm, ending 2–2.[4] Thistle won the replay thanks to a goal from Cunninghame with about 15 minutes to go.[5]

The club's home defeat in the first round in 1877–78 to Alexandra Athletic F.C.[6] seems to have disheartened the club, as it dropped out of the Scottish Football Association, not rejoining until 1880[7] when it entered the Scottish Cup for the last time. The club again lost in the first round, 4–2 to the Pilgrims side at Middleton Park, despite the "great credit" of goalkeeper Boyd, who "used both hands and feet cleverly, and saved his charge repeatedly"; S.Lyall of Pilgrims scored all four goals for the home side.[8]

The club continued to play at a lower level, the final match recorded being a 3–1 win over the Ardoch club of Pollokshields at the end of the 1881–82 season.[9] The name was revived by later clubs in Edinburgh; there is reference to one match in 1885, which does not seem to have been the same as this club.[10]

Colours edit

The club's colours were red and black 3-inch hooped jerseys, white knickerbockers, and red and black stockings.[11] In its final season the club wore navy shirts and white shorts.[12]

Ground edit

The club originally used Brighton Park as its home,[13] but in the latter part of the 1875–76 season it played matches at Queen's Park,[14] despite it being some distance from Govan; it is possible that, given the number of teams in the locality,[15] the club had some temporary difficulty in securing a pitch. By 1877, the club had moved to Clifford Park, a private ground on Helen Street in Govan,[16] in place of Parkgrove, which had moved to Trinidad Park.

External links edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Lancefield v Norfolk". Glasgow Herald: 7. 8 June 1868.
  2. ^ "Lancefield v Lancelot". North British Daily Mail: 3. 15 February 1875.
  3. ^ "Association Cup Ties". North British Daily Mail: 6. 2 October 1876.
  4. ^ "Football - Saturday". North British Daily Mail: 3. 25 December 1876.
  5. ^ "Ayr Thistle v Lancefield". North British Daily Mail: 3. 1 January 1877.
  6. ^ "Association Cup ties". North British Daily Mail: 6. 1 October 1877.
  7. ^ "Scottish Football Challenge Cup". Glasgow Herald: 2. 26 August 1880.
  8. ^ "Matches played on Saturday". Glasgow Herald: 6. 20 September 1880.
  9. ^ "Matches played on Saturday". Glasgow Herald: 9. 20 March 1882.
  10. ^ "Lancefield v Arden". Glasgow Herald: 8. 23 November 1885.
  11. ^ Alcock, Charles (1877). Football Yearbook. p. 129.
  12. ^ "Club Directory". Scottish Football Historical Results Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Lancefield v Crosshill (Cup tie)". North British Daily Mail: 3. 30 October 1876.
  14. ^ "Local football fixtures". North British Daily Mail: 7. 6 January 1876. refers to a February game at home to Airdrie F.C.; there are other home fixtures mentioned in later issues.
  15. ^ Govan F.C., Sandyford F.C. Havelock F.C., Parkgrove, Rosslyn F.C., and of course Rangers F.C. were all Scottish FA members playing in Govan by 1875.
  16. ^ Alcock, Charles (1877). Football Yearbook. p. 129.