Baillieston Juniors Football Club were a Scottish football club based in Baillieston, Glasgow, who played in Scottish Junior Football Association competitions from 1919 until 2003. They won the Scottish Junior Cup once, in 1980.
| Full name | Baillieston Juniors Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1919 |
| Dissolved | 2005 |
| Ground | Station Park Baillieston |
| League | Scottish Junior League 1921–1922, 1923–1927, 1929–1940 Glasgow Junior League 1922–1923 Scottish Intermediate League 1927–1929 Central Junior League 1946–2002 West Region Central District League 2002–2003 |
History edit
The club was formed in 1919[1] and made an immediate impression on the Junior game. They reached their first Scottish Junior Cup final in 1924, losing to Parkhead after a replay and won back-to-back titles in the Scottish Junior League.[2] Baillieston joined the rebels in the Intermediate dispute and won the first ever Intermediate league championship in 1927–28 however the club were enticed back under the wing of the SJFA and they rejoined the Scottish Junior League in 1929.
In amongst the larger clubs in the Central Junior League after World War II, Baillieston enjoyed moderate success with another Junior Cup final appearance in 1965, losing to Linlithgow Rose. Their greatest era came in the early 80's when the club reached three Junior Cup finals in five years. Victory over Benburb in a second replay saw the club lift the trophy in 1980.[1] They lost out however in their two subsequent appearances against Blantyre Victoria in 1982 and Bo'ness United in 1984.
The club sold their Station Park ground[3] to a developer in 2000 with the aim of moving to a purpose built stadium in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow. They initially groundshared with Glasgow Perthshire and St. Roch's before playing a full season away from home but with the nomadic situation draining funds earmarked for the new ground, Baillieston took non-playing membership of the SJFA in 2003.[4] With no plan for a ground ever coming to fruition, the club effectively dissolved in 2005 with the Baillieston Juniors name kept going by local youth sides.[5]
Former Baillieston players include Bobby Main, Andrew Anderson[1] and Davie Wilson[6] who all went on to earn full international caps for Scotland, Crawford Baptie and Andy Walker. Walker was a member of Baillieston's losing Junior Cup final side in 1984.[7] Other ex-players notable for careers away from football are the politician Tommy Sheridan and the boxer Willie Limond.[8][9]
Honours edit
- Scottish Junior Cup winners: 1979–80
- Runners-up: 1923–24, 1964–65, 1981–82, 1983–84
- Scottish Intermediate League winners: 1927–28
- Scottish Junior League winners: 1923–24, 1924–25
- Central Junior League winners: 1959–60
- West of Scotland Junior Cup winners: 1952–53
References edit
- ^ a b c "Baillieston Juniors". The Glasgow Story. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ McColl, Brian. "Scottish Junior League". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ "Baillieston and Garrowhill". The Glasgow Story. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ McGoldrick, Kevin (26 November 2003). "We're Baill and Hearty; Mothballed club are alive even if not kicking". Daily Record.[dead link]
- ^ Sanderson, Chris (2 February 2005). "Nomads Are Still Waiting for Go-Ahead". Daily Record.[dead link]
- ^ "Hall of Fame honour for former Rangers star Wilson". Evening Times. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ Walker, Andy (5 December 1999). "Front line". Sunday Herald. Highbeam. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ Wilson, Iain (18 October 2000). "Police foil hooligan battle plans; Big security operation clamps down on violence before Rangers match". The Glasgow Herald. Highbeam Research. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ Keevins, Hugh (16 June 2005). "Boxing saved me from boozing; Pleased as punch with life". Daily Record.[dead link]