Bathgate Thistle F.C.

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Bathgate Thistle
Bathgate Thistle FC logo.png
Full nameBathgate Thistle Football Club
Nickname(s)Thistle
Founded1937
Ground Creamery Park
Hardhill Road
Bathgate
Capacity3,000
ManagerGordon Wilson
League East of Scotland League First Division
2024–25 East of Scotland League Second Division, 3rd of 15 (promoted)

Bathgate Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club, based in the town of Bathgate, West Lothian. They play in the East of Scotland League First Division.

Contents

Nicknamed Thistle, they were formed in 1937 and presently play their home games at Creamery Park, which has room for 3,000 spectators. Their home shirts are royal blue with navy sleeves and shorts and socks royal blue. Away kit is all navy.

In 2006, Thistle reached the final of the Scottish Junior Cup, losing 2–1 to Auchinleck Talbot at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, in front of around 7,000 spectators. In 2008, the club reached the final again, this time defeating Cumnock Juniors 2–1. [1]

The Senior side is managed by Gordon Wilson. The U20's are Bathgate Juniors led by Kevin McDonald and started in 22/23 and play in the Scottish Lowland Development League. There are also various youth teams within the Bathgate Juniors set up and the Club provides the only full pathway to senior football in Bathgate.

Coaching staff

RoleName
Manager Flag of Scotland.svg Gordon Wilson
Coach Flag of Scotland.svg George Bonnar
Coach Flag of Scotland.svg Ryan Stevenson
Goalkeeping Coach Flag of Scotland.svg Jim Smith
Kitman Flag of Scotland.svg George Cunningham

Source

Current squad

As of January 2023 [2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
GK Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Sean Brown
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Gregor Dryden
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Harry Maguire
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Stuart Conway
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Nathan Williamson
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO James Macadam
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Grant MacDonald
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Myles Wilson
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Kyle Mooney
DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Brayden Docherty
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Grant Forrester
FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Michael Adams
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Fraser Cormack
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Kyle Mowatt
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Aidan Gibb
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO James McCullagh
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Jordan Rodger
MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Glenn Thomson
FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Lewis McKenzie
FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Finlay Mackay
FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Jordan Devine
FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Nathan Jollie

Managerial history

 
NameNationalityYears
William Smith Flag of Scotland.svg 1965-1966? [3]
Davie Kidd Flag of Scotland.svg 1974-? [4]
Tam Connor Flag of Scotland.svg ?-1977 [5]
Robin Gibson Flag of Scotland.svg 1989? [6]
Willie Russell Flag of Scotland.svg 1990-1992 [7]
Willie Hill Flag of Scotland.svg ?-2009 [8]
Paul Jack Flag of Scotland.svg 2009 [9]
Graeme Love Flag of Scotland.svg 2009-2012 [10]
Keith Hogg c Flag of Scotland.svg 2012 [11]
Derek Strickland Flag of Scotland.svg 2012-2013 [12] [13]
Robert Main Flag of Scotland.svg 2013-2014 [14]
Barrie Malcolm Flag of Scotland.svg 2014- [15]
Andy Colley Flag of Scotland.svg 2015-2017 [16]
Jim Henderson Flag of Scotland.svg 2017-2018 [17]
Michael Wilson Flag of Scotland.svg 2018
Kevin McKee Flag of Scotland.svg 2020 [18]
Andy Colley Flag of Scotland.svg 2020-2021 [19]
Stewart Devine Flag of Scotland.svg 2021-2022 [20]
Andy Malone Flag of Scotland.svg 2022-2023 [21]
Gordon Wilson Flag of Scotland.svg 2023- [22]

c Caretaker manager

Honours

Scottish Junior Cup

Other Honours

References

  1. Colin Duncan (2 June 2008). "Junior Cup Final: Bathgate 2-1 Cumnock". Daily Record. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  2. "Bathgate Thistle FC - Squad list". www.bathgatethistlejuniorsfc.com. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  3. "JUVENILE NOTES". West Lothian Courier. 25 February 1966.
  4. "Late k.o. for 'Dale". West Lothian Courier. 4 January 1974.
  5. "time unlucky for 'Burn". West Lothian Courier. 25 November 1977.
  6. "46 COURIER Friday September 1 1989 Courier Sport: Golf Touchline Topics Pool Rugby Gala trophy semi-finals THE ." West Lothian Courier. 1 September 1989.
  7. "54 COURIER Friday April 24 1992 COURIER SPORT LAST-DITCH WINNER SEES LOGANLEA INTO SEMIS LOGANLEA Amateurs are ." West Lothian Courier. 24 April 1992.
  8. "Willie Hill brings curtain down on his rollercoaster life at Bathgate". Daily Record. 15 January 2009.
  9. "Sacked Bathgate boss Paul Jack targets quick return to dugout". Daily Record. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  10. Westbrook, Kieran (22 March 2012). "Bathgate Thistle boss booted out of Creamery Park". West Lothian Courier. Scottish & Universal Newspapers. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  11. "Bathgate Thistle versus Lochee United preview". 29 March 2012.
  12. Westbrook, Kieran (26 April 2012). "Bathgate Thistle appoint former Whitburn boss as new gaffer". West Lothian Courier. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  13. Gilmour, John (17 June 2013). "Strickland resigns as Bathgate boss". Edinburgh Evening News . Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  14. "Bathgate Thistle nab Pumpherston boss Robert Main". Daily Record. 4 July 2013.
  15. "New Bathgate Thistle boss ready to take club back to the top of the Junior game". Daily Record. 26 June 2014.
  16. "Andy Colley returns as Bathgate Thistle manager". Daily Record. 7 February 2020.
  17. "Bathgate confirm Jim as manager". Press Reader. 11 May 2017.
  18. "Andy Colley returns as Bathgate Thistle manager". Daily Record. 7 February 2020.
  19. "Andy Colley returns as Bathgate Thistle manager". Daily Record. 7 February 2020.
  20. "Bathgate Thistle boss Stewart Devine says team will be "in a good place" when new era begins". Edinburgh Evening News. 6 July 2021.
  21. "Bathgate Thistle pick up derby win in new manager's debut". Daily Record. 25 April 2022.
  22. "We have appointed Gordon Wilson as manager. Gordon steps up from coach following Andy Malone's decision to take time away". Twitter. 16 January 2023.