![]() | |||
Nickname(s) | The Zodiac Lunches | ||
---|---|---|---|
Founded | 1978 | ||
Ground | Palmerston Park, Dumfries | ||
Capacity | 8,690 (3,377 seated) | ||
Chairman | Alan A Watson | ||
Manager | Michael Houston | ||
2020–21 | South of Scotland League (season abandoned) | ||
Heston Rovers Football Club are a Scottish senior football club who play their home games at Palmerston Park in Dumfries, which they share with Queen of the South. Heston is a member of the South of Scotland Football League and D&G Youth Football Development Association league also.
Although Heston Rovers F.C. were founded in 1978, as a youth club, the present senior club were formed in 2008 following an amalgamation with Glencaple-based Dumfries F.C., who were already members of the South of Scotland Football League but struggling. Dumfries F.C. was the result of an earlier merger in 2000, when Dumfries High School Former Pupils F.C. combined with Dumfries Amateurs F.C.
The Dumfries HSFP Football Club were formed in 1968, and played in the Dumfries and District Amateur League. In 1994, the club were elected to the South of Scotland Football League, playing home matches at the Sir David Keswick Centre in Dumfries. The need for an enclosed venue led to them relocating four miles south to Glencaple the following year. [1] In the late 1970s, the Former Pupils signed Ted McMinn who would go on to play for Queen of the South and Rangers, amongst others.
Dumfries Amateurs F.C. also started out in the Dumfries and District Amateur League as St Joseph's College Former Pupils F.C., before changing their name to Dumfries Amateurs in 1995. During their time in the Amateur League, the team won many cups and won the league title in the 1999–00 season, just prior to amalgamation. The club were also based in Glencaple, playing at Norfolk Park. [2] Following the merger in 2000, Dumfries F.C. continued to play at Norfolk Park during their eight-year existence. They were members of the South of Scotland Football League throughout this time. [3]
The original Heston Rovers club were formed in 1978 in the Lochside area of Dumfries. Members of the Scottish Youth Football Association, they re-located a number of times before they settled at Maryfield in the Georgetown district of Dumfries for the 1995–96 season, fielding teams for children aged 5–16, [4] but Chairman Scott McGill was keen to add an adult team to the club set-up as an outlet for their youth players to continue in the game.
Following the 2008 merger, the new club retained the Heston Rovers name and their black and white colours, which have historical significance in the area being the colours of the first Dumfries F.C., formed in 1897. [5] First team matches were played at Norfolk Park with Maryfield being used as a regular training venue. The club was accepted into membership of the Southern Counties Football Association and inherited the Dumfries F.C. South of Scotland Football League membership. [6]
New (but temporary) changing facilities at Maryfield were opened in May 2008, by former Scotland manager Craig Brown, bringing the ground up to South of Scotland Football League standards. The adult team moved to Maryfield in August 2010.
Rovers reached the final of the 2010–11 Tweedie Cup but lost 3–6 to Stranraer. Heston became a registered Scottish Charity in November 2011, the first club in the region to make this move. They were also the first non professional club in Dumfries and Galloway to receive the Scottish FA's Quality Mark award in October 2008, which was upgraded in December 2012 to 'community club' level at an awards ceremony at Hampden Park.
Long serving chairman, Scott McGill retired in May 2013, after eleven successful years as chair, and was replaced by Alan Watson. In the same year, the club left their Maryfield ground to share Palmerston Park with Queen of the South. In season 2013–14 the senior team won their first silverware in the South League when they won the Potts Cup and the Cree Lodge Cup.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club formed in 1919 in Dumfries. The club plays in Scottish League One, the third tier of Scottish football. They are traditionally nicknamed the Doonhamers but are more usually referred to as Queens or QOS. Their home ground is Palmerston Park.
Cambuslang Rangers Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire. Nicknamed The Lang, Camby or The Wee Gers, were formed in 1899, they play at Somervell Park and wear blue strips (uniforms).
Leith Athletic Football Club is a football club based in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland. They compete in the East of Scotland Football League, Conference A. First team matches are played at Peffermill 3G.
The South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) is a senior football league based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Palmerston Park is a football stadium on Terregles Street in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is the home ground of Scottish League One club Queen of the South, who have played there since 1919. South of Scotland League club Heston Rovers have shared Palmerston since 2013. The stadium has a capacity of 8,690 of which 3,377 are seats.
St Joseph's College in Dumfries, South West Scotland, is a Roman Catholic secondary school. It began as a Catholic boys' boarding school run by Marist Brothers.
Abbey Vale Football Club are a football club based in the village of New Abbey in the historical county of Kirkcudbright shire in the Dumfries and Galloway area of Scotland. They started life as an amateur side called Lochvale F.C. in 1971, but as more players joined from the village, the committee decided to change their name and move to New Abbey in 1974. However, to maintain their place in the Dumfries Amateur League, the new side had to maintain the "Vale" in their title, hence the new club became known as Abbey Vale F.C.
Roy Donald Henderson was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best known for his time with Dumfries club Queen of the South.
James Templeton Broadfoot McKinnell was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a left half, mainly for Dumfries club Queen of the South, Blackburn Rovers and Darlington.
Iain McChesney is a former professional association footballer with Scottish Football League club Queen of the South from Dumfries. McChesney is the longest serving player in the club's history, playing with them from 1960 to 1981. McChesney was a utility player.
William Copeland Ferguson was a Scottish footballer and manager best known for his time at Chelsea and Dumfries side Queen of the South. His position was usually as a left winger.
Thomas Wylie was a professional footballer who played for Queen of the South, Blackburn Rovers and Swindon Town.
William McCall was a professional association footballer who played as a forward for Dumfries-based club Queen of the South in Scotland, and Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton in England in the 1920s.
Desmond McKeown is a Scottish retired footballer who played for Airdrieonians, Albion Rovers, Queen of the South in two spells, Partick Thistle and Stenhousemuir. He was also in the Celtic youth team but never played a first-team game for them.
Graeme Robertson is a Scottish former professional footballer who played for home-town club Queen of the South, Dunfermline Athletic, Partick Thistle, Ayr United and Albion Rovers.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club formed in March 1919 and located in Dumfries. Queen of the South are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS. Their home ground since formation has been Palmerston Park. They joined the Scottish Football League at the start of the 1923–24 season.
Connor McManus is a Scottish footballer, who plays as a midfielder for East Fife. McManus has previously played for Celtic, Alloa Athletic Queen of the South, Greenock Morton, East Fife (loan) and Stranraer. He recently rejoined East Fife on a 2 year deal in 2021.
The 2019–20 SFA South Region Challenge Cup was the 13th edition of the annual cup competition for senior non-league clubs in the central and southern regions of Scotland. This season saw the competition increase to 70 teams despite the demise of Selkirk and withdrawal of Eyemouth United, thanks to the relegation of Berwick Rangers to the Lowland League plus the addition of Glenrothes and Kinnoull to the East of Scotland Football League.
The 2021–22 South of Scotland Football League was the 76th season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 8th season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Stranraer reserves continued as the reigning champions due to the previous two seasons being declared null and void. The season began on 17 July 2021.
The 2022–23 West of Scotland Football League was the third season of the West of Scotland Football League, with its top division as part of the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 29 July 2022 and ended on 27 May 2023. Darvel were the reigning champions.