List of Third Lanark A.C. seasons

Last updated

This is a list of Third Lanark A.C. seasons in Scottish football, from their foundation in 1872 to their dissolution in 1967. It details the club's achievements in senior league and cup competitions and the top scorers for each season, where known.

Contents

Third Lanark were formed in 1872, playing at the original Cathkin Park in Glasgow's Crosshill neighbourhood. The club soon became members of the Scottish Football Association and initially began competing in the Scottish Cup from its first season in 1873. They played in the inaugural season of the Scottish Football League, in 1890–91 where they finished in 5th place. In their early years, Thirds existed in the shadow of their neighbours Queen's Park, and even took over the Spiders home ground Hampden Park in 1903 – renaming it New Cathkin Park – when Queen's Park moved out to a larger replacement further south (which was also named Hampden Park and is the earliest version of the extant stadium bearing that name). By the time of the stadium move, Third Lanark had already won the Scottish Cup (in 1889) and celebrated their new surroundings by winning the League Championship for what would prove to be the only time in the 1903–04 season. [1] [2] Another cup win followed in 1905, but from then on, major honours would elude them as the other Glasgow clubs Rangers and Celtic became increasingly more successful and popular, although they reached further finals and maintained their presence in the top division for the majority of the next 60 years.

Third Lanark reached the 1959 Scottish League Cup Final, losing to Heart of Midlothian, and finished in third place in the 1960–61 Scottish League. [1] However, despite winning the Glasgow Cup for the fourth time and building a new stand at their ground in 1963, they suffered relegation two years later. A drop in spectator numbers and financial mismanagement and possible embezzlement led to them being liquidated just two years later in 1967. [1] [2] Their rapid demise was in stark contrast to the fortunes of their old Glasgow rivals that year, as Celtic finished that season as European champions, Rangers also reached the final of the Cup Winners' Cup and Clyde finished in third place behind the Old Firm.

The club's Cathkin Park home still exists as a municipal park surrounded by crumbling remains of the terracing. [1]

Seasons

SeasonLeague [3] Cup / other competitionsTop goalscorer [a]
∆ DivisionPWDLFAPtsPosScotLge
[b] 		Glas
[4] 		Char
[5] 		Other
[c] 		PlayerGls
1873–74 —— [d] — QF — [e] — [f] — [g] —W. Dick1 [h]
1874–75 ——— QF ——————
1875–76——— F [i] ——————
1876–77——— R3 —— R1 [j] ———
1877–78——— F [k] —— R1 [l] ———
1878–79——— R5 —— R1 ———
1879–80——— R1 ——DNE———
1880–81——— R1 ——DNE———
1881–82——— R1 ——DNE———
1882–83——— QF ——DNE———
1883–84——— R2 —— F [m] ———
1884–85——— R3 ——DNE———
1885–86——— SF ——DNE R2 [n] ——
1886–87——— R6 ——DNE R2 [o] ——
1887–88——— R1 — R1 DNE———
1888–89——— W [p] — R3 R1 ———
1889–90——— SF — R3 W [q] ———
1890–911 SFL [r] 18837383915 [s] 5th SF — F [t] DNE———
1891–921SFL22859444721 =6th R6 — R1 DNE———
1892–931SFL18918544019 4th QF — SF R1 ———
1893–941 Div 1 [u] 18738374517 7th SF — QF R1 ———
1894–951Div 1181017513921 4th R1 — R2 [v] R1 ———
1895–961Div 1187110475115 =6th QF — R2 R1 3rd ——
1896–971Div 1185112294611 8th QF — R1 F [w] 4th ——
1897–981Div 118828373818 =5th SF — SF W [x] 5th ——
1898–991Div 118738333817 6th R2 — SF R1 4th ——
1899–19001Div 118558313815 =6th QF — R1 R1 2nd ——
1900–011Div 120668202918 =5th QF — SF W [y] 1st [z] ——
1901–021Div 118756302619 4th R2 — SF SF 4th William Maxwell 10 [aa]
1902–031Div 122859342721 7th QF — W [ab] SF 3rd ——
1903–041Div 1262033612643 1st SF — W [ac] SF 1st [ad] ——
1904–051Div 1261475602835 3rd W [ae] — SF SF 1st [af] ——
1905–061Div 13016212623934 6th F [ag] — F [ah] SF ———
1906–071Div 13415910574839 6th R2 — F [ai] SF ———
1907–081Div 13413714455033 9th R1 — SF R1 ———
1908–091Div 134111013564932 12th QF — W [aj] SF ———
1909–101Div 13416711595339 7th R2 — SF F [ak] ———
1910–111Div 13416711595339 8th R5 — SF SF ———
1911–121Div 13412715405731 11th SF — SF R1 ———
1912–131Div 13481214314128 15th R2 — R1 SF ———
1913–141Div 138131015425136 8th SF — F [al] F [am] ———
1914–151Div 138101216515732 16th — [an] — R1 SF QF ——
1915–161Div 13891118385629 17th —— SF R1 ———
1916–171Div 13819118533749 5th —— SF R1 ———
1917–181Div 13410717566227 13th —— SF SF QR ——
1918–191Div 13411914606031 12th —— R1 R1 R2 [ao] ——
1919–201Div 142161115576243 8th QF — SF R1 ———
1920–211Div 14219617746144 8th R1 — R1 R1 ———
1921–221Div 142171213585246 9th R2 — SF SF ———
1922–231Div 13811819405930 17th SF — SF SF ———
1923–241Div 13811819547830 18th R1 — F [ap] R1 ———
1924–251Div 13811819538430 20th (↓) R1 — SF R1 ———
1925–262Div 23819811724746 6th QF — R1 SF ———
1926–272Div 238171011674844 4th R1 — R1 R1 ———
1927–282Div 23818911996645 2nd (↑) R2 — SF SF ———
1928–291Div 138106227110226 19th (↓) R2 — SF SF ———
1929–302Div 2382369925352 4th R1 — R1 SF ———
1930–312Div 23827741074261 1st (↑) QF — R1 R1 ———
1931–321Div 13821413928146 4th R1 — R1 F [aq] ———
1932–331Div 13814717708035 13th R2 — SF R1 ———
1933–341Div 13889216210325 19th (↓) R2 — R1 SF ———
1934–352Div 2342365944352 1st (↑) R2 — R1 R1 ———
1935–361Div 13814519637133 9th F [ar] — SF R1 ———
1936–371Div 13820612796146 6th R2 — R1 R1 ———
1937–381Div 138111314687335 9th R1 — F [as] SF ———
1938–391Div 13812818809632 15th QF — R1 F [at] ———
1939–40—ELW [au] 3010515537825 12th — [an] — SF R1 R2 ——
1940–41—South [av] 309714568025 13th — Grp4th R1 SF R2 ——
1941–42—South3014214799030 8th — Grp4th R1 R1 R2 ——
1942–43—South308418588320 13th — SF F [aw] F [ax] R1 ——
1943–44—South3073206010017 16th — Grp4th SF R1 R1 ——
1944–45—South3011316556525 12th — Grp3rd SF R1 R1 ——
1945–46—A Div [ay] 3014214636830 9th — Grp3rd R1 SF R2 ——
1946–471Div A3011613566428 9th R3 Grp4th F [az] SF — Bobby Mitchell 22 [aa]
1947–481Div A3010614567326 11th R2 Grp4th F [ba] SF ———
1948–491Div A3013512565231 7th R2 Grp3rd F [bb] SF ———
1949–501Div A3011316446225 12th R2 Grp2nd SF SF ———
1950–511Div A3011217405124 13th R2 Grp2nd R1 SF ———
1951–521Div A309813516226 12th SF Grp3rd SF =W [bc] R1 ——
1952–531Div A308418527520 16th (↓) SF QF SF SF ———
1953–542Div B3013107784836 3rd R3 QF F [bd] W [be] ———
1954–552Div B3013710634933 5th R6 Grp2nd R1 R1 ———
1955–562Div 23616317806435 10th R5 Grp3rd SF W [bf] ———
1956–572Div 23624391055151 2nd (↑) R4 Grp4th SF SF ———
1957–581Div 13413417698830 14th QF QF F [bg] R1 ———
1958–591Div 134111013748332 11th SF Grp4th SF R1 ———
1959–601Div 13413417758330 12th R1 F [bh] R1 SF ———
1960–611Div 134202121008042 3rd R3 Grp3rd SF SF — Alex Harley 42 [aa]
1961–621Div 13413516596031 11th QF Grp3rd F [bi] — [bj] RU [bk] ——
1962–631Div 1349817566826 14th R3 Grp4th W [bl] ————
1963–641Div 1349718477425 16th R1 Grp3rd SF — Grp ——
1964–651Div 134313022997 18th (↓) R2 Grp3rd SF — Grp ——
1965–662Div 23612816556532 14th R1 SR n/a [bm] ————
1966–672Div 23813817677834 11th 2P Grp4th R1 ————
1967–68—Club liquidated (✝) [bn] ——

Key

League performance summary

The Scottish Football League was founded in 1890 and, other than during seven years of hiatus during the Second World War, the national top division has been played every season since.

Over the course of 77 completed league seasons, Third Lanark competed in 58 seasons of the Scottish Football League Division One (1890–1925, 1928–29, 1931–34, 1935–39, 1946–53 and 1957–65), 12 seasons of the Scottish Football League Division Two (1925–28, 1929–31, 1934–35, 1953–57 and 1965–67) and seven seasons of wartime competition (1939–46).

The following is a summary of Third Lanark's total league performance statistics until their liquidation in 1967:

∆ SeaPWDLFAPtsHighLowAveP↑R↓
Division One158 [bo] 1,8106673587853,0933,4071,6731st20th10th—5
Division Two212 [bp] 430218851279796545211st14th5th4—
War Leagues—7 [bq] 21076261114245641728th16th12th——
Total—772,4509614691,0234,4964,6252,366———45

Notes

  1. ↑ Goals in all competitions are counted, where available.
  2. ↑ Scottish War Emergency Cup 1939–40, Scottish Southern League Cup 1940–46 and Scottish League Cup 1946–67.
  3. ↑ Other competitions recorded: English FA Cup 1885–87, Glasgow Football League 1895–99 and 1904–06, Inter City Football League 1899–04, War Fund Shield 1914–15 and 1917–18, Victory Cup 1919, Scottish War Emergency Cup 1939–40, Summer Cup 1940–46 and 1963–65, Saint Mungo Cup 1951 and Franco Scottish Cup 1961–62.
  4. ↑ Scottish League football did not start until 1890 when the Scottish Football League was formed.
  5. ↑ No league cup competition was held until 1940.
  6. ↑ The Glasgow Cup was first contested in the 1887–88 season.
  7. ↑ The Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup was first contested in the 1878–79 season.
  8. ↑ W. Dick captained the side and scored their only goal of the game in their Scottish Cup quarter-final draw with Clydesdale. The replay ended 0–0 and Thirds lost the second replay 2–0, making Dick's goal the only one scored in competition by the club in 1873–74.
  9. ↑ Thirds reached their first Scottish Cup final in 1876, losing 2–0 to Glasgow rivals Queen's Park in a replay after the original tie had ended in a 1–1 draw.
  10. ↑ 3rd Lanark RV lost 3–0 to Queen's Park in the first round of the inaugural Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup. The first round tie was essentially the semi-final, as the winners reached the final, as was the case until the 1901–02 competition.
  11. ↑ Thirds reached their second Scottish Cup final in 1878 but again failed to win, this time losing 1–0 to Vale of Leven.
  12. ↑ Despite winning their first round tie 2–1 against Rangers, Thirds later scratched from the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup and did not play in the final.
  13. ↑ Beaten 8–0 in Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final replay by Queen's Park at Titwood Park after original tie ended 1–1.
  14. ↑ Third Lanark were due to play Church in the English FA Cup second round but scratched the tie.
  15. ↑ Beaten 3–2 by Bolton Wanderers in the English FA Cup second round.
  16. ↑ Third Lanark won their first Scottish Cup in 1889. Celtic were beaten 3–0 in the original tie, but due to the poor conditions and the unplayable nature of the pitch through snow, the match was ordered to be replayed the following week. Third Lanark claimed a 2–1 victory in the replayed tie.
  17. ↑ Beat Queen's Park 2–1 at Hampden Park in Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final.
  18. ↑ The Scottish Football League had only one division until the 1893–94 season
  19. ↑ Third Lanark were deducted four points for fielding ineligible players.
  20. ↑ Reached first Glasgow Cup final but were beaten 4–0 by Celtic at Hampden Park.
  21. ↑ For the 1893–94 season a second tier of the Scottish Football League was formed by the inclusion of a number of clubs previously in the Scottish Football Alliance, with the leagues named Division One and Division Two.
  22. ↑ Thirds beat Northern 5–0 in the first round but no record exists of any subsequent rounds played by the club in the 1894–95 season.
  23. ↑ Lost the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final 6–1 to Rangers at Hampden Park.
  24. ↑ Won the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup after 1–0 win over Rangers at 'Old' Cathkin Park.
  25. ↑ Beat Celtic 3–0 in Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final replay at Gilmorehill after original tie ended 0–0.
  26. ↑ Thirds won the six team Inter City Football League in the 1900–01 season by one point ahead of Hibernian.
  27. 1 2 3 League goals only; top scorer in division. [6]
  28. ↑ Won first Glasgow Cup, beating Celtic 3–0 in the final at Ibrox Park.
  29. ↑ Retained Glasgow Cup by beating Celtic 1–0 in the final replay, after the first tie ended 1–1.
  30. ↑ Won the five team 1903–04 Glasgow Football League tournament.
  31. ↑ Thirds won their second and final Scottish Cup trophy in 1905, beating Rangers 3–1 in a replay after the original tie ended goalless.
  32. ↑ Won the six team 1904–05 Glasgow Football League tournament.
  33. ↑ Thirds fifth Scottish Cup final ended in a 1–0 defeat to Hearts at Ibrox Stadium.
  34. ↑ Beaten 3–0 by Celtic in the Glasgow Cup final.
  35. ↑ Beaten 3–2 by Celtic in the Glasgow Cup final at Ibrox Park.
  36. ↑ Won the Glasgow Cup for a third time, beating Celtic 4–0 in a second replay after the first two final ties ended 1–1 and 2–2 respectively.
  37. ↑ Lost the Glasgow Charity Merchants' Cup final on 8–3 corner count to Clyde after 1–1 draw at Hampden Park.
  38. ↑ Beaten 3–0 in the Glasgow Cup final by Rangers.
  39. ↑ Lost the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final 6–0 to Celtic at Hampden Park.
  40. 1 2 The Scottish Cup was not held in the 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1917–18 or 1918–19 seasons due to the First World War, or the 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1944–45 or 1945–46 seasons due to the Second World War. [7]
  41. ↑ Reached the second round of the 1919 Victory Cup. [8]
  42. ↑ Beaten 3–1 in the Glasgow Cup final by Rangers.
  43. ↑ Lost the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final 6–1 to Rangers at Hampden Park.
  44. ↑ Thirds sixth and last Scottish Cup final in 1936 ended in a 1–0 defeat to Rangers at Hampden Park in front of a crowd of 88,859.
  45. ↑ Beaten 2–1 in the Glasgow Cup final by Rangers.
  46. ↑ Lost the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup on 7–4 corner count to Rangers after 0–0 draw at Hampden Park.
  47. ↑ The official Scottish Football League was suspended after five rounds of games due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Lanark were 9th in the table at the time. To replace the Football League, unofficial competitions were held, with Third Lanark being placed in the War Emergency League West Division for 1939–40.
  48. ↑ The unofficial wartime competitions were reorganised for the 1940–41 season, with a Southern Football League and Cup created. This format remained the same until 1945.
  49. ↑ Beaten 5–2 by Rangers in the Glasgow Cup final.
  50. ↑ Lost 3–0 to Celtic in Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final at Hampden Park.
  51. ↑ With the war at an end, a larger two tier structure was formed for the 1945–46 season, with Third Lanark placed in the A Division. The Scottish Football League officially resumed in 1946.
  52. ↑ Lost 2–1 in the Glasgow Cup final to Clyde.
  53. ↑ Lost second successive Glasgow Cup final, being beaten 4–1 by Rangers.
  54. ↑ Beaten in third successive Glasgow Cup final, this time losing 3–1 to Celtic in front of a competition record crowd of 87,000 at Hampden Park.
  55. ↑ Played out a 2–2 draw with Clyde in the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup final at Hampden Park. Clyde and Third Lanark shared the trophy, each retaining it for six months.
  56. ↑ Lost 3–0 in the Glasgow Cup final to Rangers.
  57. ↑ Won the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup, beating Rangers 1–0 in the final at Hampden Park.
  58. ↑ Won the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup, beating Partick Thistle 4–2 in the final at Hampden Park.
  59. ↑ Lost 4–2 in Glasgow Cup final replay to Rangers. The original tie ended 1–1.
  60. ↑ Thirds last major cup final resulted in a 2–1 defeat to Hearts in the 1959 Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park.
  61. ↑ Beaten 3–2 in Glasgow Cup final replay by Celtic after 1–1 draw in original tie.
  62. ↑ Between 1962 and 1966 (when the competition was discontinued) the Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup was competed for by a Glasgow Select XI and an invited English club.
  63. ↑ France won the last edition of the Franco-Scottish trophy by winning the series, 2 aggregate victories to 1. Third Lanark lost their tie 6–1 on aggregate to Rouen.
  64. ↑ Won the Glasgow Cup for the fourth and final time, beating Celtic 2–1. This was to be Thirds last cup triumph.
  65. ↑ Glasgow Cup competition was not completed in 1965–66. Third Lanark won their first round tie before the competition stopped.
  66. ↑ A winding up order was issued to Third Lanark on 7 June 1967 and the club's membership of the Scottish Football League ceased on 26 June 1967, with all remaining players made available for transfer.
  67. ↑ Division One totals include all top tier seasons from 1890–1939 and since 1946. The incomplete 1939–40 edition has not been counted in the totals.
  68. ↑ Division Two totals include all second tier seasons from 1893–1915, 1921–1939 and since 1946.
  69. ↑ War league totals include all seasons from 1939–40 to 1945–46, when the Scottish Football League was suspended for the Second World War.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ron McKay (28 April 2017). "Third Lanark, and how Glasgow's lost football club perished through greed and corruption". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  2. 1 2 Murray Scougall (22 January 2018). "Players reveal greed, grudge and treachery behind the fall of famous Third Lanark football club". Sunday Post . Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "Third Lanark". fchd.info.
  4. ↑ "All known Glasgow Cup results, 1887 to 1989" (PDF). glasgowfa.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "Glasgow Merchants' Charity Cup". sfha.org.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  6. ↑ "Scotland – List of Topscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  7. ↑ "Scottish Cup – Past Winners". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Victory Cup". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.

Sources

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