| Full name | Possilpark Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1876 | |
| Dissolved | 1884 | |
| Ground | Saracen Park | |
Possilpark Football Club was a 19th-century football club from the Possilpark area of Glasgow in Scotland. The club no longer exists and has been replaced by Glasgow Perthshire F.C., which plays in the West of Scotland Football League. [1]
The club was founded in 1876, under the name Possil Park; the media used the names Possil Park and Possilpark almost interchangeably, and from 1880 to 1884 the club gave its name as Possilpark.
The club entered the Scottish Cup almost as soon as it was founded, in 1876–77, losing 2–1 at home to Blythswood in the first round, T. Brown scoring the club's goal. [2] The club's second match in the competition, the following season, was a 13–0 defeat to Rangers, [3] which still remains the 'Gers' (joint) biggest margin of victory in a competitive match.
In its 9 entries in the Cup, the club only won 3 ties; 2 of them coming in 1879–80, which (thanks to a bye) put the club in the fourth round, made up of 22 clubs. However the club then suffered another heavy defeat, by a score given as 12–0 [4] or 13–0, [5] to eventual finalists Thornliebank.
The club's last (and biggest) Cup win came in its last entry in 1884–85, with a 7–0 win over Cyrus of north-east Glasgow. [6] Possilpark lost in the next round at home "before a considerable following of both clubs" to Battlefield, 3–0, with two Battlefield claims not being allowed. [7]
The Cup defeat was the club's last reported fixture. Although the club had been not insubstantial, by 1883 it had been eclipsed in its neighbourhood by Cowlairs and Northern. Saracen Park was put up for sale or rent in November 1884, [8] suggesting the club could no longer pay its rent, and the Carrick side, which had existed at a junior level for a decade, took the ground over from 1885 onwards. [9] [10] The coup de grâce for Possilpark came when the Scottish Football Association struck the club from the register for non-payment of subscriptions before the 1885–86 season. [11]
The club wore the following colours:
| Years | Jersey colour | Shorts |
|---|---|---|
| 1877–78 | Black, red and white hoops [12] | |
| 1878–80 | Navy with white Maltese cross [13] | |
| 1880–81 | Navy with white Maltese cross | Navy [14] |
| 1881–82 | Navy | Navy [15] |
| 1882–84 | Royal blue [16] | |
| 1884–85 | Black & white hoops | Navy [17] |
The club played at Saracen Park, behind the Saracen Foundry, in Possilpark, north Glasgow. [18] The pitch was 120 yards x 78 yards, and the ground had a clubhouse and 36 ft tall flagpole. [19] The ground is close to the current Saracen Park, opened in 1937. [20]
Possilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde and centred around Saracen Street. The area developed around Saracen Foundry of Walter MacFarlane & Co., which was the main employer. In the wake of the Saracen Foundry's closure in 1967, this part of Glasgow became one of the poorest in the United Kingdom, and decades later deprivation and crime rates remain high.
Alexandra Athletic Football Club was a 19th-century football club from Dennistoun, in Glasgow, which participated in the early years of the Scottish Cup.
Blythswood Football Club was a 19th-century football club based in Glasgow.
The 1877–78 Scottish Cup – officially the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup – was the fifth season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. For the first time, over 100 teams took part in the competition which began with the first round on 22 September 1877. The cup was won by Vale of Leven for a second time after they defeated Glasgow club 3rd Lanark RV 1–0 in the final on 30 March 1878.
The 1879–80 Scottish Cup – officially the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup – was the seventh season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. With 142 entrants, this season saw the largest number of teams to compete for the trophy since its inception. Three-time defending champions Vale of Leven lost their first match in the competition for four seasons when they were knocked out in the first round, losing 4–3 to rivals Dumbarton. Queen's Park regained the trophy as they won the competition for the fourth time after beating Thornliebank 3–0 in the final on 21 February 1880.
The 1884–85 Scottish Cup was the 12th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Renton won the competition for the first tie after they defeated Vale of Leven in a replayed final.
Thornliebank Football Club was a football club that existed between 1875 and 1907, based in Thornliebank, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Pollokshields Athletic F.C. was a Scottish football team, based in the Pollokshields district of Glasgow.
Battlefield Football Club, often referred to as The Battlefield, was a 19th-century football club based in Langside, in Glasgow. The club took its name from the site of the Battle of Langside in 1568.
Cartvale Football Club was a shortlived football football club from Busby, East Renfrewshire that existed from 1878 until 1890. The club regularly competed in the Scottish Cup and reached the semi-finals in 1882.
West Calder was a Scottish senior football club from the town of West Calder, Midlothian.
Tayavalla Football Club was a football club from the town of Camelon, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Shettleston Football Club was a football club from Shettleston in Glasgow.
Rosslyn Football Club was a 19th-century association football club based in Glasgow.
Brunswick Football Club was an association football club from the city of Edinburgh.
Whitehill Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in Dennistoun, in Glasgow.
Ailsa Football Club was a 19th-century association football club originally based at Pollokshields, in Glasgow.
Apsley Football Club was a 19th-century association football club from Mount Florida, in Glasgow.
Stenhousemuir Football Club was a Scottish football club located in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk.
West End Football Club was an association football club from Dundee, Scotland.
