University of Stirling Football Club are a football club based in Stirling, Scotland. They are associated with the University of Stirling and have played in the Lowland Football League since 2013. The club operates six teams which compete in a combination of BUCS Football League (British university competitions) and in senior and amateur leagues across Scotland.
The university deliver a High Performance Football Programme which provides players to the first team. As part of this programme, students can be offered football scholarships to study for a degree and play football at the university.[2] The football scholarship programme is named after Craig Gowans, a talented Falkirk player who died in 2005 while training with the university.[3]
History
The club was admitted to the First Division of the East of Scotland Football League in 2008, after Berwick Rangers withdrew their reserve team. The 2009–10 season was one of great success for the students, as they won the First Division title in only the team's second season in the East of Scotland League. They also won the Scottish Universities Championship and reached the King Cup final, losing to East of Scotland Premier Division champions Spartans 0–2 at Ferguson Park, Rosewell. In the 2010–11 season, in their first season in the East of Scotland Premier Division, the students secured a second-place finish and also suffered defeat in the King Cup final at the hands of Spartans at the Falkirk Stadium. They were successful in the Alex Jack Cup, winning the final 7–0 against Lothian Thistle at the Falkirk Stadium.
In 2012, Stirling University again won the Alex Jack Cup, beating Gretna 2008 in the final. In March 2012, the university's first year scholar Stephen Hoyle left the program to sign for ASB Premiership side Hawke's Bay United in New Zealand. Stirling University had a remarkable 2011–12 season, bringing three trophies back to the university, including the East of Scotland Premier Division title for the first time.[4]
This saw the university compete in the 2012–13 Scottish Cup, participating in the Scottish Cup for the first time in the club's history. Stirling University were drawn against Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic in the second round, with the university losing 0–1.[5]
It was announced in 2013 that Stirling University would be admitted to the Lowland League as a founding member.[6] The University would use Stirling Albion's Forthbank Stadium for their home fixtures.[7] In August 2014, the University of Stirling became the first senior club in Britain to appoint a female manager when Shelley Kerr took charge,[8] Kerr took over as Scotland women's head coach on 13 April 2017.[9] Following her departure, long-serving striker Chris Geddes was promoted to the role of first team coach after assisting Kerr throughout previous seasons.[10]
Many of the University Scholars have gone on to play professionally in recent seasons. At the end of the 2012–13 season, goalkeeper Kevin Walker left the university to sign a one-year professional contract with Scottish Championship side Livingston.[11] More recently, two of the first team players during the 2018–19 season signed pre-contracts with professional clubs. Lewis Hunter and Blair Lyons signed professional terms with Scottish League One sides East Fife F.C. and Montrose F.C. respectively.[12][13] Former club captain, Angus Mailer signed a pre-contract with Elgin City ahead of the 2020–21 season,[14] joining up with former Uni teammate Rory MacEwan, who signed for Elgin the season prior.[15]
After the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, the University managed to complete the 2021–22 season by finishing in 10th place, alongside a defeat in the Second round of the Scottish Cup to fellow Lowland League side East Kilbride.[16]
The 2022–23 season would turn out to be a fairly successful season for the University, by mid-January they would find themselves in 5th place in the League, but more impressively they had qualified to the Fourth round of the Scottish Cup, laying aside non league sides Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale,[17]Dunbar United[18] in their run to the third round, where they would meet League Two side Albion Rovers[19] at Rover's home ground Cliftonhill. The University managed to take the League side to extra-time in the tie, before in the 111th minute they took the lead and went on to win the tie to reach the fourth round for the first time in their history. The University were looking forward to a possible bumper tie, as Premiership sides entered the competition at this stage, and they were rewarded with a tie away to Dundee United where they took a 1,000+ crowd to Tannadice Park as the University lost against the Premiership side 3–0,[20] but nonetheless they were praised by many across Scottish football and beyond for their remarkable efforts. The University finished the campaign in 4th place, behind only Celtic B, Rangers B and league champions Spartans, this secured their best league finish since 2017.
Ground
Since 2013 the University's first team have played their Lowland League matches at Forthbank Stadium, groundsharing with Stirling Albion (apart from the 2017–18 season when they played at the Falkirk Stadium). Prior to this they played at Gannochy Sports Centre, which is still used by their second team playing in the East of Scotland League.[21]
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