West End F.C. (Glasgow)

West End

Full name	West End Football Club
Founded	1873
Dissolved	1878
Ground	Avenue Park
Secretary	Hugh McColl, Robert Clark
Home colours

West End Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in Cowlairs, Glasgow.

History

The club was founded in August 1873 out of a cricket club. ^[1] The club's name was often given as West-end or West-End, although for its first couple of matches the name was given as West-End Wanderers, and the side said to be made up of footballers and cricketers. ^[2]

The club competed in the Scottish Cup for four seasons between 1874 and 1878, winning its first tie against Star of Leven at home with three unanswered second-half goals, ^[3] but being unlucky enough in its first season to be drawn against Queen's Park; West End lost 7–0 in a "rough" game, "West End considering that charging was the play". ^[4]

The club's best run came in 1876–77. The club beat Govan in the second round in a confusing game; the result was reported as both 1–0 and 1–1, presumably because of a disputed Govan goal, ^[5] and Govan issued a protest to the Scottish Football Association, which was dismissed. ^[6] In the third round (last 21), West End drew at home to the Edinburgh Swifts; after the match the teams dined together at the Athole Arms Hotel. ^[7] The replay however did not take place. West End was disqualified ^[8] for "not playing Swifts in accordance with the rules", ^[9] and the Swifts were placed in the fourth round.

The club's last recorded fixture was against South Western in March 1878. ^[10]

Colours

The club's colours were originally given as white and blue. ^[11] By 1874 the colours had changed to amber & black; ^[12] from 1876 they were given as orange and black, but may have been the same kit.

Ground

The cricket club moved into Burnbank Park in 1873, just before forming the football section; ^[13] Blythswood F.C. also played cricket there, and adopted football in August 1873, which may have been an influence on West End doing so the same month. One early difficulty the club had was that it had leased its cricket pitch to the Glasgow Academicals for rugby before taking up football, so could not use it during its first season. ^[14] It was however able to use it from the 1874–85 season. ^[15]

From the 1876–77 season, the club moved to Avenue Park in Cowlairs. ^{[16] [17]}

References

1. "Football". Glasgow Herald: 7. 1 September 1873.
2. "Alexandra Athletic v West-End Wanderers". Glasgow Herald: 6. 8 December 1873.
3. "First Ties for the Association Cup". North British Daily Mail: 3. 26 October 1874.
4. "Second Tie for the Association Cup". North British Daily Mail: 3. 23 November 1874.
5. "Football". North British Daily Mail: 3. 30 October 1876.
6. "Sporting News". Bell's Life: 5. 4 November 1876.
7. "West-End v Edinburgh Swifts (Cup tie)". North British Daily Mail: 7. 20 November 1876.
8. "Sporting News". Bell's Life: 5. 25 November 1876.
9. Presumably not agreeing a time for the replay before the due date; Dick, William (1877). Scottish Football Annual 1877–78. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 40.
10. "Local Football Fixtures". North British Daily Mail: 3. 6 March 1878.
11. "Football". Glasgow Herald: 7. 1 September 1873.
12. Alcock, Charles (1874). Football Annual. p. 129.
13. "The Approaching Cricket Season". North British Daily Mail: 3. 25 March 1873.
14. "Alexandra Athletic v West-End Wanderers". Glasgow Herald: 6. 8 December 1873.
15. "Eastern v West End". The Scotsman: 6. 9 November 1874.
16. Dick, William (1876). Scottish Football Annual 1876–77. Mackay & Kirkwood.
17. Alcock, Charles (1876). Football Annual. p. 119.