Anyone have any knowledge or details of the former junior football teams in Grangemouth, Grange Rovers and Forth Rangers? I think they went on to form Grangemouth United in the mid sixties, however information on the web is a bit limited. Any further info would be great!!

I think Burnie_man's the man with the knowledge. Contact him if he doesn't read this and reply here.

According to Brian McColls excellent website Grangemouth United were formed in 1956 after a merger between Grange Rovers (1896 1956)and Forth Rangers (1890-1956). Grange Rovers themselves were formed in 1896 after a merger between Vale of Grange (1892-96) and East End Rovers (1892-96). Grangemouth United continued to play untill 1966. You also had more recently Grangemouth Rovers (1972-79)

http://geocities.com/br1anmccoll/juniortown.htm

Something makes me think that there is something about the Grangemouth teams in one of the Scottish Non League histories books by Stewart Davidson. Either that or the Fields of Fife book which covered Fife Junior Football (Grangemouth Utd played in the Fife league 59-60 to 61-2 seasons)

It's always amazed me that Grangemouth can't support a football team for any length of time, given its population. I suppose it's because Falkirk's ground is and was so accessible from Grangemouth.

A big strapping lad by the name of Peter Godfrey made his debut for the Rose vs Grangemouth many seasons ago in a sectional cup game. Probably 70's. Those were the days when Peter played midfield.

I remember him well. But what brought that up? Such an obscure piece of knowledge suggests that you are very close to him. Or actually him. I claim my prize.

I also believe there was an attempt, albeit a lacklustre one, to form Senior team to join the SFL in the 1960s.

Not related or PG, just retaining utterly useless info. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
With you talking about Grangemouth and their lack of support, you have to say that there are towns with a bigger population than Linlithgow that just refuse to support their team.
This isn't a poke at Bathgate in any way, so no offence meant.

I am sure a few Lithgie lads played for Grangemouth over the later years
Jim Callachan for one and maybe a couple of others from the succesful
Unicorn Pub Team

SENT U A PM.

My reputation preceeds me

Anyway, Grange Rovers and Forth Rangers merged in 1956 and Grangemouth United joined the Edinburgh & District Junior League (forerunner to the East Region) for the 1956-57 season.

They remained in that league until around 1962 when for some reason they left and joined the Fife Junior League. That only lasted a few seasons before they again returned, replacing the defunct Alva Albion Rangers. The club then disappeared around 1966 (I think they lost their ground around this time due to it being built over by the oil refinery?).

Then around 1972 Grangemouth Rovers - who I assume were a completely new team - joined the East Region West Division playing out of the Grangemouth Stadium, but they struggled on very poor gates and folded at the end of the 1979-80 season. I'll firm up these dates later on.

It has always amazed me that Grangemouth have not had a Junior side since then, it's a big enough place to support a Junior team and they have a ready made ground to play in.

Callander House (Falkirk Libraries HQ I think), hold a hand written booklet in their archives which is basically a list of Grange Rovers results upto their merger and possibly even Grangemouth United details as well. It was kept by a supporter and is a great reference if anyone should ever want to write a history of the club.

I knew you'd come up with the goods. You're right about the Stadium though. From what I remember it's quite a good venue, certainly good enough to host a well-supported junior side if not a lower division senior side. Any idea who it belongs to?

Thanks for your response to this. As you have probably seen on my tag, I'm a Warriors supporter. However I live in Grangemouth and was looking at some websites regarding Scottish football history when I discovered that Grangemouth has had a few Junior football sides. One mentions them playing at Forthside Park which may be the area 'Burnie_Man' suggests was lost to the petrochemical industry.

I've highlighted the passage about Grangemouth being able to support a football side (junior or senior). Historically events have been chronically under supported in the area. A few years back Status Quo played at the athletics stadium and the crowd was woeful considering the Quo were a succesful chart act at the time. It doesn't surprise me at all that a weak football side should find it difficult to attract a crowd in the town, despite the area population being nearly 20,000 people. Having said that there are 3 senior side in Falkirk alone, with Camelon, Linlithgow, Bo'ness, Dunipace and Bonnybridge all offering SJFA sides. That coupled with the Old Firm supporters clubs based in the town, (there used to be two amateur sides called Grangemouth Rangers and Grangemouth Celtic), would all have affected the clubs following.
Alas, we might have a team to support down her soon. They play in black and white, and are sometimes called 'The Shire'.........

The stadium belongs to the council and is only really used for athletics. As I slightly mentioned in the last post, The Shire spoke about using the stadium a few years back. It would need a bit of development to host football though. It hasn't really been upgraded since it opened in the sixties. But with money well spent it could quite easily be used. It has hosted a few televised athletics meets recently, all with crowds numbering 2000. Maybe your Franchise FC man from Newmains could start a side up here. I would give him £35 for that....

OK here we go:

pre-1940: Grange Rovers and Forth Rangers compete in Stirlingshire Junior Leagues
1945-46: Forth Rangers join Edinburgh & District Junior League
1946-47: Grange Rovers join Edinburgh & District Junior League
1949-50: Grange Rovers beat Haddington Athletic 2-1 @ Bo'ness to win Thornton Shield

1955-56: Edinburgh & District Junior League West Division (ELW)
Forth Rangers 8th; Grange Rovers 15th

Grangemouth United
1956-57: Edinburgh & District Junior League West Division (ELW)- 7th
1957-58: ELW - 11th
1958-59: ELW - 6th
1959-60: Fife Junior League (FJL) - ?
1960-61: FJL - 3rd
1961-62: FJL - 6th
1962-63: ELW - 13th (last)
1963-64: ELW - 12th
1964-65: ELW - 11th (dont have a complete league table for that season)
1965-66: ELW - 14th (last)
Looks like they played at Dalgrain Park upto 1960 then moved to Forthside Park. I'm sure I read somewhere that Grangemouth Rugby Club now play on one of these parks? could be completey wrong with that!

Grangemouth Rovers
1972-73: East Region West Division - 12th
1973-74: East Region Division B (ERB) - 9th
1974-75: ERB - 12th (last)
1975-76: ERB - 10th
1976-77: ERB - 10th
1977-78: ERB - 7th
1978-79: ERB - 6th
1979-80: ERB - 12th (last, withdrew after 6 league games)
Rovers played their home games at the athletics stadium.

I was there! It was the Grangemouth Rock Festival and Quo weren't top of the bill. That belonged to Beck, Bogart and Appice who were dire (IMHO). There were a few other relatively big names there as well, e.g. Steeleye Span, Lindisfarne, Average White Band, Beggar's Opera, Everly Brothers and even Billy Connolly. John Peel was the MC. The crowd was fairly small. What does it take to get Grangemouth people out of their houses?

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/grangemouth-festival.html for anyone who's interested.

12,000 crowd? poor? I'm sure Rovers would have appreciated that

Your the Jamie Wire of the east Burnieman,Mr statto if you dont know knowone will.Hows the next junior book coming along m8.

Getting there, not done anything for 6 months as work and life tend to get in the way at times, but an update should be released in 2011, which will be 125 years since organised Junior fitba was first played in the area.