Kirkintilloch Football history

[LeeKRR1878]

Now a town with 1 junior club but it was once home of 4 junior teams. Kirkintilloch Harp, Athletic, Central and the famous Rob Roy!

I've been trying to find information on these first 3 clubs particularly Harp as I think they were bigger and more known than Central and Athletic. Problem is there's so little documentation so I was wondering if anyone knew anything about them? League stats, cup wins/finals anything?

[Hillonearth]

You can add a few to that list. At various times there were also a Kirky Bluebell, Waverley, United and Hillfield!

Some of them were one or two-season wonders in the 1800s, but Central and Harp seem to have lasted a couple of decades, the latter being the original occupants of Adamslie. The Rabs only moved there when Harp chucked it in 1926 - they'd played at three other parks before then.

 

[Nugent4nil]

From Brian Weir's Scottish Football Historical Archive site there is the following

Kirkintilloch  senior 1875-188

Kirkintilloch Athletic (1) Senior 1875-1881

Kirkintilloch Athletic (2) Senior 1885-1894

Kirkintilloch Bluebell Senior 1877-1878

Kirkintilloch  Central Senior 1885-1890

Kirkintilloch  Central Junior 1896-1926

Kirkintilloch  Hillfield Junior 1882-1882

Kirkintilloch  Rob Roy Junior 1884- Present

Kirkintilloch  United Junior 1903-1905

Kirkintilloch Waverly Senior 1876-1878

 

If you go through the site youll get their leagues from the spreadsheet then you cancheck the competitions etc from there.

 

[Nugent4nil]

9 minutes ago, Hillonearth said:

You can add a few to that list. At various times there were also a Kirky Bluebell, Waverley, United and Hillfield!

Some of them were one or two-season wonders in the 1800s, but Central and Harp seem to have lasted a couple of decades, the latter being the original occupants of Adamslie. The Rabs only moved there when Harp chucked it in 1926 - they'd played at three other parks before then.

 

Just beat me to that! haha

[LeeKRR1878]

You can add a few to that list. At various times there were also a Kirky Bluebell, Waverley, United and Hillfield!

Some of them were one or two-season wonders in the 1800s, but Central and Harp seem to have lasted a couple of decades, the latter being the original occupants of Adamslie. The Rabs only moved there when Harp chucked it in 1926 - they'd played at three other parks before then.

 

Do you mean Hillhead not Hillfield?

I knew that much about the Harp but that's about all I know.

Roy played at Smillies Pond (Coxdale Park), an unnamed park in the broadcroft area and Kelvindale Park before moving into Adamslie.

There's just such little info online about Harp though such as year formed etc.

All I could find was a team photo taken possibly 1910s.

[LeeKRR1878]

From Brian Weir's Scottish Football Historical Archive site there is the following

Kirkintilloch  senior 1875-188

Kirkintilloch Athletic (1) Senior 1875-1881

Kirkintilloch Athletic (2) Senior 1885-1894

Kirkintilloch Bluebell Senior 1877-1878

Kirkintilloch  Central Senior 1885-1890

Kirkintilloch  Central Junior 1896-1926

Kirkintilloch  Hillfield Junior 1882-1882

Kirkintilloch  Rob Roy Junior 1884- Present

Kirkintilloch  United Junior 1903-1905

Kirkintilloch Waverly Senior 1876-1878

 

If you go through the site youll get their leagues from the spreadsheet then you cancheck the competitions etc from there.

 

Thanks mate, although Rob Roy were formed in 1878. A few archives have put the year as 1884 but I think that was the year they joined the Junior league

[LeeKRR1878]

Coxdale Park (Smillies Pond) for a season then a park in the broadcroft area until 1889 before moving to Kelvindale Park then on to Adamslie in 1926

[LeeKRR1878]

I'm not sure of exact locations of these parks but round about St Ninians high school there's a street with the name "Coxdale" so I'm assuming it was around that area, the park in broadcroft was probably where new Lairsland road runs through and I think Kelvindale would have been at the wee housing estate next to the former broomhill hospital as that area is called "kelvinside" and I'm sure one of the wee streets are named Kelvindale

[garrellburn]

1 hour ago, LeeKRR1878 said:

I'm not sure of exact locations of these parks but round about St Ninians high school there's a street with the name "Coxdale" so I'm assuming it was around that area, the park in broadcroft was probably where new Lairsland road runs through and I think Kelvindale would have been at the wee housing estate next to the former broomhill hospital as that area is called "kelvinside" and I'm sure one of the wee streets are named Kelvindale

don't just assume that because there is a street, or other feature with the same name as a park that existed a century or so ago that it lies in the same area. When naming new streets Councillers will tend to favour names with some relation to the district but not neccessarily in exactly the same place, even if they know where it was.

[LeeKRR1878]

don't just assume that because there is a street, or other feature with the same name as a park that existed a century or so ago that it lies in the same area. When naming new streets Councillers will tend to favour names with some relation to the district but not neccessarily in exactly the same place, even if they know where it was.

True, but over a century ago Kirky was a very small town. Eastside (where the founders came from), townhead, cowgate and the area around Adamslie and a very small part of Hillhead were all that existed around late 1800s early 1900s. The places I've named are all in these parts of the town so it is quite possible that my locations are roughly correct

[sureitsza]

According to the Kirkintilloch Herald, Wednesday 18 July 1923, "Kirkintilloch Harp, as from Wednesday last, ceased to exist." The members discussed the financial situation, and decided was impossible to carry on.

It might be worthwhile taking out a month's subscription at the British Newspaper Archive which has the Kirkintilloch Herald, Gazette and Falkirk Herald online, all give good coverage to football in that area. 

[LeeKRR1878]

When i say where did they play before joining the juniors 1884 i mean what league or grade did they play in 1878-1884 ??

Mainly just friendly matches and occasional local cup games.

[LeeKRR1878]

According to the Kirkintilloch Herald, Wednesday 18 July 1923, "Kirkintilloch Harp, as from Wednesday last, ceased to exist." The members discussed the financial situation, and decided was impossible to carry on.

It might be worthwhile taking out a month's subscription at the British Newspaper Archive which has the Kirkintilloch Herald, Gazette and Falkirk Herald online, all give good coverage to football in that area. 

Thanks mate I think I'll do that

[Brig O'Lea]

 

 From Mark Donnelly's excellent 'Scottish Junior Histories 1932-33' book.

[Brig O'Lea]

[The Boy from Nowhere]

I always thought Kelvindale Park was on the site of what was later Lawson’s Bus Garage on Campsie Road – where the Lidl supermarket is now.

It was definitely beside the River Kelvin, because I recall being told that a local ‘worthy’ was allowed into the games for nothing on the understanding that he ran and got the ball each time it went out of the ground.  He also got a wee bonus of a cigarette if he had to fish the ball out of the water.

 

I only remember the story because apparently on one occasion he was taking ages to bring the ball back, and a couple of supporters went to hurry him up -just in time to see him kicking the ball into the Kelvin. 

 

[LeeKRR1878]

Brilliant find Brig O' Lea thanks for that!

It may have been there as i said I'm not sure exact locations but that could be a strong possibility. Haha that's just your average guy from kirky [emoji23]

[Pete2vinyl]

Seen my family tree today and noticed my great uncle played for Kirky Harp and had a very successful career .Funny enough I now stay in Kirkintilloch 

Goalkeeper Jock Bradford played both sides of WW1 for Greenock Morton, for whom he had signed from junior club Kirkintilloch Harp, and although perhaps he was unlucky he didn’t receive international honours with several very good Scottish keepers such as Jimmy Brownlie ahead of him. He signed for St Mirren in February 1921 and went on to make 239 appearances for The Buddies, and his standing was such that he was  inducted into the St Mirren Hall of Fame in 2011. Bradford played in goal when Saints won the Copa Inauguracion Les Corts, better known as the Barcelona Cup in 1922. St Mirren became the first Scottish club to win a trophy in Europe when they defeated England’s representatives Notts County in the final of the competition. The competition was held to mark the opening of Barcelona’s new stadium Camp de les Corts. But perhaps the highlight of his career came in 1925-26 Bradford won a Scottish Cup winner’s medal, when St Mirren made their second Scottish Cup Final appearance, beating Celtic 2-0.

 

[Seanc87]

Hi, I have a Dumbartonshire JFA winners medal, won by my Granda’s granda, Michael McKay. He was the “trainer” for Kirkintilloch Harp. The medal is from 1912.

Came across it while tidying things out and thought I’d Google it and share. Not sure if this is the sort of thing you’re asking about, but thought I’d post it anyway.

Edited May 9, 2020 by Seanc87

[Tutankhamen]

On 19 October 2016 at 23:44, Hillonearth said:

You can add a few to that list. At various times there were also a Kirky Bluebell, Waverley, United and Hillfield!

Some of them were one or two-season wonders in the 1800s, but Central and Harp seem to have lasted a couple of decades, the latter being the original occupants of Adamslie. The Rabs only moved there when Harp chucked it in 1926 - they'd played at three other parks before then.

 

Seems more than one of the  present day clubs moved into the former Little Irelands team grounds according to online official histories.

Shettleston Celtic - Shettleston 

Cambuslang Hibs - Cambuslang Rangers

Irvine Celtic - Irvine Meadow