Kennishead F.C.
| Full name | Kennishead Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 | |
| Dissolved | 1881 | |
| Ground | Kennishead Park | |
| Hon. Secretary | Robert Macfarlane | |
| Match Secretary | John Paterson Jr. | |
|
| ||
Kennishead Football Club was a football from Thornliebank, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
History[edit]
The club was formed in 1875, the same year as village rivals Thornliebank, under the name Caledonia. The club entered the first Renfrewshire Cup in 1878–79, and reached the semi-final against Arthurlie. The Caledonia thrilled the crowd "to the greatest excitement" with a goal from a passing move involving Muirhead, M'Farlane, Wotherspoon, M'Cabe, and Brannan. Arthurlie scored a late equalizer and time ended with Caledonia in front of the Arthurlie goal.[1] The replay however at Dunterlie Park was one-sided, a crowd of 700 seeing Arthurlie win 5–0.[2] Cross-village rivals Thornliebank gained revenge by winning the final.[3]
The club turned senior, by joining the Scottish Football Association, in 1879, only on the condition that it change its name, to avoid confusion with the Caledonian;[4][5] the club therefore changed its name to Kennishead, after the ground where it played. Its first season as a senior club was its most successful. It reached the third round of the 1879–80 Scottish Cup, after wins over Glenkilloch[6] and Cartside,[7] but came up short at Johnstone Athletic.[8]
Kennishead however went one better than the previous season in the Renfrewshire Cup, its run to the final including a record 12–0 win over Clydevale of Greenock; the home side was so dominant that the Clydevale goalkeeper was singled out for praise, "saving his charge again and again".[9] The final was against holders Thornliebank, played at Abercorn's Blackstoun Park, and Thornliebank duly retained the trophy thanks to two second-half goals.[10]
The match was the club's high peak. The Thornliebank club had, bit by bit, been taking the better players, including the Brannan brothers and McFetridge, from the club; before the start of the 1880–81 season, Thornliebank had also secured the services of McFarlane, Moonie, Wiseman, and captain M'Cabe.[11] The diminution of the side was made obvious by a 6–2 defeat to Cartside in the first round of the Scottish Cup[12] and Kennishead did not even enter the Renfrewshire Cup. Kennishead's final action was entering the 1881–82 Scottish Cup; the club was dissolved before it could play its tie against Yoker.[13]
Colours[edit]
The club wore black and white jerseys and hose, and white knickers.[14]
Grounds[edit]
The club played at Kennishead Park, a 3-minute walk from Kennishead station.[15]
Notable players[edit]
- Bill McFettridge, who played for Caledonia[16] before joining Thornliebank, and later Burnley
References[edit]
- ^ "Caledonia v Arthurlie (Barrhead)". Rutherglen Reformer: 3. 19 April 1879.
- ^ "Arthurlie v Thornliebank Caledonia". Glasgow Evening Post: 4. 21 April 1879.
- ^ "Final tie". Rutherglen Reformer: 3. 17 May 1879.
- ^ "Football Association Challenge Cup - First Ties". Glasgow Evening Post: 4. 27 August 1879.
- ^ Scottish FA Minutes 1879–80. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 26 August 1879. p. 25.Scribal confusion has the proposed new name as being Johnstone Athletic, which was a separate club, and newspaper reports clarify the new name.
- ^ "Kennishead (late Caledonia) v Glenkilloch (Neilston)". North British Daily Mail: 7. 22 September 1879.
- ^ "Kennishead (late Caledonia) v Cartside". North British Daily Mail: 7. 13 October 1879.
- ^ "Johnstone Athletic v Kennishead (Cup tie)". Glasgow Herald: 6. 3 November 1879.
- ^ "Kennishead v Clydevale Greenock, Renfrewshire Cup tie". Paisley Daily Express: 3. 12 January 1880.
- ^ "Thornliebank v Kennishead (Renfrewshire Final Tie)". Paisley Daily Express: 2. 19 April 1880.
- ^ "Football match on behalf of Public Hall". Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette: 6. 14 August 1880.
- ^ "Cartside v Kennishead". Paisley Daily Express: 3. 20 September 1880.
- ^ "Football". Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette: 6. 24 September 1881.
- ^ Fleming, J. S. (1880). Scottish Association Football Annual 1880–81. Gillespie Brothers. p. 44.
- ^ Dick, William (1879). Scottish Football Annual 1879–80. Glasgow: Dunlop & Foote. p. 74.
- ^ "Caledonia v Arthurlie (Barrhead)". Rutherglen Reformer: 3. 19 April 1879.