Blantyre Celtic Football Club were a Scottish football club that played under the auspices of the Scottish Junior Football Association. Formed in 1914 as Blantyre United, they changed their name to Blantyre Celtic two years later. Their home ground was near Springwell in Blantyre and they had as local rivals Blantyre Victoria, known locally as the Vics.[1] In many ways they were the poorer cousin, as they existed in a poorer area of the village and lacked the financial support that the Vics gained from having a large social club attached to their home ground.

Blantyre Celtic
Full nameBlantyre Celtic Football Club
Founded1914 (as Blantyre United)
Dissolved1992
GroundCraighead Park
Blantyre
LeagueLanarkshire Junior League
1914–1928
Scottish Intermediate League
1928–1931
Central Junior League
1931–1988, 1991–92

The club reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Junior Cup three times: (1923–24, 1937–38 and 1945–46) but lost on each occasion.

Between 1982 and 1986, their Craighead Park ground[2][3][4] was also used by the Glasgow Tigers speedway team as their home track.[5][6][7]

Blantyre Celtic played in green and white hoops, identical to those of their namesake Celtic. Their most famous player was Jimmy Johnstone.

In 2010, the club reformed as an amateur team in the Blantyre area.[8]

Honours

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Former players

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1. Players that have played/managed in the top two divisions of the Scottish Football League or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.

References

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  1. ^ Historic Environment Scotland (29 September 1950). "Blantyre Engineering Co. Ltd. Works, John Street, Blantyre. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing south-east (1297593)". Canmore.
  2. ^ "Ordnance Survey 1:1250, 1944-1966". Explore georeferenced maps. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Aerial photos of Blantyre 1950: Craighead Sports Ground". Blantyre's Ain. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Demise of Craighead Park, Low Blantyre". Blantyre Project. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Craighead Park". www.speedwayplus.co.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  6. ^ "New home boost for Glasgow Tigers". Wishaw Press. 26 February 1982. Retrieved 25 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Opening fixture at new circuit". Motherwell Times. 29 April 1982. Retrieved 19 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Blantyrecelticfc.net". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.

Sources

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55°47′33″N 4°04′43″W / 55.792517°N 4.078640°W / 55.792517; -4.078640