Broxburn Athletic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the town of Broxburn in West Lothian. They play their home games at Albyn Park. The team currently competes in the Lowland League, the fifth tier of Scottish football, having moved from the junior leagues in 2018.[1]
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| Full name | Broxburn Athletic Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Brox, The Burn, The Badgers | |||
| Founded | 1947 | |||
| Ground | Albyn Park Greendykes Road Broxburn | |||
| Capacity | 2,050 | |||
| President | Jimmy Porteous | |||
| Manager | Steve Pittman | |||
| League | Lowland League | |||
| 2023–24 | East of Scotland League Premier Division, 1st of 16 (promoted) | |||
| Website | https://www.broxburnathletic.co.uk | |||
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History
editBroxburn reached the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final on five occasions, the last time being in 1971 when they lost by a single goal to eventual cup winners Cambuslang Rangers. [citation needed]
The club won the East Region South Division in 2009–10 and then gained promotion to the East Superleague two years later. They spent six seasons in the Superleague, with a best finish of 5th in their final season.
After moving to the senior football pyramid for the 2018–19 season, Broxburn won the East of Scotland League Conference C. However they narrowly missed out on the title and promotion to the Lowland league in the round robin playoff against the winners of the other Conferences, Penicuik Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose. Broxburn were champions in the 2023–24 season, finishing in front of title race rivals Musselburgh Athletic and once again earned a spot in the promotion playoffs where they faced South of Scotland Football League champions Dalbeattie Star F.C.. The first leg was played at Dalbeattie's Islecroft stadium, and the 2nd leg at Broxburn's Albyn park. Broxburn were victorious, securing a 12-2 aggregate victory and promotion to the Lowland Football League for the 2024-25 season.
The club became a full SFA member in 2019 which allowed them to enter the 2019–20 Scottish Cup. They reached the fourth round having won five matches (including victories over higher ranked East Stirlingshire, Cowdenbeath, and Inverurie Loco Works), before going out to Premiership side St. Mirren in Paisley. Broxburn were supported by 1,600 fans who made the trip along the M8, selling out the North Stand at St Mirren Park.[2] In the 2023–24 Scottish Cup Broxburn reached the third round after victories over Lochee United, Nairn County and Deveronvale before going out on penalties to Buckie Thistle at Albyn Park. The reported attendance of this match was 1175.[3]
Albyn Park
editIn 1946, Mr. G. W. Bartaby-Pearson, with the help of local businessmen, started the process of reforming Broxburn and secured Albyn Park from the Earl of Buchan. After help from supporters who made the ground improvements, the stadium opened in 1948 with a Heart of Midlothian v Rangers meeting which attracted a crowd of around 3,500.
Albyn Park was completely redeveloped in 2009–10 as part of the Broxburn United Sports Club project into a new community facility with a 3G artificial pitch (replaced 2020).[4]
It sits on the original Albion Park used by Broxburn F.C. in 1889. Athletic took over the lease in 1894 until both clubs amalgamated in 1912 and played at the sports park (now the Broxburn Sports Centre). Athletic then moved back in 1921 until going defunct in 1924. West Lothian Council now owns the land and Broxburn has a lease until 2036.
The facility is also used by Broxburn Athletic Colts and other clubs. New changing rooms, a social club and floodlights were also constructed. The ground includes a large enclosure on the same side as the changing rooms. The remainder of the ground consists of grass bankings and covered terracing.
Senior squad
editAs of 28 November 2024[5]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club staff
editCommittee
edit| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| President |  Jimmy Porteous
|
| Vice President | John Hughes
|
| Secretary | Jim Provan
|
| Treasurer | Alan Cunningham
|
| Club Photographer | Andrew MacPherson
|
| Chaplain | Andrew MacPherson
|
Coaching staff
edit| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Steve Pittman
|
| Assistant Manager | Derek McWilliams
|
| Coach | Billy McPhee
|
| Coach | Steve McIlhone
|
| Goalkeeper Coach | Ian McLaren
|
| Physio | Mark Fountain
|
| Physio | John Porteous
|
Managerial history
edit| Name | Nationality | Years |
|---|---|---|
| John McGuigan |
|
1949-? |
| Willie Peden |
|
1954-1956 |
| Jim McKinnon |
|
?-1971 |
| Peter Fortunate |
|
1973-? |
| Bill Bruce |
|
?-1975 |
| Bill Baxter |
|
1975-? |
| Peter Duncan |
|
?-1989 |
| Derek O'Connor |
|
?-1989[6] |
| Bill Henderson |
|
1989-1990[7][8] |
| Willie Verth |
|
1991-1992 |
| Jackie Smyth |
|
1992-? |
| Willie Turley |
|
1997-1998 |
| Jamie Dolan |
|
2004-2008 |
| Steve Pittman | 
|
2009-2015 |
| Max Christie |
|
2014-2017 |
| Brian McNaughton |
|
2017-2020 |
| Chris Townsley |
|
2020-2023[9] |
| Scott McNaughtonc |
|
2023 |
| Steve Pittman |
|
2023-[10] |
c Caretaker manager
Season-by-season record
editSenior
edit| Season | Division | Tier | Pos. | Pld. | W | D | L | GD | Pts | Scottish Cup | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broxburn Athletic | ||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | East of Scotland League Conference C | 6 |
1st | 24 |
22 | 0 | 2 | +62 | 66 | Did Not Participate
| ||
| 2019–20 | 6 |
3rd† | 19 |
11 | 5 | 3 | +11 | 38 | Fourth round, losing to St Mirren | |||
| 2020–21 | 6
|
null†† | 11
|
5 | 1 | 5 | +1 | 16 | First round, lost to Nairn County | |||
| 2021–22 | 6
|
6th | 34
|
15 | 4 | 15 | +5 | 49 | Preliminary round, lost to Dunbar United | |||
| 2022–23 | 6
|
9th | 30
|
11 | 10 | 9 | +9 | 43 | First round, lost to Dunipace | |||
| 2023–24 | 6
|
1st | 30
|
23 | 5 | 2 | +46 | 74 | Third round, lost to Buckie Thistle | |||
† Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic - Broxburn Athletic finished third, based on the 'points per game' measure.
†† Season declared null and void due to COVID-19 pandemic
Honours
edit- East of Scotland League Conference C: 2018–19
- East of Scotland League Premier Division: 2023–24
Junior
edit- East Region League: 1972–73, 1973–74[11]
- East Region South Division: 2009–10
- East Region Lothian District Division Two: 2003–04, 2005–06
- East Region Division B: 1978–79
- East of Scotland Junior Cup: 1950–51, 1987–88
- East Region League Cup: 1952–53, 1954–55, 1972–73
- Coronation Cup: 1952–53
- Murray Cup: 1959–60
- Brown Cup: 1970–71
- National Whitbread Trophy: 1973–74
- Thistle Cup: 1970–71
- R.L. Rae Cup: 1972–73
Record attendances
editHistoric
- 31,085 - 1950-51 Scottish Junior Cup Semi Final vs Irvine Meadow, Hampden Park, Glasgow
- 11,400 - 1951-52 Scottish Junior Cup vs Kilsyth Rangers, Albyn Park, Broxburn
Recent
- 1,172 - 2023-24 Scottish Cup 3rd Round vs Buckie Thistle, Albyn Park, Broxburn
- 4,372 - 2019-20 Scottish Cup 4th Round vs St. Mirren, Simple Digital Arena, Paisley
References
edit- ^ McLauchlin, Brian (7 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 25 junior clubs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ Hardie, David. "St Mirren 3-0 Broxburn Athletic: Tough luck as battling Broxburn see their Scottish Cup run come to an end". Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "BROXBURN ATHLETIC V BUCKIE THISTLE – Broxburn Athletic Football Club".
- ^ Broxburn United Sports Club opens its new community facility Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine August 2010
- ^ "Squad | Broxburn Athletic - Official Website". www.broxburnathletic.co.uk/. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "COURIER Friday December 15 1989 Courier Sport: Touchline Topics Golf Snooker Pool Shinty Whitburn floored by ." 15 December 1989. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ "COURIER Friday December 15 1989 Courier Sport: Touchline Topics Golf Snooker Pool Shinty Whitburn floored by ." 15 December 1989. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ "48 COURIER Friday November 16 1990 ASAP TEMPS! TEMPS! Urgently required for various assignments throughout West ." 16 November 1990. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ "Blackburn United boss praises 'brilliant' display in derby win over Broxburn Athletic". Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM IN PLACE". Broxburn Athletic FC. 22 January 2023.
- ^ Honours, Broxburn Athletic FC