Irvine Academicals F.C. was a football club from the town of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
| Full name | Irvine Academicals Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Acas | |
| Founded | 1902 | |
| Dissolved | 1905 | |
| Secretary | A. P. MacLachlan | |
|
| ||
History
editThe club was formed in late 1902 to provide a pure amateur side in the town, and had no exclusive link with the Irvine Academy; the club secretary, MacLachlan, had been involved with Glasgow University F.C., and it also had interest from Moffat and Fletcher from Queen's Park.[1]
The club had a bright start, beating the Ayr amateur side Ayr Parkhouse 2–1 in its first match,[2] and proved a popular attraction in the town, a good crowd defying the rain to support the side against a Scottish Amateur XI in February 1903.[3]
The club duly joined the Scottish Football Association in August 1903[4] and entered the Scottish Qualifying Cup competition. The club however lost 6–0 at Kilwinning Eglinton in the first round, a result which "was in no way surprising".[5]
Undaunted, the club also entered the Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Football League, which was undertaking its first season in 1903–04, with six entrants. The Acas drew 2–2 with Paisley Academical in a "pleasant" first match,[6] but lost the other 4 matches it played before withdrawing from the competition.[7]
The Acas therefore found succour in the Scottish Amateur Football League,[8] but withdrew after losing its first two matches.[9]
Despite this first season of almost total blanks, it entered the Qualifying Cup again for 1904–05, but scratched when drawn to visit Beith.[10] Indeed, the club does not seem to have played at all in the season[11] and it was struck from the Scottish FA roll in August 1905.[12]
Colours
editThe club played in blue and white.[13]
Ground
editThe club's ground was at Kersland Field.[14]
References
edit- ^ "Ayrshire notes". Scottish Referee: 3. 26 December 1902.
- ^ "Other matches". Mid-lothian Journal: 7. 2 January 1903.
- ^ "Ayrshire notes". Scottish Referee: 2. 16 February 1903.
- ^ "Scottish Football Combination". West Lothian Courier: 3. 28 August 1903.
- ^ "Football notes". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: 7. 11 September 1903.
- ^ "Football notes". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: 7. 18 September 1903.
- ^ "Ayrshire & Renfrewshire League". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Amateur League fixtures". Scottish Referee: 5. 9 November 1903.
- ^ "Scottish Amateur League". Falkirk Herald: 3. 27 February 1904.
- ^ "Qualifying up scratchings". Dundee Evening Telegraph: 5. 1 September 1904.
- ^ References to Irvine Academicals during the season are to the school side in Juvenile matches.
- ^ "New and old". Scottish Referee: 1. 18 August 1905.
- ^ "All-time Scottish club directory". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ "Notes from the districts". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: 7. 23 September 1904.