Kennishead Football Club was a football from Thornliebank, Renfrewshire, Scotland.
| Full name | Kennishead Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 | |
| Dissolved | 1881 | |
| Ground | Kennishead Park | |
| Hon. Secretary | Robert Macfarlane | |
| Match Secretary | John Paterson Jr. | |
|
| ||
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
editThe club wore black and white jerseys and hose, and white knickers.[14]
Grounds
editThe 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.