Motherwell Shamrock F.C. was an association football club from Motherwell, Lanarkshire, active in the early 1890s.
| Full name | Motherwell Shamrock F.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Shamrock[1] | |
| Founded | 1890 | |
| Dissolved | 1892 | |
| Ground | Ladywell Park | |
| Secretary | John Timminey, James Rodgers | |
|
| ||
History
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The club was formed in early 1890 as a split from Carfin Shamrock;[2] the club's first secretary, John Timminey, had been Carfin's secretary in 1889,[3] and Carfin captain (and club co-founder) "Dodger" Breslin threw in his lot with the new club.[4] The club's first match was against a Glasgow select in April 1890, watched by the Celtic President, who was checking to ensure none of the Celtic players was appearing for a rival Irish diaspora club without permission.[5]
The Motherwell side tried to get an invitation to the Airdrie Charity Cup, on the basis that it now had a large number of Carfin players, but the charity committee stayed loyal to the Carfin; in any event, under the rules of the competition, the Motherwell players were mostly Cup-tied, for having represented Carfin in other tournaments in the earlier part of the season.[6]
The Shamrock joined the Scottish Football Association in August 1890[7] and was expected to win its debut Scottish FA Cup tie the next month at home to the little-regarded Fairfield club of Glasgow, but the visitors scored five in the first half and ran out 7–3 winners.[8] Perhaps worse for Motherwell was that Carfin Shamrock held Celtic to a draw in the second round.
Two months later, Shamrock held Albion Rovers to a draw in its first Lanarkshire Cup tie, due to the Rovers "skylarking" when in an easy two-goal lead,[9] but lost 8–1 in the home replay,[10] and scratched from its entry to the Consolation Cup to "no surprise".[11] The club's moment had passed before it was even founded; the rise of League football, the unexpected continuance (at least temporarily) of Carfin, and the all-encompassing growth of Celtic were all mortal blows to the Shamrock. The club had already lost its ground to Dalziel Rovers in March 1891,[12] and ceased to exist at the close of the 1890–91 season,[13] although an attempt to revive the name saw an application for re-admission to the Scottish FA in August 1892, to no avail.[14]
Colours
editThe club wore green and white vertically striped shirts, and dark blue knickers.[15]
Ground
editThe club's ground was Ladywell Park.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Football chatter". Motherwell Times: 3. 22 November 1890.
- ^ ""Coatbridge Express" Consolation Cup". Rutherglen Reformer: 5. 25 April 1890.
- ^ M'Dowall, John (1889). Scottish Football Annual 1889–90. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 77.
- ^ "Captain James Breslin (Motherwell Shamrock)". Hamilton Herald: 7. 30 May 1890.
- ^ "Athletic notes". Hamilton Herald: 7. 25 April 1890.
- ^ "Football notes". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 9 May 1890.
- ^ Scottish FA Minutes 1889–90. Scottish Football Association. 19 August 1890. p. 273.
- ^ "Football". Wishaw Press: 3. 13 September 1890.
- ^ "Football notes". Coatbridge Express: 4. 5 November 1890.
- ^ "Football". Wishaw Press: 2. 22 November 1890.
- ^ "Football notes". Coatbridge Express: 1. 8 April 1891.
- ^ "Football chatter". Motherwell Times: 3. 14 March 1891.
- ^ "Football notes". Coatbridge Express: 4. 13 May 1891.
- ^ "Tit-bits". Hamilton Herald: 6. 26 August 1892.
- ^ McDowall, John (1890). Scottish Football Annual 1890–91. Hay Nisbet. p. 97.
- ^ McDowall, John (1890). Scottish Football Annual 1890–91. Hay Nisbet. p. 97.