Helensburgh F.C. (1874) facts for kids
| Full name | Helensburgh Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1874 | |
| Dissolved | 1882 | |
| Ground | Ardencaple Park | |
| Secretary | Joseph Jamieson | |
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Helensburgh F.C. was an old association football club from Helensburgh in Scotland. It played football in the 1800s.
Contents
Club History: The Early Years
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The Helensburgh Football Club started in 1874. One of their first recorded games was a match against Rangers F.C. in March 1874. They played at their home ground and lost that game.
Playing in the Scottish Cup
Helensburgh F.C. joined the Scottish Cup competition for the first time in the 1874–75 season. This was a big football tournament in Scotland. In their first round, they won against the 3rd Edinburgh Rifle Volunteers F.C. in Glasgow. However, they lost in the second round to their local rivals, Renton F.C..
Best Cup Run: 1878–79
The club's best performance in the Scottish Cup was in the 1878–79 season. They were supposed to play against Heart of Midlothian F.C.. But Hearts refused to play a replay game, so Helensburgh was given the win.
Helensburgh then beat Hibernian F.C. on their way to the semi-finals. In that season, three clubs reached the semi-finals. Helensburgh did not get a direct pass to the final. They lost 3–0 at home to Vale of Leven F.C.. This Vale of Leven team was very strong, almost like a professional team, because a local factory supported them a lot.
Later Seasons and Club End
In the next season, Helensburgh F.C. played against Vale of Leven again and lost. They also lost to Vale of Leven for the third year in a row in 1880–81. This happened often because teams from the same area were often drawn to play each other. In that game, two goals just before half-time led to a 4–1 defeat for Helensburgh.
The club's last time in the Scottish Cup was in 1881–82. They lost in the fourth round to Arthurlie F.C.. The game was difficult because of strong winds.
During that season, the club started to struggle. Fewer and fewer people came to watch their games, sometimes only a few people showed up. There were also many successful football clubs nearby in Dunbartonshire, which made it hard for Helensburgh to compete. The club eventually stopped playing and was officially removed from the football register in August 1882.
After this club ended, the name "Helensburgh F.C." was used by at least three other football clubs. One of these clubs started in 1896 and later joined the Scottish League, which is a big football league in Scotland.
Team Colours
When the club first started, the players wore blue and yellow shirts and blue shorts. They also wore black socks. In 1880, they changed their kit. They started wearing blue shirts and white shorts instead.
Home Grounds
The club first played their home games at a place called Ardencaple Park. This field was about two miles away from the railway station. In 1877, the club moved to a new home ground called Kirkmichael Park.
