History of Queen of the South F.C. facts for kids
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football team. It was started in March 1919 and is based in Dumfries. People often call them Queens or QoS. Their home stadium since the beginning has been Palmerston Park. They joined the Scottish Football League in the 1923–24 season.
The club has won several national awards. They won the Division B Championship in 1950–51, and the Second Division Championship in 2001–02 and 2012–13. They also won the Scottish Challenge Cup in 2002–03 and 2012–13. Queens were even at the top of Scotland's main league around New Year in 1953–54! Their best ever finish in the top league was fourth place in 1933–34. In 2008, they reached their first big cup final, the Scottish Cup, but finished as runners-up to Rangers.
Contents
Starting the Club and Early Wins
How Queen of the South Got Its Name
The town of Dumfries got its nickname "Queen of the South" from a local poet named David Dunbar. In 1857, he was running for Parliament. In one of his speeches, he called Dumfries "Queen of the South." This name then became famous for the town.
In early 1919, some football fans in Dumfries met to talk about bringing back competitive football after World War I. They also wanted to create a new, bigger local football club. This new club would be made by joining smaller teams together.
A public meeting was held in Dumfries Town Hall on March 21, 1919. Three local clubs agreed to join:
- Dumfries F.C.
- 5th Kings Own Scottish Borderers
- Arrol-Johnston (a car manufacturer's team)
They decided to call the new club Queen of the South United. They chose Palmerston Park, which was already a football ground, as their home. The club's first official meeting was on March 26, 1919.
After some practice games, Queen of the South (they dropped the "United" part) played their first match on August 16, 1919. It was a friendly game against Sanquhar team Nithsdale Wanderers, and it ended in a 2–2 draw.
The club's badge has the same motto as the town of Dumfries: A Lore Burne.
Early Days in the Leagues
In their first competitive game on September 6, 1919, Queens played Thornhill in the Scottish Qualifying Cup. They won after a replay. Some future football stars like Dave Halliday and Hughie Gallacher played for Queens early in their careers.
Selling players like Jimmy McKinnell and Ian Dickson helped the club buy Palmerston Park in 1921 for £1,500.
Queens won many local cups. They were runners-up in the Western League in 1921–22. Then, they signed Joe Dodds from Celtic. With experienced players like Bob McDougall, Queens won the Western League in 1922–23 without losing a single game!
Joining the Scottish Football League
Queen of the South tried to join the Scottish Football League (SFL) in 1921–22 and 1922–23, but didn't succeed. Finally, in 1923–24, they were invited to join the SFL in its newest and lowest division, the Third Division. Queens finished third that season.
Their biggest achievement that year was winning the Scottish Qualifying Cup for the first time in its 25-year history. In the final replay, Queens won 3–0. When the team and the cup returned to Dumfries, huge crowds of happy fans met them.
In 1924, goalkeeper Jimmy Coupland joined at age 16. Queens' first big national league success came in 1924–25. They finished second behind Nithsdale Wanderers and were promoted to the Second Division.
In 1926–27, Queens played against a famous team, Celtic, for the first time in a competitive match. Queens forced a replay before being knocked out of the Scottish Cup.
In 1931–32, centre-forward Jimmy Rutherford scored a club record 41 goals in one season! In the Scottish Cup, Queens had their biggest ever senior win, beating Stranraer 11–1.
In 1932, Willie Savage and Willie Culbert joined the team. They became a strong defensive pair for many years. Left winger Tommy McCall scored 32 goals, a national record for a winger. Queens finished their 1932–33 season by beating Second Division champions Hibernian 2–1. After improving for several seasons, Queen of the South were promoted to the First Division as runners-up. Just ten years after joining the national leagues, they were ready for top-level football!
Top Division Football (1933-1966)
Queens in the Top League
From 1933 until 1959, Queen of the South spent almost all their time in Scotland's top football division. During this time, they often played very well against top teams like Celtic. When Celtic visited Palmerston Park, they only won five times out of eighteen games. Queens won ten times!
First Season and Fourth Place Finish
Willie Ferguson joined Queens at the start of the 1933–34 season. In their very first game in the top division, Queens beat Celtic 3–2! The Sunday Mail newspaper wrote, "Queen's brew hot stew, Celtic merely the gravy."
That 1933–34 season was the club's best ever league finish, coming in fourth place in Scotland's top league. Irish international Laurie Cumming scored 24 goals. Queens beat Celtic, Hibs, and Hearts twice that season. They also reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
1936 Overseas Tour
In 1935, George McLachlan became Queen of the South's manager. In May 1936, he took Queens on an eleven-game tour to France, Luxembourg, and Algeria. They played teams like Montpellier HSC and Stade Reims.
The tour included a special four-team tournament in Algiers, Algeria. The teams were:
- Queen of the South (Scotland)
- Racing-Club de Santander (Spain)
- Floriana F. C. de Malte (Malta)
- R.U.A. (Algeria)
Queens beat R.U.A. 2–1 to reach the final. In the final, Queens faced Racing de Santander, a strong Spanish team. Norrie Haywood scored the only goal, and Queens won 1–0! The trophy from this tournament is still in the Queens club museum today.
Late 1930s and 1940s
On January 30, 1937, Queen of the South beat Rangers 1–0 in the first round of the Scottish Cup. The Evening Times newspaper called it "more than a merited win... It was a triumph."
In 1938, Tommy Lang joined Queens after a successful career with teams like Newcastle United. Queens reached the top of the Scottish Football League for the first time in 1938–39 and finished the season in sixth place.
The league was stopped in 1939–40 after only five games because World War II started. Football was then reorganized into regional leagues. Queens played in the West League and finished as runners-up to Rangers in 1939–40. The national league started again in 1946–47, and Queens kept their place in the top division.
In 1947–48, Queens beat both of the Old Firm teams (Celtic and Rangers) in the same season for the first time.
Scottish Cup Runs in the 1950s
Queen of the South reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals many times. In the 20th century, they only went further once, in 1950. They beat Aberdeen after a replay. In the semi-final, they drew 1–1 with Rangers, but lost the replay 3–0. Both semi-finals were played at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
The Best of the 1950s
After being relegated in 1950, Queens quickly bounced back! In 1950–51, they dominated the Scottish B Division and were promoted straight back to the top league as champions. They also reached the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup.
The early and mid-1950s were the club's most successful period. They regularly finished in the middle of the Scottish A Division (the top league). Jimmy McKinnell Junior was the manager. On February 23, 1952, Palmerston Park had its biggest ever crowd of 26,552 for a Scottish Cup game against Hearts.
This era featured great players like goalkeeper Roy Henderson, full-back Dougie Sharpe, and goal-scoring legend Jim Patterson, who scored 251 goals for the club! Bobby Black was another local hero who scored 120 goals. Queens were at the very top of Scotland's league until Christmas in the 1953–54 season. They beat both Old Firm teams again in 1953–54 and 1955–56. Their strong results peaked in 1955–56 when they finished sixth, their second-highest league finish ever.
Queens were relegated from the top division in 1959.
Early and Mid-1960s
In February 1960, George Farm, a famous goalkeeper, joined Queen of the South. Another international player, England's Ivor Broadis, had joined earlier that season.
Queens reached the League Cup semi-final in 1960–61. Farm became player-manager in 1961. Fast winger Ernie Hannigan and future Scotland striker Neil Martin joined in 1961. With Jim Patterson still playing, the club was promoted back to the top division in 1962. They even beat Celtic at Parkhead in 1962–63! Queens have not played in the top division since the 1963–64 season.
Two players who gave amazing service to Queens joined in the early 1960s: Allan Ball and Ian McChesney. Together, they played over 1,400 games for the club! Queens nearly got promoted back to the top league in 1964–65 and 1965–66, finishing third both times.
The Harkness Years (1967-1994)
Willie Harkness became the chairman of Queen of the South in 1967.
In 1974–75, Queens finished second in their division. However, due to a league change, this didn't lead to promotion to the top tier as it would have before. Long-serving players like Jocky Dempster and Crawford Boyd were important for Queens during the 1970s.
Queens were promoted as runners-up in 1980–81 and 1985–86. But their stays in the higher division were short. Other important players from the 1980s included Jimmy Robertson, George Cloy, and Alan Davidson.
During the Harkness era, Queens often finished in the lower half of the Scottish league. For example, in 1979–80, only Alloa Athletic finished below them in the entire Scottish football league.
Cup highlights were rare during this time. Queens reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals twice, in 1975–76 and 1976–77. However, they also had some tough cup losses, including against non-league teams.
The lowest ever attendance for a Queens match at Palmerston Park was 300 people on May 4, 1974.
Some talented young players, like Davie Irons and Bernie Slaven, played for Queens but weren't fully recognized at the time. Slaven went on to score many goals for Middlesbrough and played in the 1990 World Cup for the Republic of Ireland.
In 1984, Queens received a club record fee of £100,000 for player Ted McMinn.
In December 1993, Tommy Bryce of Queens scored three goals in just 1 minute and 46 seconds against Arbroath, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of Records! He scored another quick hat-trick in February 1994.
Willie Harkness's time as chairman ended on April 14, 1994.
New Beginnings and Success
The Blount Era
The new chairman, Norman Blount, started to modernize Queen of the South. In 1994, Andy Thomson was sold for a club record fee of £250,000. Thomson later said that when he returned to the club, "Things have changed quite a bit... a new stand, a completely new set-up." He also called Norman Blount "an excellent chairman."
A new stand was built quickly. In April 1995, Rangers played a game at Palmerston Park to celebrate the stand's opening and the club's 75th anniversary.
Other new ideas came along:
- Queens became the first senior club in the UK to open a club museum.
- They were the first club in the world to use artificial grass along the touchlines for linesmen to run on. This idea was so successful that other clubs started using it too!
- They were the first senior club in the UK to use a lottery to choose their annual shirt sponsor.
Queens started to have more success, like they did before the Harkness era. In 1997, the club reached the Scottish Challenge Cup final for the first time. They lost 1–0 to Falkirk, but played very well. Players like Jim Thomson and Andy Aitken, who would play over 300 games for Queens, were in that team.
Scenes from the film A Shot at Glory, starring Robert Duvall and Michael Keaton, were filmed at Palmerston Park in 1999.
Ronnie Bradford became the new chairman in November 1999.
Bradford and Rae Eras
The 1999–2000 season was tough for Queen of the South. They were almost relegated to the Third Division, but another team's points deduction saved them.
John Connolly became manager in July 2000. With captain Jim Thomson, Queens won the Second Division title in 2001–02. They won 3–0 away at Forfar Athletic, and happy fans rushed onto the pitch! Midfielder John O'Neill was named divisional player of the year.
The next season, Queens won the Scottish Challenge Cup, beating Brechin City 2–0 in the final. Ronnie Bradford left in June 2003 due to health issues. Davie Rae took over as chairman.
John Connolly left in May 2004. Queens became the first part-time club to stay in the new First Division for more than two years. They finished fourth in the First Division in 2005, their highest finish since 1963.
Ian McCall became manager in November 2005. He brought in Gordon Chisholm as his assistant. With new players, Queens went on a great run, losing only once at home and avoiding relegation. They also reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. McCall left at the end of the season.
Davie Rae made the club full-time at the start of the 2007–08 season. Gordon Chisholm became the new manager. After a difficult start, Queens had a 10-game unbeaten run and finished fourth in the Scottish First Division.
2007–08 Scottish Cup Final Run
On March 8, 2008, Queen of the South reached their first Scottish Cup semi-final in 58 years! They beat Dundee 2–0 at Palmerston. The goals came from Stephen Dobbie and an amazing long-distance shot from Ryan McCann.
The semi-final was on April 12 at Hampden Park against Premier League team Aberdeen. Over 10,000 Queens fans watched an incredible game. Queens took the lead four times and won 4–3! This was the highest-scoring Scottish Cup semi-final ever, and it sent Queens to the final for the first time in their 89-year history.
The Scottish Cup Final was on May 24, 2008, against Rangers. Queens fought back from two goals down to make it 2–2, but eventually lost 3–2. Queens scorers were Stevie Tosh and captain Jim Thomson.
About 15,500 Queens fans went to the final. They were praised for their great spirit. Even after losing, 14,000 fans came out to see the team's open-top bus parade through Dumfries.
| Date | Round | Teams, score & Queen's scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24:11:07 | Third | Peterhead 0–5 Queen of the South (Dobbie 27, 89, O'Connor 44, 57, Burns 90) | 695 |
| 12:01:08 | Fourth | Queen of the South (Dobbie 16, Thomson 22, O'Connor 40, McArthur 72 (og)) 4–0 Linlithgow Rose | 3,062 |
| 02:02:08 | Fifth | Greenock Morton 0–2 Queen of the South (O'Connor 46, Stewart 87) | 3,506 |
| 08:03:08 | Sixth | Queen of the South (Dobbie 51, McCann 90) 2–0 Dundee | 6,278 |
| 12:04:08 | Semi-final | Queen of the South (Tosh 22, Burns 49, O'Connor 56, Stewart 60) 4–3 Aberdeen | 24,008 |
| 24:05:08 | Final | Queen of the South (Tosh 50, Thomson 53) 2–3 Rangers | 48,821 |
2008–09 UEFA Cup Appearance
Because they reached the Scottish Cup final, Queen of the South qualified for the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. This was a huge moment for the club!
Queens played against Danish club FC Nordsjælland. Due to stadium rules, Queens played their home game at the Excelsior Stadium. They lost the first game 2–1, with Sean O'Connor scoring for Queens.
In the away game in Denmark, Bob Harris scored an early goal for Queens. But Nordsjælland scored two late goals, and Queens were knocked out. Nordsjælland's coach praised Queens' effort, saying they had more chances.
Recent Seasons and Achievements
In 2010–11, Queens reached the 2010 Scottish Challenge Cup Final again, but lost 2–0 to Ross County.
In 2011–12, Queens were relegated to the Scottish Second Division, ending ten years in Scotland's second tier. Allan Johnston became the new player-manager.
The 2012–13 season was historic! Queens won the Second Division championship and were promoted back to the Scottish Championship. They also won the Scottish Challenge Cup, completing a fantastic "double" for the club!
In 2013–14 and 2014–15, Queens finished fourth in the Scottish Championship. This meant they qualified for the play-offs to try and get into the Scottish Premiership (the top league). They lost to Falkirk in 2014 and Rangers in 2015.
In 2018–19, their centenary season (100 years!), Queens finished ninth in the Scottish Championship. They won their play-off games against Montrose and Raith Rovers to stay in the Championship.
The 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leagues were suspended or shortened.
In 2021–22, Queens finished tenth in the Scottish Championship and were relegated to Scottish League One. They also reached the 2022 Scottish Challenge Cup Final but lost to Raith Rovers.
In 2022–23 and 2023–24, Queens played in Scottish League One, finishing fifth and seventh respectively. They continued to compete in the Challenge Cup, League Cup, and Scottish Cup each season.
