Methlan Park F.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Methlan Park Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1883 | |
| Dissolved | 1895 | |
| Ground | Woodyard Park | |
| Patron | Robert McMillan | |
| Match Secretary | John Mathieson, John L. Muir | |
| Hon. President | Mr R. Paton | |
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Methlan Park Football Club was a football team from Dumbarton, a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. They played association football, which is the official name for what most people call soccer. The club was active for about 12 years, from 1883 to 1895.
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Club History
Methlan Park Football Club started in 1883. It was known as a club for people who were perhaps a bit more well-off. The team often held its meetings at the Lennox Temperance Hotel. This suggests they might have had links to groups that promoted avoiding alcohol.
The club's first recorded game was in April 1885 against Victoria from Helensburgh. Their first official match in a competition was in the Dumbartonshire Cup during the 1886–87 season. They played at home against Dumbarton Athletic and lost 9–1. Methlan Park's only goal was scored almost at the very end of the game.
Even after a big loss, the club didn't give up. In 1887, they joined the Scottish Football Association. This meant they could enter the Scottish Cup for the first time in the 1887–88 season.
Improving Their Game
At first, Methlan Park faced tough defeats in both national and local competitions. However, they quickly got better. The 1888–89 season was their best year in both the Scottish Cup and the Dumbartonshire Cup.
In the Scottish Cup, they won against Kirkintilloch Athletic by scoring three goals in just seven minutes! They also beat Vale of Leven Hibernians. These wins helped them reach the fourth round of the competition. Their journey ended with a 9–0 loss to Dumbarton. Some people said Methlan Park played poorly because they were nervous.
In the Dumbartonshire Cup, Methlan Park had their biggest competitive win ever. They beat Kirkintilloch Central 8–0 in the first round. The game even ended eight minutes early because the Central team walked off the pitch due to darkness. Methlan Park also reached the semi-final, losing a close game 2–1 to Dumbarton Athletic, even after scoring first. They made it to the semi-finals two more times, in 1889–90 and 1891–92.
The End of the Club
Methlan Park faced a big challenge because three other clubs in their area – Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, and Renton – were all founding members of the Scottish League. It was very hard for Methlan Park to compete with these bigger clubs, which often had support from local factories.
The club stopped playing in the qualifying rounds of the Scottish Cup in 1892–93 and 1893–94. They also didn't enter the local competition. Methlan Park officially stopped playing by April 1895. However, the name "Methlan Park" lived on for a while as a name for a youth football team.
Team Colours
Methlan Park Football Club wore jerseys with red and yellow hoops. For their shorts, they used white ones until 1889, and then they switched to blue shorts after that.
Home Ground
The club played its home games at two different fields. Until 1888, they played at Lower Woodyard Park. After that, they moved to Upper Woodyard Park. These fields were right next to Woodyard Park, which was also used by other football clubs like Alclutha and Union.
Notable Players
Even though Methlan Park was a smaller club, some talented players were part of their history:
- Dickie Boyle was the club's vice-captain before he joined Dumbarton. He later became a Football League champion with Everton.
- Alex Latta was the club's vice-president in 1888.
