Parkgrove F.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Parkgrove Football Club | |
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| Founded | 1874 | |
| Dissolved | 1897 | |
| Ground | Kinning Park 1874-1876 Clifford Park 1876- 77 Trinidad Park 1877-1880 |
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Parkgrove F.C. was an old football club from Glasgow, Scotland. They were based in an area called Govan. This club played football in the 1800s and was known for some interesting facts about its players.
Contents
The Story of Parkgrove F.C.
Parkgrove Football Club started playing in 1874. When they first began, their team wore red and blue uniforms. After a few years, in the 1879–80 season, they changed their look to white shirts with thin black stripes.
Pioneering Players: Breaking Barriers
Parkgrove is famous for having two of the very first black football players known in the sport's history. These players were Andrew Watson and Robert Walker.
While playing for Parkgrove, Andrew Watson also became the club's "match secretary." This meant he helped organize games and manage the team's paperwork. This made him the first black person to hold such an important role in football management!
A Diverse Team
The club was also known for having players from different countries. For example, Thomas Britten, a football player from Wales, played for Parkgrove in 1878. He was known as one of their best attackers.
Another player, their goalkeeper Tommy Marten, was thought to be from Japan. Later, people found out he was half Chinese. This shows that Parkgrove had a very diverse team, which was quite special for that time.
Scottish Cup Journey
Parkgrove F.C. had a good run in the Scottish Cup during the 1879-80 season. This is a big competition for football clubs in Scotland. They reached the fifth round of the cup!
In that round, they played against a team called South Western. The first game was a draw, so they had to play again. Parkgrove lost the replay, and South Western moved on in the competition.
Why Did Parkgrove F.C. Stop Playing?
After a few successful years, Parkgrove F.C. started to face challenges. In 1880, they couldn't play a scheduled game against Dunfermline F.C. Many of their players decided to join a new team called Pilgrims for the next season.
The club also moved out of their football field, Trinidad Park, in 1880. The field was then put up for rent. Even though a newspaper said in 1894 that the club was doing well, things changed.
Parkgrove continued to play some games, even against famous teams like Rangers in 1894. They also played in a tournament organized by Partick Thistle in 1896. However, by August 1897, a newspaper listed Parkgrove as one of the many football clubs in Glasgow that had stopped playing.
Famous Players from Parkgrove
- Andrew Watson (footballer, born 1856): A Scottish international player and one of the first black football players.
- Robert Walker (Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers footballer): Another black player who played alongside Andrew Watson at Parkgrove.
- Thomas Britten: A Welsh international player who was a top scorer for Parkgrove.
