Stenhousemuir F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Stenhousemuir Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Stenny, The Warriors | ||
| Founded | 1884 | ||
| Ground | Ochilview Park | ||
| Capacity | 3,746 (626 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Dan Wharton | ||
| Manager | Gary Naysmith | ||
| League | Scottish League One | ||
| 2015–16 | Scottish League One, 8th | ||
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Stenhousemuir Football Club is a Scottish football club located in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk. They are part of the Scottish Professional Football League. The team currently plays in Scottish League One. They earned automatic promotion from Scottish League Two in 2024.
For most of its history, the team has played in the lower divisions of Scottish football. In 2009, the club became a Community Interest Company. This means it focuses on helping the community.
Contents
History of Stenhousemuir FC
Early Years (1884–1989)
The club says it was founded in 1884. However, records show a Stenhousemuir FC existed from 1881 to 1885. The current club was first mentioned in the press in 1886.
In 1890, the Warriors moved to Ochilview Park. Before that, they played at Tryst Park and Goschen Park. In the early 1900s, the club had some success. They won the Scottish Qualifying Cup twice, in 1901 and 1902. In the 1902–03 season, they reached the Scottish Cup semi-final. They lost 1–4 at home to Rangers. The 1921–22 season was their first time competing in senior Scottish League Football.
In 1925–26, Stenhousemuir goalkeeper Joe Shortt was offered money to lose a match. He refused the offer, and the Warriors won the game 6–2. A bookmaker from Bainsford was later jailed for trying to fix the match.
In 1928, the wooden grandstand at Ochilview Park burned down. A new stand was built in its place. The 1936–37 season saw the club achieve a record victory. They won 9–2 at home against Dundee United. In 1949–50, a Scottish Cup quarter-final game against East Fife drew a record crowd of 12,525. This is the highest attendance ever at Ochilview Park. On November 7, 1951, the first floodlit game between two Scottish senior teams happened at Ochilview Park. It was a friendly match between Stenhousemuir and Hibernian.
In 1964, Rangers tried to remove Stenhousemuir and four other clubs from the league. They argued these clubs had the fewest supporters. Four years later, Stenhousemuir, along with other clubs, defeated this plan. They had support from teams like Celtic.
In 1972–73, the Warriors defeated Rangers 2–1 at Ibrox Stadium. This was in the Scottish League Cup. At that time, Rangers were the champions of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Rangers still won the overall match 6–2 on total goals.
Modern Era (1990–Present)
In 1992–93, the club allowed their rivals Stirling Albion to share Ochilview Park. In the 1993–94 season, the Warriors moved out of the lowest league for the first time. This was because the Scottish Third Division was formed. The mid-1990s became one of the club's most successful times.
In 1994–95, they reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. They beat higher-league teams like St Johnstone 4–0 and Aberdeen 2–0. In the 1995–96 season, Stenhousemuir won the Scottish Challenge Cup. They beat Dundee United 5–4 in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 draw. This was their first national semi-final since 1902–03.
In 1997–98, Stenhousemuir was moved down from the Scottish Second Division. They went to the Scottish Third Division for the first time. However, the next season (1998–99), the Warriors won promotion back to the Second Division. This was also a first for the club.
In 2006–07, the club installed a new artificial playing surface at Ochilview Park. It was the first in the UK to get the top FIFA 2 Star rating. A new artificial surface was put in during the summer of 2014.
At the end of the 2008–09 season, Stenhousemuir was promoted back to the Scottish Second Division. They had been moved down in 2002–03. They won a play-off final against Cowdenbeath 5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 tie.
The 2010–11 season saw the club almost get moved down again. They spent most of the season near the bottom. On the last day, they beat Peterhead 3–0. This moved them above Alloa Athletic and helped them avoid the play-offs.
In 2013, Stenhousemuir reached their second Challenge Cup Semi-Final. They beat Dundee on penalties after a 1–1 draw. They then lost 1–0 to Rangers.
After a tough season in 2016–17, the club was moved down to Scottish League Two. However, they came straight back up the next season. They finished fourth but won promotion through the play-offs. They beat Queen's Park in the semi-finals and then Peterhead in the final. In 2018–19, the club was moved back to League Two after losing to Annan Athletic in the play-offs.
After five seasons in Scottish League Two, Stenhousemuir won their first league championship in 140 years. They won the title on April 6, 2024, after a 0–0 draw with East Fife.
Supporters and Club Rivalries
The Stenhousemuir Supporters' Trust is the official fan club. It is a democratic group where each member gets one vote. Its committee is chosen every year by the members. The Trust is the largest shareholder in the club, owning about 11% of the shares. Their goal is to own more shares so that no single person can take control of the club from its supporters.
The club also has fans from other countries. The Norwegian Supporters' Club is a small group based in Oslo, Norway. It was started in 1992. In 1996, they were given one share of Stenhousemuir F.C. to thank them for their support. Today, this group owns about 5% of the club's shares. Stenhousemuir FC also has Danish supporters. The Denmark-based fan club started in 2000 and has about 30 members.
The 'Warriors Supports Trust' was set up in 2003. It works with the club's board and the Supporters Club to help the team succeed. Members pay a yearly fee, or they can choose a 'silver' or 'gold' membership for more support. The money from memberships is used to buy shares in the football club. This helps the club financially. The Trust has also given money and time to various club projects.
Famous fans include The Wire actor Isiah Whitlock and Monty Python star Michael Palin.
The biggest rivals are East Stirlingshire. They have a strong local rivalry because both teams are from the Falkirk area. They have often played in the same division and even shared the same stadium for a while. There is also a smaller rivalry with Falkirk.
Current Team and Staff
First-Team Squad
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Club Staff
| Position | Staff |
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| Manager | Gary Naysmith |
| Assistant manager | Brown Ferguson |
| Goalkeeping coach | Myles Hogarth |
| Head of football operations | Martin Christie |
| Sport scientist | Calum Dignan |
| Video analyst | James McFarlane |
| Physio | Michael Gallacher |
| Physio | Adele Gandy |
| Club doctor | Dr Aileen Cope |
Source:
Board of Directors
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Dan Wharton |
| Director | James Alexander |
| Director | Brian Rafferty |
| Director | Gordon Thompson |
| Director | Johnny Thompson |
| Supporters club representative | Andy McPhate |
Club Achievements
- Scottish Third Division/Scottish League Two (fourth tier):
- Winners: 2023–24
- Runners-up: 1998–99
- Promoted: 2008–09, 2017–18 (via play-offs)
- Scottish Challenge Cup:
- Winners: 1995–96
- Scottish Qualifying Cup:
- Winners (2): 1900–01, 1901–02
- Stirlingshire Cup:
- Winners (11): 1899–1900, 1901–02, 1921–22, 1932–33, 1936–37, 1962–63, 1970–71, 1975–76, 1986–87, 2001–02, 2014–15
- Central Combination:
- Winners (3): 1898–99, 1900–01, 1901–02
- Midland League:
- Winners: 1895–96
Club Records
- Biggest league victory: 9–2 vs Dundee United, April 16, 1937. (Scottish League – Division Two)
- Biggest league defeat: 2–11 vs Dunfermline Athletic, September 27, 1930. (Scottish League – Division Two)
- Biggest home attendance: 12,525 vs East Fife, March 11, 1950. (Scottish Cup Quarter-Final)
See also
In Spanish: Stenhousemuir Football Club para niños
