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 team. They are based in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk. The club is part of the Scottish Professional Football League and currently plays in Scottish League One.
For most of its history, Stenhousemuir has played in the lower divisions of Scottish football. In 2019, they moved down to Scottish League Two. This happened one year after they had been promoted to League One. Stenhousemuir now plays in the 2024–25 Scottish League One after winning automatic promotion from Scottish League Two.
In September 2009, Stenhousemuir Football Club became a Community Interest Company. This means the club is run to benefit the community, not just for profit.
Contents
History of Stenhousemuir Football Club
Early Years: 1884 to 1989
Stenhousemuir Football Club was founded in 1884. The team moved to their current home, Ochilview Park, in 1890. 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 semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. They lost 1–4 at home to Rangers. The 1921–22 season was the first time Stenhousemuir played in the senior Scottish League.
In 1925–26, Stenhousemuir's goalkeeper, Joe Shortt, was offered money to lose a match. He said no, and the team won 6–2. A bookmaker was later sent to jail for trying to fix the game.
In 1928, the main wooden stand at Ochilview Park burned down. A new stand was built in its place. In the 1936–37 season, the club had its biggest win ever. They beat Dundee United 9–2 at home.
In 1949–50, a record crowd of 12,525 people came to Ochilview Park. This was for a Scottish Cup quarter-final game against East Fife. This is still the highest attendance at the stadium. On November 7, 1951, Ochilview Park hosted the first floodlit game between two Scottish senior teams. It was a friendly match between Stenhousemuir and Hibernian.
In 1964, Rangers tried to remove Stenhousemuir and four other clubs from the Scottish Football League. They said these clubs had the fewest fans. But four years later, Stenhousemuir, with support from other clubs like Celtic, stopped this plan.
In 1972–73, the Warriors famously beat 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. However, Rangers still won the overall match 6–2 on total goals.
Recent History: 1990 to Today
In 1992–93, Stenhousemuir allowed their local rivals, Stirling Albion, to share Ochilview Park. In 1993–94, Stenhousemuir moved up from the very bottom league. This was because the Scottish Third Division was created. The mid-1990s were a very successful time for the club.
In 1994–95, they reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. They beat stronger teams like St Johnstone 4–0 and Aberdeen 2–0 along the way. In the 1995–96 season, Stenhousemuir won the Scottish Challenge Cup. They beat Dundee United 5–4 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 0–0. This was their first national semi-final since 1902–03.
In 1997–98, Stenhousemuir was moved down to the Scottish Third Division. This was a first for the club. But the very next season (1998–99), they won promotion back to the Scottish Second Division. This was also a first for the club.
In 2006–07, the club put in 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 pitch was installed again in 2014.
At the end of the 2008–09 season, Stenhousemuir was promoted back to the Scottish Second Division. They won a penalty shootout 5–4 against Cowdenbeath in the play-off final.
The 2010–11 season was tough. The club almost moved down a league again. But on the last day, they beat Peterhead 3–0. This win helped them avoid the relegation play-offs.
In 2013, Stenhousemuir reached their second Challenge Cup Semi-Final. They beat Dundee on penalties but then lost 1–0 to Rangers.
In 2016–17, the club moved down to Scottish League Two. However, they came straight back up the next season. They won promotion through the play-offs. In 2018–19, they were moved down to League Two again 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 Rivalries
The Stenhousemuir Supporters' Trust is the official fan club. It is a democratic group where each member gets one vote. The Trust is the largest shareholder in the club, owning about 11% of the shares. Their goal is to own more shares so that fans can always control the club.
Stenhousemuir also has fans from other countries. The Norwegian Supporters' Club was started in 1992 in Oslo, Norway. They own about 5% of the club's shares. There is also an unofficial fan club in Denmark with about 30 members.
The Supporters Trust helps the club financially by buying shares. Members can pay a small yearly fee or a monthly amount. The money helps the club, and members also volunteer their time for projects.
Famous fans include actor Isiah Whitlock from The Wire and Monty Python star Michael Palin.
Stenhousemuir's biggest rivals are East Stirlingshire. Both teams are from the Falkirk area. They have often played in the same league and even shared a 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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| Chief executive officer | David Alexander |
| Manager | Gary Naysmith |
| Assistant manager | Brown Ferguson |
| Goalkeeping coach | Myles Hogarth |
| Head of football operations | Martin Christie |
| Head of performance | Calum Dignan |
| Video analyst | James McFarlane |
| Kitman | Reece Robertson |
Source:
Club Leadership
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Dan Wharton |
| Director | James Alexander |
| Director | Linsey Paton-Donaldson |
| Director | Brian Rafferty |
| Director | Gordon Thompson |
| Director | Johnny Thompson |
| Secretary | Terry Bulloch |
| 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 (through 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 Win: 9–2 against Dundee United, April 16, 1937. (Scottish League – Division Two)
- Biggest League Loss: 2–11 against Dunfermline Athletic, September 27, 1930. (Scottish League – Division Two)
- Highest Home Attendance: 12,525 against East Fife, March 11, 1950. (Scottish Cup Quarter-Final)
