Gala Fairydean Rovers
Full nameGala Fairydean Rovers Football Club
Nickname(s)GFR[1][2]
Founded2013
GroundNetherdale, Galashiels
Capacity4,000[3]
ChairmanRyan Cass[4]
ManagerMartin Scott
LeagueLowland League
2022–23Lowland League, 12th of 19
WebsiteClub website

Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club are a Scottish association football club based in the town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. The club competes in the Lowland League, after joining from the East of Scotland Football League in 2013. At the same time the club changed its name to Gala Fairydean Rovers, following a merger between Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers. The club plays its home matches at Netherdale in Galashiels.[5][6]

Gala Fairydean won the East of Scotland Football League eight times and finished runners-up on seven occasions. The club reached 15 Scottish Qualifying Cup South finals, winning it 11 times, before the competition was abolished in 2007. Gala Fairydean Rovers qualify automatically for the Scottish Cup as a member of the Scottish Football Association (SFA). The best performance by the club was reaching the third round, done on five occasions.[7][8] Gala Rovers won the Border Amateur Football League 13 times.

History

Gala Fairydean Rovers was first formed in 1894. In 1907 the club was separated into two teams, known as Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers.[1] The first Gala Rovers was the reserve team of Gala Fairydean.[1] Both clubs ceased operations in 1914 due to the outbreak of the First World War and the consequent loss of male population in Galashiels.[1] Gala Fairydean resumed in 1919, after the war had ended, and was a founder member of the East of Scotland Football League in 1923.

Gala Rovers were only reformed in 1947 and joined the Border Amateur League. Although the two clubs were separate, they were closely linked through operations such as a joint lottery. Although Gala Fairydean were a semi-professional club and needed funds to pay players, Gala Rovers were amateur and could save some of the funds generated. This helped to fund construction of the 1960s main stand at Netherdale. Gala Fairydean applied to join the Scottish Football League in 1966, 1994, 2000 and 2002, but were unsuccessful on each occasion.

The two clubs merged to form Gala Fairydean Rovers in 2013.[9] The club was admitted into the new Lowland Football League in 2013.

Stadium

The main stand at Netherdale, which is a Category A listed building.

Gala Fairydean first played its home matches at Eastlands Park in Galashiels between 1909 and 1913, before moving to Mossilee for a spell until the 1920s. The club moved back to Eastlands, and stayed until 1929, when Netherdale was opened.[1] Netherdale has been the club's home since 1929 and is located in the south-east of Galashiels.[5][6] The ground's main spectator stand was designed by architect Peter Womersley, alongside engineers Ove Arup and built between 1963 and 1965. The stand has a capacity for 750 spectators and the ground as a whole up to 4,000.[3] The cantilevered concrete structure is protected as a Category A listed building.[10] The club bought 300 seats from Newcastle United's St James' Park stadium when it was refurbished, but were replaced in 2006 by wooden benches.[11]

Current squad

As of 3 July 2023[12] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Scotland SCO Jay Cantley
— GK Scotland SCO Ryan Goodfellow
— DF Scotland SCO Aidan Cassidy
— DF Scotland SCO Ciaran Greene
— DF Scotland SCO Calum Hall
— DF Scotland SCO Kyle Semple
— DF Scotland SCO Ben Herdman
— DF Scotland SCO Gareth Rodger (captain)
— MF Scotland SCO Marc Berry
— MF Scotland SCO Jack Beaumont
— MF Scotland SCO Liam Campbell
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Scotland SCO Adam Watson
— MF Scotland SCO Ethan Dougal
— MF Scotland SCO Danny Galbraith
— MF Scotland SCO Lewis Hall
— MF Scotland SCO Liam Watt
— MF Scotland SCO Kyle Wilkie
— FW Scotland SCO Jamie Semple
— FW Scotland SCO Nicky Reid
— FW Scotland SCO Sam Nicolson
— FW Scotland SCO Allan Smith

Season-by-season record

Lowland League

Season Div. Pos. Pld. W D L Pts. Scottish Cup
Gala Fairydean Rovers
2013–14Lowland League10th227213232nd Round, losing to Clyde
2014–15Lowland League8th269710341st Round, losing to Gretna 2008
2015–16Lowland League11th2810216321st Round, losing to Linlithgow Rose
2016–17Lowland League10th3011712402nd Round, losing to Elgin City
2017–18Lowland League13th308715311st Round, losing to Keith
2018–19Lowland League8th2810414343rd Round, losing to East Kilbride
2019–20Lowland League11th†257612272nd Round Replay, losing to Formartine United
2020–21Lowland League6th†12714223rd Round, losing to Annan Athletic

† Season curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours

League

Cup

  • Scottish Qualifying Cup South:[14]
    • Winners (11): 1961, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991
    • Runners-up (4): 1981, 1988, 1992, 1996
  • King Cup:
    • Winners (11): 1911–12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1929–30, 1946–47, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1988–89
  • East of Scotland Qualifying Cup:
    • Winners (10): 1926–27, 1946–47, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1994–95
  • East of Scotland (City) Cup:
    • Winners (3): 1960–61, 1987–88, 2021–22
  • East of Scotland League Cup:
    • Winners (2): 1968–69, 1993–94

Gala Rovers AFC

BAFA honours

  • Winners (13): 1951, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2013

B Division

  • Winners (1): 1995

South Cup

  • Winners (4):1954, 1963, 1964, 2007

Border Cup

  • Winners (6): 1963, 1968, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003

Beveridge Cup

  • Winners (6): 1954, 1967, 1978, 1996, 2003, 2013

Wright Cup

  • Winners (4):1963, 1966, 1985, 1995

Walls Cup

  • Winners (1): 1995

Waddel Cup

  • Winners (3): 1988, 2001, 2003

Dudley Cup

  • Winners (4): 1949, 1950, 1953, 2013

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 All-time Scottish Football Club Directory 1829–2009 – Gala Fairydean Archived 20 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Scottish Football Historical Football Archive. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  2. ↑ Gala Fairydean FC, pyramidpassion.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 Netherdale Football Ground, soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  4. ↑ , New chairman takes the helm at Gala FR. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 Information – Gala Fairydean Archived 30 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine, East of Scotland Football Association. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  6. 1 2 Netherdale, footballgroundmap.com. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Football Results Summary for Gala Fairydean, londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  8. ↑ Gala Fairydean, www.fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "Gala Fairydean Rovers look towards a united future". Southern Reporter. Johnston Publishing. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Gala Fairydean Rovers stand upgraded to A-listed". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Gala Fairydean – Ground Archived 3 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Vale of Leithen F.C. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club | FIRST TEAM SQUAD". Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 East of Scotland Football League – Final tables 1923-date Archived 1 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  14. ↑ Scotland – List of Qualifying Cup Finals, rsssf.com. RSSSF. 15 December 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
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