Townhill
Nickname(s)the Miners[1]
Founded1885
Dissolved1895
GroundCairncubie Park
Hon. SecretaryJohn F. Graham
Match SecretaryAlexander Allan[2]
CaptainJ. Duncan[3]

Townhill F.C. was an association football club from the village of Townhill, Fife, which played in the Scottish Cup twice in the 19th century.

History

1887–88 Edinburgh Shield 2nd Round, Townhill 1–2 Dunfermline Athletic, Dunfermline Journal, 15 October 1887

The first recorded match for the club was a defeat to a scratch team from Dunfermline in May 1885.[4] It did not play competitive football until 1886–87, when it entered the Fife Cup, and lost to Strathforth in the first round. However the club only had one other defeat in the season, and with 10 wins and a credit balance of £2, considered "very satisfactory", the club resolved to enter the Edinurgh Shield as well the following season.[5]

Indeed, the club picked up its first competitive win in that competition in 1887–88, coming from behind to beat Lumphinnans 3–1 away from home,[6] but lost to Dunfermline Athletic in the next round. It followed that win with a 5–0 revenge victory over Strathforth in the first round of the King Cup, albeit that was the only win the club had in four entries to that competition; Strathforth protested in vain against the fourth goal, and one of its players quit the match in protest at its being given.[7]

Despite a general lack of success, Townhill joined the Scottish Football Association in August 1888,[8] and entered the 1888–89 Scottish Cup. The move to senior football was a qualified success, as the club lost 3–0 at Kirkcaldy Wanderers in the first round of the Scottish Cup - the club walking off in protest at the third goal being given, but, as 86 minutes had been played, the players went back onto the pitch to avoid further sanction[9] - and also lost its only ties in the Fife and Edinburgh competitions, but it did get to the final of the Dunfermline Charity Cup, where it lost 3–2 to Cowdenbeath.[10]

The club did not renew its Scottish FA subscription[11] and only lasted one more season playing at a senior level, although it did beat Blairadam 5–0 in the Fife Cup,[12] and got as far as the semi-final, where the club again failed to get past Cowdenbeath.

The club had an on-off existence over the next few years, mostly playing at a Junior level,[13] but it did return to senior level in 1894–95. It lost in the first Scottish Cup qualifying round to Cowdenbeath,[14] and to Lochgelly United in its first Edinburgh Shield tie,[15] but did get past St Andrews University in the county cup, after a 4–4 draw which was "the best played on Station Park this year",[16] to reach the semi-final. At that stage Townhill lost to eventual winners Clackmannan in a replay, 4–2, after twice taking the lead,[17] and the club was finally wound up in August 1895.[18]

Colours

The club wore white shirts and blue knickers.[19]

Ground

The club's ground was at Cairncubie Park.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Recreation notes". St Andrews Citizen: 3. 24 November 1894.
  2. ↑ "Secretaries of football clubs". Fifeshire Advertiser: 6. 24 April 1886.
  3. ↑ "Townhill". Dunfermline Saturday Press: 3. 28 May 1887.
  4. ↑ "Townhill v Dunfermline (Scratch team)". Dunfermline Saturday Press: 3. 6 June 1885.
  5. ↑ "Townhill". Dunfermline Saturday Press: 3. 28 May 1887.
  6. ↑ "Lumphinnans v Townhill - Edinburgh Shield tie". Dunfermline Saturday Press: 3. 24 September 1887.
  7. ↑ "Townhill v Strathforth (undecided King Cup tie)". Dunfermline Saturday Press: 3. 26 November 1887.
  8. ↑ Scottish FA Minutes 1887–90. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 21 August 1888. p. 55.
  9. ↑ "Kirkcaldy Wanderers v Townhill". Dunfermline Saturday Press: 3. 8 September 1888.
  10. ↑ "Fife Charity Cups". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Scottish FA Minutes 1887–90. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 20 August 1889. p. 170.
  12. ↑ "Football". Dundee Courier: 4. 14 October 1889.
  13. ↑ "Football". Fife Free Press: 3. 11 October 1890.
  14. ↑ "Sporting news". Edinburgh Evening News: 3. 3 September 1894.
  15. ↑ "Edinburgh Football Notes". Scottish Referee: 2. 8 October 1894.
  16. ↑ "Our college column". Dundee Evening Telegraph: 2. 20 November 1894.
  17. ↑ "Fife Cup Semi-Final". Alloa Advertiser: 3. 6 April 1895.
  18. ↑ "Clubs struck off the Roll". Dundee Evening Telegraph: 3. 14 August 1895.
  19. ↑ M'Dowall, John (1888). Scottish Football Annual 1888–89. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 78.
  20. ↑ M'Dowall, John (1888). Scottish Football Annual 1888–89. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 78.
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