Parkgrove F.C.
Parkgrove F.C. were a nineteenth-century Glasgow-based senior football club. They were based in Govan, Glasgow.[1]
| Full name | Parkgrove Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1874 | |
| Dissolved | 1897 | |
| Ground | Kinning Park 1874-1876 Clifford Park 1876- 77 Trinidad Park 1877-1880 | |
|
| ||
History
Originally the team played in red & blue colours (1874–79); but for the 1879–80 season they changed to a white shirt with thin black hoops.[1][2]
The club is notable for having two of the earliest known black footballers; Andrew Watson and Robert Walker. While at Parkgrove, Watson became the club's match secretary - making him also the first black administrator in association football.[3]
It was noted that Parkgrove played with a cosmopolitan team. Thomas Britten, a Welsh international football player, played for the club in 1878.[4] Another of its players, goalkeeper Tommy Marten, was noted as being from Japan although it was later established that he was half Chinese.[5]
The club made the fifth round of the Scottish Cup in 1879-80. They drew with South Western; but were beaten in the replay. South Western progressed to the Quarter-Finals but were beaten by Pollokshields Athletic.
Decline
The club couldn't make a game with Dunfermline F.C. on New Year's Day 1880.[6] Many of the club's players moved to the new Pilgrims side for the 1880–81 season.[7]
It was noted that Parkgrove moved out of their Trinidad Park ground in 1880. A notice of the ground at the Broomloan estate states that Parkgrove recently moved - and that the ground was now for let.[8][9] Kinning Park, home of Rangers at the time Parkgrove played at Trinidad Park, was fairly near;[5] The Gers moved to the first Ibrox Park, directly adjacent to the Trinidad site, in 1887.
The Scottish Referee noted on 8 October 1894 that they were asked to contradict a rumour that the Parkgrove club were about to collapse. It noted that the secretary advised that the club was in healthy condition and was likely to survive for many days.[10]
The club was still extant late that same year, playing Rangers on 15 December 1894 in the Kirkwood Shield competition.[11] They were still playing in 1896 as they were in a Partick Thistle-sponsored tournament in season 1896–97;[12] however, by August 1897, Parkgrove was listed by the Scottish Referee as one of the many defunct clubs of Glasgow.[13]
Notable former players
- Andrew Watson (footballer, born 1856), Scottish international football player; and the first black association football player.
- Robert Walker (Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers footballer), another black player to play association football alongside Watson at Parkgrove.
- Thomas Britten, Welsh international player - who was noted as Parkgrove's leading striker.[5]
References
- "Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009.
- "Eminent Victorians (Scotland)". Historical Football Kits.
- Heffernan, Conor (19 April 2016). "Andrew Watson: the silent pioneer for black footballers". These Football Times.
- "Parkgrove F.C., Glasgow - football club". eu-football.info.
- "Show Racism the Red Card - The world's earliest known black footballers". Show Racism the Red Card.
- "Register" – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Queen's Park v Pilgrims". North British Daily Mail: 3. 25 October 1880.
- "Register" – via British Newspaper Archive.
- Trinidad Park, Andrew Watson: Corinthian
- "Register" – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Register" – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Register" – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Register" – via British Newspaper Archive.