The Oldest Football Club In Scotland - North Section

The Oldest Football Club In Scotland

A Story of Football Kings & Queens

Queen's Park Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Glasgow, which presently plays in Scottish League Two. Queen's Park is the earliest founded association football club in Scotland, having actually been founded in 1867, and is the earliest in the world outside England and Wales.

In The Beginning 

Gentlemen from the district YMCA took part in football matches in the district Glasgow location which offered the club its name. Throughout the inaugural meeting, argument raged over the club's name. Proposals consisted of: 'The Celts'; 'The Northern' and 'Morayshire'. Perhaps such option of names suggest a Highland influence within the brand-new club. After much debate, 'Queen's Park' was embraced and brought, however only by a majority of one vote. Although the Spiders were not the very first club in Britain, that honour going to Edinburgh's Foot-Ball Club, formed in 1824, they can certainly claim to be the very first Association club in Scotland. Opposition initially came in the type of a now defunct Glaswegian side called Thistle F.C. and Queen's won 2 - 0 on 1 August 1868.

The game had been played prior to then, in public schools where they had their own code and their own developed guidelines. However it was Queen's who definitely set the ball rolling. The club set about putting down the structure of the modern-day game, embracing a passing style of play which used skilful ball control. The team worked as an unit, using group methods, unlike that of their contemporaries of the day who played an 'individualistic' style of game which used kick-and-rush strategies, 'dribbling' with the ball, hacking and rough play.

The reality their players don't earn money has never ever put a stop to the club from going to the center of much of the history of the game in this nation. Queen's Park went to the centre of establishing the Scottish Football Association. It organised and provided the very first international meeting between Scotland and England under organization rules-- and without a doubt it was Queen's Park that provided the entire Scottish side on that really initial meeting on 30th November 1872.

Queen's Park aimed to other competitions too, and when welcomed to participate in the very first English F.A Cup in 1872, they took up the test, entering at the semi-final stage against the popular public institution side, Wanderers. The game finished goalless. Incapable to remain for the replay due to financial restrictions, Queen's were compelled to scratch it. WHo knows what might have been had they managed to play on? 

The Original Glasgow Derby 

Rangers also had a rare matchcard for the FA Cup Semi-Final Aston Villa v Glasgow Rangers, 1887 at Crewe, probably since Crewe was situated on the train line in between Birmingham and Glasgow in order to accessible for both clubs. The game was played at Alexandra Recreation Ground, Crewe which was the home ground of Crewe until 1896 furthermore it likewise hosted England v Wales in 1887-8. 7 thousand viewers attended this Semi-Final which was close to capacity. This was the only English Cup Semi-Final reached by Rangers.

The Original Glasgow derby is the name for the old competition in between crosstown Scottish football clubs Queen's Park and also Rangers, both based in Glasgow. The two clubs are 2 of the most successful in the Scottish Cup, and also the rivalry between them was one of earliest worldwide as well as the most extreme in the early years of Scottish football, prior to being surpassed by the Old Firm.

On 20 October 2012, the old derby was revitalized once more in league football after 54 years in the Scottish Third Division adhering to Rangers' expulsion from the top flight in 2012-- the attendance number for their initial meeting was a world record for a fourth division suit at the time as 49,463 fans existed at Ibrox Stadium to see 4th put Rangers get rid of early leaders Queen's Park 2-0.

Present Day

In 2018, an offer was made for the SFA to buy Hampden from Queen's Park upon the expiration of the lease in 2020 for a small fee of simply ₤ 5 million, with the club to enhance Lesser Hampden and play their matches there. In November 2019 the club revealed plans to redevelop Lesser Hampden into a 1774 capacity ground. As of August 2020, ownership of the main arena had been transferred to the SFA and a brand-new facility was under construction at Lesser Hampden.

The plans lodged with Glasgow City Council suggest seating capacity at the venue will rise from 470 to 1,774. Refurbishment will likewise be performed around the existing Farmhouse and Byre structures, upgrading current altering spaces.

A significant update to the club's constitution was proposed in 2019, with its members asked if they wanted to end amateur status and to allow the hiring of professional players. Part of the motivation for the proposition was that several great players had actually been lost without the club getting any settlement due to its status. The club's members voted to move to professional status following a motion on 14 November 2019. 91% of QPFC members chosen to go professional, allowing the club to sign players to longer-term agreements and collect transfer costs.

The Glasgow club were the last remaining amateur side in the Scottish Professional Football League. However 91% of members accepted advice from the club that alter was required to take on their rivals. As amateurs, they were not able to sign players on long-lasting agreements, which implied losing their finest skill for free to professional clubs. Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland and Ross County midfielder Blair Spittal are simply 3 of the most current product lines from the Queen's Park academy.

Where Do They Play? 

On 3rd June 2021, Queens Park announced a contract to play their home fixtures for season 2020/21 at Firhill Stadium, Glasgow.

A friendly contract has actually been struck in between the Club and Partick Thistle FC to allow Queen's Park to share the house of the Jags till Lesser Hampden is all set to stage matches. The Spiders hung around at the Falkirk Stadium after moving out of Hampden however they will remain in Glasgow for the new campaign in an increase to advocates.

In order to become a certified stadium, the club will expand and cover the existing seating area, provide concessions stand and a toilet block, establish a new stand on the East of the site, with associated facilities, and renovate the existing structures to provide altering accommodation and a hospitality area. The existing floodlighting will stay, with 2 towers being moved somewhat and a possible upgrade to more effective LED lighting.

The aesthetic appeals of the brand-new stadium development will be kept the like the existing Clubhouse, Farmhouse and Byre and the West stand, with a pallet of red bricks, white render and metal cladding panels.

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