Campsie Hibernians F.C.

Campsie Hibernians

Nickname(s)	the Hibs
Founded	1889
Dissolved	1891
Ground	Brechin's Farm
Hon. Secretary	H. Murray
Match Secretary	Daniel Gallacher
Home colours

Campsie Hibernians Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in the village of Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire.

History

The club was founded in 1889, only managing a couple of practice games^[1] before its first match proper, against Stenhousemuir in the Stirlingshire Cup in October that year; the club went down to double figures, losing a couple of players to injury.^[2] At the end of the season, the club played in a four-team tournament for bades presented by one Peter Sloan, wanting to "revive the flagging interest in Campsie football";^[3] in the first tie, the Hibs met Campsie for the first - and only - time in competitive football. Only 250 saw the match, which Campsie won 6–0.^[4]

Undaunted, the club joined the Scottish Football Association the following August,^[5] and entered the 1890–91 Scottish Cup.^[6] However the club went down 6–3 at "home" (the tie being played at Alum Rock Park) to Clydebank Athletic.^[7]

It had better fortune in the Stirlingshire. The club seemed to have beaten Dunipace by a healthy 4–0, but, as darkness had ended the tie with 15 minutes to go, the Stirlingshire FA ordered the tie to be replayed.^[8] Dunipace made 8 changes, supposedly to make its side stronger, but the Hibs ran riot, scoring 18 goals, and another 5 being disputed.^[9] The Hibs were given a bye into the quarter-final, but lost 6–1 against Laurieston, the match being plagued by "a gang of young ruffians who attend football matches for the purpose of causing disturbances".^[10]

Even after the club's first match there was some doubt whether Lennoxtown could support two clubs,^[11] and, with the Hibs - despite a promising season - eing behind the other Lennoxtown side, the club was dissolved in 1891, leaving the Scottish FA in August and the Stirlingshire in October.^[12] The final match definitively played by the club was at the Smithstone Hibernians in April 1891, ending in a 1–0 defeat.^[13] There is one record for a Campsie Hibs in October 1893 but, if this is not a misprint, it must refer to a different side.^[14]

Colours

The club wore green jerseys with blue knickers.^[15]

Ground

The club normally played home matches at Brechin's Farm.^[16] For its home cup ties in 1890, the club was able to use Campsie's Alum Rock Park.^[17][18]

Notable players

• James Quigley, of Hibernian, played for the club in 1890.^[19]

References