Mill Park, Bathgate

Mill Park was a football ground in Bathgate, Scotland. It was the home ground of Bathgate F.C. from 1902 until they folded in 1938.

History

Bathgate F.C. moved to Mill Park in 1902.^[1] The ground was initially an enclosed field with embankments on either side of the pitch, but a grandstand was later erected.^[1]

In 1921 Bathgate were elected into Division Two of the Scottish Football League, and the first SFL match was played at Mill Park on 27 August 1921, a 0–0 draw with local rivals Armadale in front of 4,000 spectators. The club's highest recorded league attendance occurred later in the season when 5,000 watched a 0–0 draw with Alloa Athletic on 2 January 1922. Just over a month later the ground's probable record attendance was set when 8,000 attended a 1–0 win against Falkirk in the second round of the Scottish Cup on 11 February 1922.^[1]

The record league attendance was equalled the following season when a crowd of 5,000 watched a 4–2 win over Armadale on 1 January 1923.^[1] The overall record of 8,000 was equalled for a Scottish Cup third round match against Airdrieonians on 20 February 1926, with the visitors winning 5–2.^[1]

Midway through the 1928–29 season the club resigned from the SFL; their last home match was a 3–1 defeat by King's Park on 16 February 1929; the attendance of 200 was the club's lowest recorded attendance during their time in the SFL.^[1] The club was dissolved in 1938 and the site was subsequently used for housing.^[1]

References