Possil Bluebell F.C.

Former association football club in Scotland

Football club

Possil Bluebell

Full name

Possil Bluebell Football Club

Nickname(s)

the Blue Bell^[1]

Founded

1878

Dissolved

1881

Ground

Hamilton Hill Park

Secretary

John Wren, William Robertson

Home colours

Possil Bluebell Football Club was a 19th-century football club from the Possilpark area of Glasgow in Scotland.

History

The club was founded in 1878,^[2] with the name originally stylized as Possil Blue Bell. With 28 members in its first season, the club was the second-smallest known senior club in Glasgow, only Union known to have been smaller. The club still only had 38 members in its second season.^[3]

Notwithstanding its size, the club entered the 1878–79 Scottish Cup, and enjoyed an 8–0 win over the 19th L.R.V. in the first round.^[4] The club lost 2–1 at Partick in the second, the home side having a third chalked off and the Blue Bell goal being a consolation with ten minutes to go - the Partick goalkeeper only touched the ball on two other occasions.^[5]

The club made the second round again the following season, albeit thanks to the Telegraphists ceding the first round tie. Given little chance against the 3rd L.R.V., the Bluebell put up a remarkable fight, holding the Hi-Hi to a goalless draw at the original Cathkin Park thanks to "capital back play"^[6] and only losing 1–0 in the replay; the Volunteers' superior fitness told as the Blue Bell dominated the first half, the Hi-Hi the second.^[7]

However that was as good as it got for the club; with other clubs in Glasgow and its environs emerging, a small club like the Bluebell was simply swamped. Indeed, the last record of the club playing is in a match against the Good Templars Harmonic in February 1880 for which it needed to borrow players from the unknown Possil Park United.^[8]

It entered the Scottish Cup for the next two seasons, but scratched from its first tie in 1880–81, even a first round bye not persuading the side to play its second round tie. In 1881–82, the club was drawn to play Alexandra Athletic, but had dissolved before the tie could take place.^[9]

Colours

The club wore dark blue jerseys and knickers, and red hose with a white stripe.^[10]

Ground

The club played at Hamilton Hill Park, a 15-minute walk from Cowlairs railway station.^[11]

References

^ "Partick v Possil Blue Bell". North British Daily Mail: 3. 21 October 1878.
^ Dick, William (1878). Scottish Football Annual 1878–79. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 54.
^ Dick, William (1879). Scottish Football Annual 1879–80. Glasgow: Dunlop & Foote. p. 69.
^ "Association Cup ties". North British Daily Mail: 6. 23 September 1878.
^ "Partick v Possil Blue Bell". North British Daily Mail: 3. 21 October 1878.
^ "3d L.R.V. v Possil Blue Bell". North British Daily Mail: 7. 13 October 1879.
^ "Association Cup ties". North British Daily Mail: 7. 20 October 1879.
^ "Matches played on Saturday". Glasgow Herald: 10. 16 February 1880.
^ M'Dowall, John (1882). Scottish Football Association Annual 1882–83. Glasgow: W. Weatherston. p. 75.
^ Dick, William (1878). Scottish Football Annual 1878–79. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 54.
^ Dick, William (1879). Scottish Football Annual 1879–80. Glasgow: Dunlop & Foote. p. 69.