Clydebank
Formed 1914. Disbanded July 1931.
Elected to Scottish Division Two 1914. Transferred to the Western League 1915.
Co-opted to Scottish Division One 1917. Resigned 1931.
Kit History
1914-1917 b
1917-1920 a b
1920-1923 a b
1923-1924 b
1924-1928 b
1927-1929 away b
1928-1931 b
Background
Formed in May 1914, this was the third club to have carried the name of Clydebank. The first had been formed in 1888, closed down in 1895 and had played at Hamilton Park. The second club was formed in 1899 and went out of business in 1902: this team did not join any leagues but did enter the Scottish FA Cup twice in 1901 and 1902. The team scratched from the First Round on both occasions.
The third Clydebank club was admitted to the Second Division of the Scottish League before a ball had been kicked, a remarkable event by any standards. The Division had been expanded from 12 to 14 clubs and, with the threat of war looming, the shipyards of Clydebank were booming. They played their first fixture on 15 August (a 3-1 victory over East Stirlingshire) just after war was declared. After a single season (they finished fifth), the Second Division was suspended and Clydebank joined the Western League. In 1917 Aberdeen, Dundee and Raith Rovers dropped out of the First Division (which continued throughout the war) due to travel restrictions. Clydebank were invited to fill one of the vacancies. At this stage they adopted a distinctive white shirt with a broad red band, similar to the shirts worn by the first Clydebank in 1888. (Gold and blue seems to have been retained as a change kit - see photograph.) In 1920 they finished in fifth place, their highest ever position.
In 1921 they finished last but as there was no Second Division at this stage, they remained in Division One. The following season, however, Division Two was reinstated and for the first time, automatic promotion and relegation applied. Relegated in last place in 1922, they bounced between the two divisions for the next four seasons but when they went down again in 1926 it was for the last time. After narrowly missing promotion in 1927, the club went into terminal decline as the recession hit shipbuilding. In 1931, having finished 19th out of 20, they resigned and closed down for good.
There is no connection between this club and either of the teams that have represented the town of Clydebank in the Scottish League since 1964 (see ES Clydebank and Clydebank).
Sources
- (a) The Scottish League Former Members (Norman Nichol 1992)
- (b) Alick Milne
- (c) Clydebank Programmes Online
Photograph courtesy of Clydebank Programmes Online.