Dundee Wanderers
Formed 1885. Disbanded April 1913
Elected to Scottish Division Two 1894. Failed re-election 1895
Kit History
Wanderers
1885-1891
Became Johnstone Wanderers 1891
1885-1892 a b c
1892-1894 b c
Strathmore
1876
1880-1882 b
1882-1884 b
1884-1891 b
1891-1892 e
Dundee Wanderers
1894
Formed by the merger of Johnstone Wanderers and Strathmore
1894-1898 b c
1898-1900 b c
1900-1911 c
1911-1913 c
Background
Dundee Wanderers were formed
in 1894 when two Dundee clubs amalgamated. Wanderers had been formed in 1885 as an offshoot of Our Boys (who would later merge with another local team to become Dundee FC) and became Johnstone Wanderers in 1891. Strathmore FC were considerably older, having been formed as far back as 1876. The new club adopted Johnstone Wanderers' maroon and white stripes, were based at their Clepington Park and in January 1894, under the name of Dundonians FC,
the club made a successful application to join the Second Division of the
Scottish League. After objections from Dundee FC, they adopted the title of Dundee Wanderers.
Unfortunately the standard was too high and "The Forkies" finished ninth (out of ten) with only nine points, losing their place after only one season. Had they not been awarded two points when Renton refused to complete their fixture, they would have finished joint last with Cowlairs. In the end it was all academic as both clubs failed to be re-elected, their places being taken by Kilmarnock and Linthouse.
The club re-joined the Northern League and won the competition in 1900.
In 1909 Wanderers lost their tenancy to the newly formed Dundee Hibernian and were forced to move out having first removed their fixtures including the goalposts and grandstand. The following season (1909-10) Dundee Wanderers played all their home games on their opponents' grounds. At the end of the season they were forced to resign from the Northern League, having failed to secure a new home. After playing only friendly and cup games during 1910-11, Wanderers secured a tenancy at St Margaret's Park in Lochee and rejoined the Northern league, wearing brand new colours.
In September 1912, Dundee Wanderers were hammered 0-8 at Arbroath in a Scottish Cup tie. There are no records of the team playing any further fisxtures and in April 1913, the club was formally wound up.
Wanderers colours were often described as red rather than maroon in press reports of the period but it seems likely from Scottish FA records that they in fact wore maroon until 1911 when they registered "light blue and gold" with the Scottish FA. The local "Saturday Post" of 12 August 1911, however, reported that the club's new colours were "black and gold" and coined the inevitable nickname of The Wasps. Alick Milne has suggested from his research that the club in fact wore navy blue and gold in their final two seasons.
In 1910 the club left the Northern League possibly due to a financial crisis. They rejoined the following year wearing new colours but midway through the 1912-13 season, the club folded.
Sources
- (a) The Scottish Football League Past Members (Norman Nicholl 1992)
- (b) Scottish Football History
- (c) Alick Milne
- (d) Wikipedia
- (e) The Straw Plaiters