Nithsdale Wanderers
Formed 1896. Became a junior club 1951. Disbanded 1964.
Founder member of Scottish Division Three 1923. Failed re-election 1927.
Kit History
1897 a
1902-1903 a b c
1920-1931 a b c
Background
The tiny Dumfrieshire town of Sanquhar, situated on the River
Nith in the rolling hills of south-west Scotland, was for over 50 years the home
of Nithsdale Wanderers. There was little appetite in the region for league competition and for eleven years the team played only friendly and cup matches.
In 1909 they joined the Scottish Football Combination, a competition much diminished by the loss of leading clubs to the Scottish Union: Nithsdale shared the title with Girvan but the following season the competition was abandoned.
They then joined the Southern Counties League in 1910 but this was also abandoned part way through the season. In 1915 The 'Dale closed down for the duration of the Great War.
In 1922 Nithsdale Wanderers joined the Western League, one of the regional competitions set up by the former Scottish Division Two sides in 1915. The following season this competition formed the basis of the new Scottish Third Division, which Nithsdale won in 1925 and with it, promotion to the Scottish Second Division.
After a comfortable mid-table finish in 1926, 'Dale finished last in 1927, nine points adrift and had to seek re-election, since the Third Division had been abandoned the previous year. At the Scottish League AGM, Nithsdale were voted out and replaced by Edinburgh side, Leith Athletic.
Nithsdale applied to return to the Scottish League in 1928, 1929 and 1930 but could not attract sufficient support. They played on at senior level until 1951 when they dropped down to junior level but they continued to struggle and in 1964, Nithsdale Wanderers closed down.
In 2001 a new senior club was formed and currently plays as Nithsdale Wanderers in the amateur South of Scotland League.
Sources
- (a) The Scottish Football League - Past Members IV (Norman Nichol 1994)
- (b) Alick Milne
- (c) Scottish Football History
Photograph courtesy of Tall Tales From the Trees