Duntocher Hibernian F.C.
| Full name | Duntocher Hibernian Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1894 |
| Dissolved | 1980 |
| Ground | Glenhead Park Duntocher |
| League | Scottish Junior League 1919–27 Scottish Intermediate League 1927–31 Central Junior League 1931–66, 1973–80 |
Duntocher Hibernian Football Club were a Scottish Junior football club from the village of Duntocher, West Dunbartonshire, who played in three spells over a period of eighty-six years. Based at Glenhead Park from 1929, the club colours were green with white sleeves.
History
Founded in 1894 as a juvenile side, they turned Junior in 1896 and came to prominence by reaching the semi-finals of the Scottish Junior Cup in 1899, losing 2–0 to Parkhead. A group of players broke away from this side to form the club that became Clydebank Juniors.[1] This first incarnation of the Hibs became defunct in 1909.
Revived in 1919, the club joined the Scottish Junior League, enjoying immediate success with promotion in their first season and becoming league champions in 1923. Later that decade, Duntocher sided with the rebels during the Intermediate dispute and joined the breakaway Scottish Intermediate League upon its formation in 1927. It was during the 1950s however, that the team had its most successful period, reaching the Scottish Junior Cup final in 1955 only to lose to Kilsyth Rangers after a replay. The first game at Hampden Park was watched by a crowd of 64,976.[2] The club also won the Central League championship decider on two occasions, defeating Benburb in 1951 and Parkhead in 1958.
They were to reach the semi final of the Junior Cup in 1957, losing out to Banks O' Dee and were runners up to Pollok in the Pompey Cup in the 1958-1959 season.[3] During this spell they were managed by Willie Walsh and Jim McLean. After a period in abeyance between 1966–73, the club finally became defunct in 1980.
Notable players
Numerous players stepped up to Senior football from the club over the years. Hibs also had sixteen players capped for the Scotland Junior international team.[4] These capped players include:
- Paddy Crerand - Celtic, Manchester United and Scotland
- Dick Beattie - Celtic goalkeeper in the 1957 Scottish League Cup Final, later to receive a lifetime ban from the game for involvement in the British betting scandal of 1964.
- (Edward Maxwell) - Celtic FC 1958.
- Dennis Gillespie - Originally stepped up to Alloa. Over 400 appearances for Dundee United and inducted to that clubs Hall of Fame.[5]
Stadium
The club originally played at Fore Park in Duntocher before moving to St Helena Park in the neighbouring village of Hardgate. After purchasing a field from a local farmer in 1924, the club embarked on a project to build their own stadium using local volunteer labour. This new ground, known as Glenhead Park, was eventually opened on September 6, 1929,[6] and would remain the clubs home until their demise in 1980. After Hibs folded, the ground was taken over by the current occupiers, Drumchapel Amateurs. Clydebank used the ground under a five-year deal with Drumchapel on their return to the Junior grade in 2003 before departing to groundshare with Yoker Athletic.[7] There is talk locally of restarting the 'Hibs'.[8]
Honours
- Scottish Junior League winners: 1922–23
- Central League Championship winners: 1950–51, 1957–58
- Scottish Junior League Division Two winners: 1919–20
- Central League Division B winners: 1975–76
- Central League Cup winners: 1956–57
- Scottish Junior League Victory Consolation Cup winners: 1919–20, 1924–25
- Pompey Cup winners: 1949–50
References
- ↑ http://www.clydebankprogrammesonline.co.uk/Club%20History.html
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.pollokfc.co.uk/history.htm
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ DUFC Hall of Fame
- ↑ http://bahai-library.com/index.php?file=boyd_memoirs_father
- ↑ Bankies are coming Holm clydebankpost.co.uk 18 June 2008
- ↑ http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/juniors-hero-mcculloch-poised-for-bellsdale-return-1.937097 eveningtimes.co.uk 11 September 2008
