Camelon Juniors F.C.

Not to be confused with Camelon F.C. (1884).

Camelon Juniors FC
Full nameCamelon Juniors Football Club
Nickname(s)The Mariners
Founded1920
GroundCarmuirs Park,
Camelon,
Scotland
Capacity3,000
ChairmanDavid Smith
ManagerAllan Moore
LeagueEast of Scotland League First Division
2023–24East of Scotland League First Division, 4th of 15
Websitehttp://www.camelonjuniors.co.uk/
Turnstiles at Carmuirs Park

Camelon Juniors Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Camelon, in the Falkirk district. The team plays in the East of Scotland League First Division, having moved from the junior leagues in 2018.[1] Despite this move, the club has decided to retain the "Juniors" part of its identity. The club have won the Scottish Junior Cup once, in 1995.

History

A previous Camelon side had existed in the Junior grade from 1906 to 1910, however the current club were formed in 1920. This Camelon Juniors side initially competed in Stirlingshire competitions but became the easternmost side to join the breakaway Scottish Intermediate League in 1927, ironically joining the West Division of the new set-up.[2] The club resigned from the Intermediates halfway through the 1929–30 season and joined the Scottish Junior League which at the time, contained fellow Stirlingshire sides Dunipace and Kilsyth Rangers.[3] Camelon remained with the SJL up to and including its solitary post-World War II season before moving in 1947 to the Edinburgh & District League.[4]

Camelon made their first appearance in the final of the Scottish Junior Cup in 1952, losing 1–0 to Kilbirnie Ladeside at Hampden Park in front of 69,959 supporters. John Hansen, father of future Scotland internationalists Alan and John, played for the Mariners at centre-half.[5] The club made consecutive final appearances in the 1990s, defeating Whitburn 2–0 at Fir Park, Motherwell in 1995, to lift the trophy for the first time, then losing by the same scoreline to Tayport at the same venue a year later.[6]

The club provided several players to Rangers over the years, including Jerry Dawson and Archie Macaulay, who both went on to become full Scotland internationals with Macaulay going on to play for West Ham United and Arsenal.[7][8] Max Murray also arrived at Ibrox from Camelon via Queen's Park, and scored Rangers first ever goal in European competition against OGC Nice in 1956.[9] Notable ex-Camelon players in more recent times include former Chelsea and Falkirk winger Kevin McAllister and Jack Ross.[10][11] Ross was a member of Camelon's losing 1996 Scottish Junior Cup final side and was also capped for the Scotland Junior international team.[12]

After winning the Lothian District League Division One in 2005–06, the club played in the top tier of the East Region for twelve seasons until their move to the senior pyramid. Their best finish in the East Superleague was 2nd in 2008–09, losing to Bonnyrigg Rose on goal difference. Camelon was one of many junior clubs that moved to the senior East of Scotland Football League during 2018.[1]

The team had been managed since October 2016 by former Dumbarton striker, Gordon Herd.[13] The club parted with Herd and his coaching staff on 11 March 2021.[14]

Colours

Camelon's traditional home kit is all red, with the team currently possessing an away kit of blue tops with blue shorts.

Current squad

As of 6 August 2024[15]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Scotland SCO Gregor Knight
— DF Scotland SCO Declan Fitzpatrick
— DF Scotland SCO Ryan McElwee
— DF Scotland SCO Sean Burns
— DF Scotland SCO Scott Stevenson
— DF Scotland SCO Calum Roger
— DF Scotland SCO Liam Taggart
— DF Scotland SCO Ian Smith
— DF Scotland SCO Simon White
— DF Scotland SCO Dean Aitken (on loan from Stenhousemuir)
— MF Scotland SCO Lucas Berry
— MF Scotland SCO Nathan Wade
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Scotland SCO Graham Taylor
— MF Scotland SCO Reece Glackin
— MF Scotland SCO Liam McQuaid
— MF Scotland SCO Jason Walton
— MF Scotland SCO Jordan Kirkpatrick
18 MF Cameroon CMR Tetteh Nartey
— MF Scotland SCO Marc McKenzie
— FW Scotland SCO James Finlay
— FW Scotland SCO Scott Sinclair
— FW Scotland SCO Zander Miller

<==On loan=== Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Coaching Staff

Position Name
Manager Allan Moore
Assistant manager Scott Woodhouse
Coach Mark Johnston
Goalkeeping coach Andy Carlin
Development Squad coaches

Michael Martin

Kenny Knox

Alan Upton

Flag Man Alan Horne

Honours

Scottish Junior Cup

  • Winners: 1994–95
  • Runners-up: 1951–52, 1995–96

Other Honours

  • South & East of Scotland Cup-Winners' Shield winners: 2018–19
  • Alex Jack Cup winners: 2018–19
  • East Region Division One winners: 1979–80, 1993–94, 1994–95
  • Fife & Lothians (Heineken) Cup winners: 1970–71, 2005–06, 2014–15
  • Lothian District League Division One winners: 2003–04, 2005–06
  • East of Scotland Junior Cup winners: 1993–94, 2007–08
  • East Junior League Cup winners: 1993–94
  • Brown Cup winners: 1976–77
  • St Michaels Cup winners: 2004–05

References

  1. ^ a b McLauchlin, Brian (7 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 25 junior clubs". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. ^ McColl, Brian. "Scottish Intermediate League". scottish-football-historical-archive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. ^ McColl, Brian. "Scottish Junior League". www.scottish-football-historical-archive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Newtongrange Star". www.newtongrangestar.uwclub.net. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Head of the Hansen clan strolls down Memory Lane". Herald Scotland. 17 May 1995. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Junior Cup is on its way to Camelon". Herald Scotland. 22 May 1995. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  7. ^ Meffen, John. "Falkirk FC Graves – Jerry Dawson". Falkirk Football Historian. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  8. ^ Brown, Neil. "Archie Macaulay". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  9. ^ Leslie, Colin (20 October 2012). "Max Murray, scorer of Rangers' first Euro goal, finds his loyalties divided". www.scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  10. ^ Smith, Aidan (16 January 2016). "Interview: Kevin McAllister still grieving end of Brockville". www.scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  11. ^ Waddell, Gordon (7 February 2010). "Jack Ross: I'll enjoy final - it has taken me 14 years to get here from junior football". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  12. ^ Lomax, Andrew (5 May 2009). "St Mirren defender Jack Ross celebrates a Scotland double". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  13. ^ Scott, Tom (22 October 2016). "Camelon Announce Appointment Of New Boss - The Juniors". The Juniors. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Management Team". Camelon Juniors FC. 11 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Squad | Camelon Juniors Football Club". www.camelonjuniors.co.uk. 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.

56°00′01″N 3°49′11″W / 56.00039°N 3.81973°W / 56.00039; -3.81973