Uddingston F.C. (1887)

Not to be confused with Uddingston F.C..

Uddingston

Full name	Uddingston Football Club
Founded	1886
Dissolved	1891
Ground	Meadowbank
Secretary	J. Wise Jr, A. N. C. Smith
Home colours

Uddingston Football Club was a 19th-century football club based in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

History

The club was formed in August 1886,^[1] five years after the dissolution of the previous senior club in the town; one link with the previous club was Alex Inglis, who continued as a forward for the new club.^[2] Its earliest recorded match was at home to Hamilton Academical in April 1887, with George Somerville from Queen's Park guesting for the new side.^[3]

The club's first entry into the Scottish Cup in 1887–88 was not a success, with a 5–2 home defeat to Royal Albert.^[4]

However the 1888–89 season proved to be the club's most successful. In the 1888–89 Scottish Cup, the club reached the fourth round (final 22) for the only time, albeit thanks to some fortune, as the club received a bye in the first round, and a walkover from Glasgow University in the third; in between the club beat Rutherglen Clydesdale 5–1.^[5]

The run ended at home to Mossend Swifts (by which time Somerville had switched loyalties to Uddingston),^[6] but, in the Lanarkshire Cup, Uddingston reached the final for the only time. The club had recruited a new goalkeeper (M. Dolan from newly-defunct Drumpellier) and four other county representatives, and had only lost two matches all season; the Cup tie and a friendly with Carfin Shamrock just before Christmas 1888,^[7] which the club avenged by beating the Shamrock 3–2 away in the Lanarkshire Cup semi-final.^[8] In an earlier round the club had hammered Hamilton Academical 6–1^[9] and the club had even managed a 2–2 draw at Rangers in a friendly.^[10]

The final (at Whifflet Shamrock's Meadow Park), against Royal Albert, was a 2–2 draw, Uddingston coming from two down with two goals from half-back Brown.^[11] The replay, at the same venue in front of 2,000 spectators, was spoilt by a heavy downpour which turned the pitch into a quagmire, and Uddingston, losing the toss, faced the worst of the conditions; despite this, Elliott gave the club the lead, but the Royalists equalized before half-time and won the game with 20 minutes to go.^[12] A protest against the state of the pitch was dismissed^[13] but the club had some consolation with a 4–3 friendly win over Hibernian.^[14]

There were already problems lurking for the side, however, as Lanarkshire was facing an influx of football agents seeking to recruit players for the professional game in England.^[15] The club remained locally strong in 1889–90 and 1890–91, reaching the semi-final of the Lanarkshire Cup in both years,^[16][17] and reached the third round of the Scottish Cup in the latter year, although the step up to face Queen's Park at Hampden Park was too far, and the club lost 6–0, five goals coming before half-time.^[18]

However, after showing such promise, the club's collapse was swift. It lost the use of its ground towards the end of the 1890–91 season, and, having been drawn at home in the Consolation Cup to Wishaw Thistle, had to cede home advantage; the club duly lost 6–3, having been 6–1 behind at half-time.^[19] The defeat is the club's last recorded match. It did enter the Scottish Cup for 1891–92, but scratched from the competition after being drawn against the low-key Kelvinside Athletic;^[20] the club did not live long enough to enter the county cup in the same season.

Colours

The club played in white shirts and blue knickers.^[21]

Grounds

The club played at Meadowbank.^[22] The final game was a defeat by Battlefield in March 1891.^[23]

References

1. The 15 February 1889 edition of the Rutherglen Reformer refers to the club being in its third year, therefore it is not a continuation of the previous club.
2. "Lanarkshire Cup - Semi-final ties". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 25 January 1889.
3. "Football". Hamilton Advertiser: 2. 9 April 1887.
4. "Scottish Cup Ties - First Round". Glasgow Herald: 8. 5 September 1887.
5. "Uddingston v Clydesdale (SCT)". Hamilton Advertiser: 6. 29 September 1888.
6. "Mossend Swifts v Uddingston". Lothian Courier: 6. 10 November 1888.
7. "Football". Wishaw Press: 2. 29 December 1888.
8. "Lanarkshire Cup - Semi-final ties". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 25 January 1889.
9. "Uddingston v Hamilton Academical, L.C.T. Second Round". Hamilton Advertiser: 2. 24 November 1888.
10. "Uddingston v Rangers". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 1 February 1889.
11. "Royal Albert v Uddingston". Rutherglen Reformer. 88: 7. 15 February 1889.
12. "Lanarkshire Final Tie". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 22 February 1889.
13. "Lanarkshire Football Association". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 1 March 1889.
14. "Uddingston v Hibernians". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 1 March 1889.
15. "Notes by "Athlete"". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 22 February 1889.
16. "Football". Wishaw Press: 2. 1 March 1890.
17. "Uddingston v Albion Rovers". Rutherglen Reformer: 6. 27 February 1891.
18. "Queen's Park v Uddingston". Glasgow Herald: 10. 20 October 1890.
19. "Coatbridge Express Cup". Rutherglen Reformer: 2. 1 May 1891.
20. "Football notes". Airdrie Advertiser: 6. 12 September 1881.
21. M'Dowall, John (1887). Scottish Football Annual 1887–88. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 59.
22. "Athletics". Rutherglen Reformer: 7. 16 August 1889.
23. "Uddingston v Battlefield". Rutherglen Reformer: 6. 27 March 1891.