The History of the ‘Shire'

CRICKET was the original name of the game for the founders of Glasgow Perthshire. The group of Perth businessmen who came to Glasgow in the 1880’s to make their fortunes – and start a cricket club in their leisure time – had somehow, by 1888, changed their interest to football.

This led to the formation of the Glasgow Perthshire FC although they did not enter league football until two years later when the young club joined the Glasgow Junior League.

The team, playing in black and white, made an inauspicious start and did not collect their first trophy, the Glasgow Charity Cup, until seven years later although, two years earlier, a memorable Scottish Junior Cup run had only been halted at the semi-final stage when West Calder United beat them 2-1 in a Tynecastle replay.

The 'Shire’s first ground was in Oran Street, Maryhill, however work on a local housing development forced their move to Kelvinside Park, located at the Canal Bridge in Bilsland Drive. They were to remain there until 1912, with few notable achievements other than Charity Cup wins in 1901 and 1902.

Another move, this time to Balmore Park in Balmore Park, coincided with a solitary Glasgow Junior Cup win in 1914 but it was their move to their present-day ground Keppoch Park – the old Clydesdale Ironworks site – that galvanised the’ Shire’ and saw them become a major force in Junior game.

They bought the ground on 31st May 1933 for £1,312 5s & 3p but after two seasons it would appear that they had some financial problems for they sold the park to Glasgow City council for £1,687 15s & 11p and leased it back on a full repairing lease.

Sam Scoular, who later joined Clyde, is credited with scoring the first goal on the new ground, but he was not listed in the Perthshire side which won the Scottish Junior Cup that year, when goals from Corrance and McVicar earned a 2 – 1 victory over Rob Roy in front of 13,000 fans at Firhill. The Kirkintilloch side gained revenge in an epic semi-final 5 years later, eventually winning, 2 – 1 after extra time at Shawfield, following two drawn games.

In between these Scottish Cup runs, their romance with the Charity Cup continued with success in 1935 and 1936 while the West of Scotland Cup was lifted for the one and only time in the ‘Shire’s history in 1940, a fitting way to celebrate their first 50 years.

During that period, many great players were discovered by the Club, including Third Lanark legend Tod Sloan, James Stark of Rangers fame and goalkeeper Jimmy Lawrence, who won two English FA Cup medals with Newcastle United. He was also capped for Scotland against England in 1911, playing alongside another ‘Shire’ old boy, David Colman, who had by then moved to Aberdeen.

There was also full-back Jimmy Crapnell, who, as an Airdrie player, collected nine caps for Scotland, Celtic ace Bertie Thomson, and inside forward Bob McLean, who starred for Tottenham Hotspur.

The next 50 years began with glory in 1941 as they lifted the Scottish Junior Cup for the second time. A crowd of 15,000 fans packed into Tynecastle to watch the ‘Shire’ overcome Armadale Thisle 3 – 1 with goals from Riley, Rice and Jack.

Perthshire were now a major player in the quest for top honours and the hat-trick of wins in the Juniors’ most prestigious tournament arrived three years later, this time at Hampden when a crowd of 32,000 saw a Graham goal settle the final against Blantyre Vics.

The Possil side didn’t threaten more Scottish glory until 1974, when the all-conquering Cambuslang Rangers defeated them 2 – 0 in a Firhill semi-final.

No-one at Keppoch Park can explain the club’s fall from prominence during the 1950’s and 60’s, but it was a decision by the then Chairman Joe McHugh  to appoint Ian Wallace as team boss in 1975 that brought an upturn in the ‘Shire’s fortunes.

In his eight year spell in charge, Wallace, now sadly, deceased, brought the Central League Championship to Keppoch for the first time in 1977, and went on to defeat Shettleston 2 – 1 in that season’s Evening Times Cup Winners’ Cup final.

Minor success was also achieved by winning the R. & J. McLeod Trophy and the Maryhill Charity Cup, as well as the ‘B’ Division title. But the club’s most notable on-field change was from an ash pitch to grass in the 1980/81 season, Perthshire being the last Junior club to play on cinders.

Senior clubs have continued to use the ‘Shire’ as a source of talent, signing the likes of Scottish internationalist Bobby Campbell of Falkirk and Chelsea fame, Joe Walters of Clyde and Partick Thistle’s Bobby Henderson.

Arguably the most famous of recent times was the profile goal-scoring centre forward Frank McDougall, discovered by Ian Wallace. Ian formed a deadly Keppoch Park strike force with junior internationalist Pat Smyth before a move to Clydebank, where his exploits earned him big money transfers to first St Mirren and then Aberdeen.

Another top-class Perthshire striker was John Brogan, who moved to St Johnstone and is acknowledged by his former striking partner, Ally McCiost, as one of the best finishers he has ever seen. Harry Hill and John ‘Pop’ Pelosi were others who retraced the steps of the ‘Shire’s founders and moved to Perth as St Johnstone players, while striker John Mailer achieved fame by joining Hamilton Accies and scoring against Celtic on his debut.

Recent seasons have seen the return of senior and Junior scouts to Keppoch Park, attracted by exploits of the highest scoring teams the Central League. Regular scoring feats helped them earn promotion as runners-up in the Second Division in 2000 only to be demoted the following season mainly due to financial instability and the resulting loss of their top players to other clubs.

Despite this set back team boss Billy Adams managed to put together a young side and deserves great credit for their performances under his management by winning the Championship 2001/2002.  However the pattern has been set and the resultant exodus of that Championship side meant that the last couple of seasons were about rebuilding for the future, unfortunately history repeated itself earning promotion in the 2005/06 season only to be demoted for the next season.

2007/2008 saw for the first time in history the ’Shire’ taking a year out from playing. However under the helm of Billy assisted by coaches David Preston and James McLean the team was back for the 2008/2009 season with a virtually new squad. Against all odds they gained promotion to the Central League's first division.

We are currently gathering stories of past 'Shire' players, if you know of any that you would like to post on this site please contact us via the contact link