For this, the fourth in the series of Gone But Not Forgotten, BotP heads North of the border to take a look at five Scottish clubs that are no longer with us. We start in a remote part of East Ayrshire alongside the Glenbuck Loch.
Glenbuck Cherrypickers (early 1870s - 1932)
The Cherrypickers only existed as a football club for around 50 years but, in that time, the club produced around 50 professional footballers, a remarkable statistic for a team from a small town that has never had a population greater than 1,200 people. Among these 50 professionals, seven went on to represent Scotland at international level, the most famous of these being former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly. All four of Shankly's brothers also played for Glenbuck,each one became a professional and brother Bob also made one international appearance. Glenbuck's unusual name, Cherrypickers, may have come from a couple of sources. During the Boer War the 11th Hussars regiment, which included men from Glenbuck, were known as the Cherry Pickers. However, the more likely origin (in my opinion) comes from the job of sorting coal from stones and debris in the local pits. This job was referred to a cherry picking and the workers who performed the task were cherry pickers. This origin for the name is backed up by the fact that the club folded in 1932 after the local coal pit was closed down. This was the main source of employment in Glenbuck and it's closure not only signalled the demise of the football club but also led to the town itself being abandoned.
Maryhill Hibernians / Maryhill Harp (1923 -1967)
The Maryhill area of Glasgow is known for being the setting for detective series Taggart and, in the footballing world, being the home of Partick Thistle FC. However, for just over 50 years between the 1920s and 1967, the area also boasted another team, Maryhill Hibernians (or Maryhill Harp as they were know from 1939 onward). This change of name is a significant and controversial part of the club's history. After a period a much success in the Scottish Junior League (SJL), Hibernians declared their intention to resign from the league and apply to join the Central League. Their resignation, however, was refused by the SJL so the club's committee chose the close the club down. Immediately a new club, Maryhill Harp, was formed and proceeded to apply for membership of the Central League. Unfortunately for the club their application was turned down and they were forced to re-apply to the SJL, who readmitted the club. Then the Second World War intervened, effectively shutting down the league. However, the new club were eventually accepted into the Central League for the war-time league season in 1941-42. The club eventually went under in 1967 after the Glasgow Corporation placed a compulsory purchase order on their Kelvinvale Park ground for new housing.
Duntocher Hibernian (1894 - 1980)
Duntocher is a village in West Dunbartonshire, not a million miles away from some more familiar Scottish football teams. Clydebank is the nearest town to Duntocher, just up the river Clyde lies Dumbarton and just over the other side of the river is Paisley, home of St Mirren. Duntocher Hibernian were founded in 1894 and, somewhat surprisingly for such a small village, continued to play football for 86 years. The club had some success in the Scottish Junior and Central Leagues, winning three titles in total. The club also produced a few famous names, Paddy Crerand and Celtic, Manchester United and Scotland fame being the most recognisable. Their most notorious former player, however, was probably Dick Beattie who went on to play for Celtic in the 1957 Scottish Cup Final. He later received a lifetime ban form the game for his part in the 1964 British Betting Scandal in which ten players, including Beattie, were jailed for between four years and four months.
Renton (1872 - 1922)
Like Duntocher, Renton hailed from Dunbartonshire an area that played a major part in early years of Scottish football. The club played in the first ever Scottish Cup competition in 1873-74, reaching the semi-final where they lost to Queen's Park. The following season they went one better and reached the final before again losing to Queen's Park. However, their peak period came in the second decade of their existence,winning the Scottish Cup twice and finishing runners-up once. They also competed in the English FA Cup during this time beating Accrington and Blackburn Rovers before going out to Preston. In 1888 they then challenged English FA Cup holders West Bromwich Albion to a game to decide the 'Football World Championship'. Renton won the game, in Glasgow, 4-1 leading to a 'Champion of teh World' sign being displayed on the pavilion of their home ground. The trophy they won that day is still on display in the football museum at Hampden Park. Financial pressures eventually saw the demise of Renton. The club continued to play in minor league football but eventually folded in 1922, but they will always be remembered as pioneers of the game in Scotland and, of course, Champions of the World.
Caledonian (1885-1994)
Hailing from the city of Inverness, Caledonian can lay claim to being the most successful Highland League team of all time. Although their record of 18 Highland League titles has since been equalled by Clachnacuddin, their record in other competitions, especially the Scottish Cup, sets them apart from anyone else. In the 1982-83 season they played 30 league games, winning 23, drawing 7, remaining unbeaten all season. They knocked 19 Scottish League sides out of the Cup over the years, most notably in 1992 when they put out Stenhousemuir and Clyde before taking Premier League St Johnstone to a replay which they eventually lost 3-0. In 1994 the club was dissolved during the merger with Inverness Thistle to form Inverness Caledonian Thistle who, of course, have managed to make it all the way into the Scottish Premier League (although are currently in the second tier). The merger most famously gave rise to the one of the most famous headlines of all time 'Super Cally Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious', when Cally, the of Division One, beat Celtic 3-1 at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup 3rd Round.
Glenbuck Cherrypickers (early 1870s - 1932)
The Cherrypickers only existed as a football club for around 50 years but, in that time, the club produced around 50 professional footballers, a remarkable statistic for a team from a small town that has never had a population greater than 1,200 people. Among these 50 professionals, seven went on to represent Scotland at international level, the most famous of these being former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly. All four of Shankly's brothers also played for Glenbuck,each one became a professional and brother Bob also made one international appearance. Glenbuck's unusual name, Cherrypickers, may have come from a couple of sources. During the Boer War the 11th Hussars regiment, which included men from Glenbuck, were known as the Cherry Pickers. However, the more likely origin (in my opinion) comes from the job of sorting coal from stones and debris in the local pits. This job was referred to a cherry picking and the workers who performed the task were cherry pickers. This origin for the name is backed up by the fact that the club folded in 1932 after the local coal pit was closed down. This was the main source of employment in Glenbuck and it's closure not only signalled the demise of the football club but also led to the town itself being abandoned.
Maryhill Hibernians / Maryhill Harp (1923 -1967)
The Maryhill area of Glasgow is known for being the setting for detective series Taggart and, in the footballing world, being the home of Partick Thistle FC. However, for just over 50 years between the 1920s and 1967, the area also boasted another team, Maryhill Hibernians (or Maryhill Harp as they were know from 1939 onward). This change of name is a significant and controversial part of the club's history. After a period a much success in the Scottish Junior League (SJL), Hibernians declared their intention to resign from the league and apply to join the Central League. Their resignation, however, was refused by the SJL so the club's committee chose the close the club down. Immediately a new club, Maryhill Harp, was formed and proceeded to apply for membership of the Central League. Unfortunately for the club their application was turned down and they were forced to re-apply to the SJL, who readmitted the club. Then the Second World War intervened, effectively shutting down the league. However, the new club were eventually accepted into the Central League for the war-time league season in 1941-42. The club eventually went under in 1967 after the Glasgow Corporation placed a compulsory purchase order on their Kelvinvale Park ground for new housing.
Duntocher Hibernian (1894 - 1980)
Duntocher is a village in West Dunbartonshire, not a million miles away from some more familiar Scottish football teams. Clydebank is the nearest town to Duntocher, just up the river Clyde lies Dumbarton and just over the other side of the river is Paisley, home of St Mirren. Duntocher Hibernian were founded in 1894 and, somewhat surprisingly for such a small village, continued to play football for 86 years. The club had some success in the Scottish Junior and Central Leagues, winning three titles in total. The club also produced a few famous names, Paddy Crerand and Celtic, Manchester United and Scotland fame being the most recognisable. Their most notorious former player, however, was probably Dick Beattie who went on to play for Celtic in the 1957 Scottish Cup Final. He later received a lifetime ban form the game for his part in the 1964 British Betting Scandal in which ten players, including Beattie, were jailed for between four years and four months.
Renton (1872 - 1922)
Like Duntocher, Renton hailed from Dunbartonshire an area that played a major part in early years of Scottish football. The club played in the first ever Scottish Cup competition in 1873-74, reaching the semi-final where they lost to Queen's Park. The following season they went one better and reached the final before again losing to Queen's Park. However, their peak period came in the second decade of their existence,winning the Scottish Cup twice and finishing runners-up once. They also competed in the English FA Cup during this time beating Accrington and Blackburn Rovers before going out to Preston. In 1888 they then challenged English FA Cup holders West Bromwich Albion to a game to decide the 'Football World Championship'. Renton won the game, in Glasgow, 4-1 leading to a 'Champion of teh World' sign being displayed on the pavilion of their home ground. The trophy they won that day is still on display in the football museum at Hampden Park. Financial pressures eventually saw the demise of Renton. The club continued to play in minor league football but eventually folded in 1922, but they will always be remembered as pioneers of the game in Scotland and, of course, Champions of the World.
Caledonian (1885-1994)
Hailing from the city of Inverness, Caledonian can lay claim to being the most successful Highland League team of all time. Although their record of 18 Highland League titles has since been equalled by Clachnacuddin, their record in other competitions, especially the Scottish Cup, sets them apart from anyone else. In the 1982-83 season they played 30 league games, winning 23, drawing 7, remaining unbeaten all season. They knocked 19 Scottish League sides out of the Cup over the years, most notably in 1992 when they put out Stenhousemuir and Clyde before taking Premier League St Johnstone to a replay which they eventually lost 3-0. In 1994 the club was dissolved during the merger with Inverness Thistle to form Inverness Caledonian Thistle who, of course, have managed to make it all the way into the Scottish Premier League (although are currently in the second tier). The merger most famously gave rise to the one of the most famous headlines of all time 'Super Cally Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious', when Cally, the of Division One, beat Celtic 3-1 at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup 3rd Round.
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