Selkirk F.C.
Selkirk Football Club was a Scottish football club based in the town of Selkirk. Founded in 1880, they were the oldest established football club in the Scottish Borders. The club was selected as a founder member of the Lowland Football League, which was formed in 2013 by the Scottish Football Association as part of a proposed pyramid system. Their home ground was Yarrow Park. Following financial problems, they resigned from the Lowland League during the 2018–19 season and later went out of business due to insurmountable debts and failure to keep their SFA membership.
History
The Border pioneers (1880–1899)
History records that this initial meeting was a great success. A committee was formed and an opening game against Hibernian was arranged to launch the new venture. The kick-off was arranged for March 1881, the venue the cricket club, the result a 0–14 reverse, and so was born the oldest football club in the Borders. By 1882 Selkirk were recording good victories against leading Edinburgh clubs, Holyrood and St Bernard's.Research indicates that by 1883 the club were fielding a second XI, competing in the Second XI Challenge Cup. The same year an extraordinary request was received by the club, Melrose Football Club, invited seven players to represent Selkirk in a new kind of game—seven-a-side rugby. It was members of Selkirk Football Club in the absence of an organized rugby club that represented the town in the world premier of the shortened rugby game—Melrose Sevens! A non-footballing honour also came the way of the club when member A. Stuart was appointed President of the East of Scotland Football Association.
In 1890–91 a new trophy was instituted, the 'Association Borders Counties Challenge Cup', which Selkirk won at the first time of asking, defeating Hawick Rangers, 4–3, in the final tie.
A highlight of the 1891–92 season was a visit from Queen's Park, who at the time were one of the greatest club sides in the world. In front of a large crowd, Selkirk kept the score down to a respectable 4–1 defeat. Defeat by Vale of Gala in the defence of the Border Cup title was the first defeat by a Borders team for seven years.
Season 1892–93 saw the club become a member of the Scottish Football Association and retain the Border Cup.
In the seasons from 1894 to 1899, Selkirk won the Border Cup twice in succession, and were runners-up on two other occasions. The club also recorded their first Border League Championship in 1897, defeating Peebles Rovers 4–0 in a play-off. 1898 saw the team record a 7–2 victory over Morton in the Scottish Qualifying Cup. Wull Brown a key player during this time became the first recorded player to sign for a league club.
Home at last (1900–1939)
saw the return of the Border Cup to Selkirk, although it took two replays to finally defeat Peebles Rovers at Victoria Park, Innerleithen.1905-06 saw the team come close to winning its first honour from out with the Borders region, after a 3–1 reverse at the hands of Berwick Rangers in the final of the Consolation Cup. There was some real consolation however, when Selkirk were awarded once more the Border Cup. This time due to the non-appearance of Vale of Leithen come final day in Kelso. Almost of greater significance to matters on the field, Selkirk were able to outbid the let a local farmer offered with to graze sheep on part of the underhaugh by the River Ettrick. This led to the club having their first home after years of nomadic existence—Ettrick Park.
After a period of consolidation due in part to the formation in 1907 of the rugby club in the town the football club won the Border League for the season 1909–10. 1914 saw a repeat of the 1906 Consolation Cup final, again with Berwick Rangers winning, this time 3–2.
With the outbreak of the Great War, most competitive sporting activities were halted until 1918. 16 members of Selkirk Football Club made the supreme sacrifice and many more were to suffer from physical or psychological injuries. Sporting pursuits also took time to recover and forget.
Season 1923–24 saw the first post war trophy paraded at Ettrick Park with a 2–1 victory over Civil Service Strollers in the Border Cup final. Later the same season, the Consolation Cup yet again eluded the 'Souters', this time losing out 2–1 to Coldstream, in front of 2,000 spectators.
The 1920s brought hard times to the woollen trade in the town, and the club relied on the many friends it had made during the preceding years. Celtic, Hibernian and Queen of the South were all willing visitors to Ettrick Park, swelling the coffers and fending off what would be otherwise certain bankruptcy. It was during a visit by a Hearts XI that Bob Mercer died while leading his young charges in order to benefit his former club.
A significant honour was bestowed in the club when former player James Fairgrieve was elected president of the East of Scotland Football Association from 1925 to 1928.
Season 1930–31 saw the return of the Border Cup, after defeating Coldstream 2–1 in the final. The club also managed a creditable 4–4 draw against a strong Hearts side with much to the Selkirk team's relief, legendary centre forward Barney Battles, Jr. acting as referee.
Selkirk were able to retain the Border Cup at the climax of the 1931–32 season, defeating Berwick Rangers at Raidstane Park, Galashiels. By this time the game was booming in the town, with regular attendances of over 1,000 recorded.
1933 witnessed a famous Scottish Cup tie, with Selkirk defeating all-professional Bo'ness 3–0 courtesy of a 'spectacular' Jimmy Tranter hat-trick.
The opening of a new pavilion at Ettrick Park was celebrated by the visit of Queen of the South in 1937.
Season 1938–39 saw the Border Cup return once more to Selkirk, this time requiring a replay and extra time. Teenager Sandy Adamson scoring the winner in a 3–2 win over Penicuik Athletic.
As the 1939–40 season kicked off, World War II broke out. A directive from the SFA immediately suspended all non-Army or junior competitive games heralding the end of another era in the club's history.
Superstars and World Cup opponents (1940–1969)
The end of the War did not initiate an immediate restart to footballing activities. Many players and members were not released from military service until some time after hostilities ended. Following a meeting in the Selkirk Institute in March 1946, a new committee was formed and planning for the future began. The playing staff suffered as a result of the war, significantly highly promising players Sandy Adamson was drowned on active service, and John Douglas was unable to play due to his war injuries. However, on a more positive note, many of the youth players had obtained great experience while playing for their Service teams. In addition, two young lads, Davie Grieve and Bobby Johnstone emerged from the Parkvale Rovers primed and ready for action.In October 1946, the newly revived Selkirk F.C. defeated Queen of the South on the Toll Field in front of 1,500 spectators. Unfortunately a major trophy eluded the team once more, this time losing to professional Gala Fairydean, 5–2, in the East of Scotland Cup final. This year also saw Bobby Johnstone and Eck Piercy sign for Hibernian. The transfer fee being the promise of a home friendly. This game duly took place in October 1947, Selkirk losing 11–2. Just before this, in September 1947, in the held-over East of Scotland Qualifying Cup final replay, Selkirk defeated Leith Athletic, 4–0, at Ettrick Park. A huge crowd turned out for the Wednesday night game and the final whistle brought great scenes of celebration, which were only slightly muted by the non-appearance of the cup. This was the first time an amateur team had taken the trophy out of Edinburgh.
The golden era (1970–1979)
The 1970s was definitely the epoch for the club, seeing 10 trophies arrive at Ettrick Park in the five seasons from 1973 to 1978. After dropping down to the amateur leagues in 1967, it was not until season 1971–72 that Selkirk would regain the confidence to return to senior football, and what a return it would be. The five years of glory commenced with the release of Ian Whitehead from Berwick Rangers in 1973, Chalky as he was universally known was snapped up by Selkirk and became player/manager later in the season. Whitehead became the architect of the most fruitful period of success in the club's history and soon bagged the first trophy in 28 years for Selkirk FC.Trophy #1 23 March 1974 East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.
Trophy #2 2 and 9 November 1974 Scottish Qualifying Cup Selkirk 2 St Cuthbert Wanderers 1/St Cuthbert Wanderers 1 Selkirk 2 – Selkirk win 4–2 on aggregate.
Trophy #3 7 May 1975 East of Scotland League Championship 1974–75.
Trophy #4 13 May 1975 King Cup Selkirk 0 Hawick Royal Albert 0.
Trophy #5 7 November 1975 Scottish Qualifying Cup Selkirk 6 Civil Service Strollers 2.
Trophy #6 8 April 1976 East of Scotland Qualifying Cup Hawick Royal Albert 1 Selkirk 3.
Trophy #7 22 April 1976 East of Scotland League Championship 1975–76.
Trophy #8 22 May 1976 King Cup Selkirk 5 Vale of Leithen 4 – a Grand Slam of trophies for 1975–76.
Trophy #9 26 May East of Scotland League Championship 1976–77.
Trophy #10 26 November 1977 Scottish Qualifying Cup Selkirk 2 Civil Service Strollers 1.
Throughout this period Selkirk had the services of many of the finest players in the Scottish Borders and frequently fielded four Amateur Scottish Caps in the side Ian Whitehead, Sandy Bell, Moray McLaren and Davie Watkins.
December 1977 started on a remarkable note for Selkirk. As the support slowly filtered in to Ettrick Park for a league match against lowly Eyemouth United, the sharp shrill of the referee's whistle sounded the start of the game. Ian 'Chalky' Whitehead meanwhile had spotted the goalkeeper off his line in conversation with his centre-half. Brian 'the bear' McConnell kicked off for Selkirk and Chalky hammered the ball into the top corner of the net. Referee George Smith timed the goal at five-seconds, a second quicker than the then current record published by the Guinness Book of Records.
Like all good things however, Selkirk's Golden Era came to an end when Ian Whitehead was enticed back into Scottish League Football as a coach with Second Division Berwick Rangers. Ian never concealed his desire to progress in management and possibly his greatest achievement was to manage the 'wee Gers' to the Championship title and to be promoted for the first time in their history.