Edinburgh City F.C.
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| Full name | Edinburgh City Football Club | |
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| Nickname(s) | The City | |
| Founded | 1966 (as Postal United) | |
| Ground | Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh (Capacity: 16,500) |
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| Chairman | Andy McDonald | |
| Manager | John Green & Gary Jardine | |
| League | East of Scotland Football League Premier Division | |
| 2009–10 | 7th | |
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Edinburgh City Football Club is a semi-professional senior Scottish football club, which plays in the East of Scotland Football League. The club is based at Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh. Edinburgh City was first formed in 1928 as an amateur club. It participated in the Scottish Football League in the 1930s and 1940s, but went out of business in the 1950s. A new club adopted the Edinburgh City name in 1986. The new club applied to join the Scottish Football League in 2002 and 2008, but failed to win election.
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[edit] History
Edinburgh City was founded in 1928. The club aimed to become the Edinburgh equivalent of the Glasgow club Queen's Park, and joined the Scottish Football League as an amateur club in 1931.[1] The club won election to the league, where they replaced Clydebank, ahead of Nithsdale Wanderers by 25 votes to 7.[2]
The result meant that the city would have to sustain five league clubs,[2] as Edinburgh City joined Hearts, Hibs, Leith and St Bernard's. This appeared to be difficult, given that Edinburgh had less than half the population of Greater Glasgow, which had six league clubs (Celtic, Rangers, Partick Thistle, Clyde, Queen's Park and Third Lanark).[2] The decision contradicted a league sub-committee, which had recommended that the league be reduced in numbers due to there being too many clubs in the Second Division which could not hope to compete with those in the First Division.[3] As an amateur club, Edinburgh City merely added to that number.[3]
The club were very unsuccessful in the league, as on average it won fewer than one game in six.[4] This record that they finished bottom of the league table in six of the eight seasons between 1931 and 1939.[4] It also conceded more than 110 goals in seven of those seasons.[3]
They achieved a famous Scottish Cup upset victory, however, when they defeated Hibs 3–2 at Easter Road in the first round of the 1937–38 Scottish Cup.[3] Hibs player Arthur Milne missed a penalty kick with five minutes left to play. In the next round, Edinburgh City lost 9–2 at Raith Rovers on 9 February 1938.
The club played in the Lothian Amateur League during the Second World War and was only admitted to the C Division in 1946.[4][5] After three more years of struggle, the club left the Scottish Football League in 1949.[4][5] It switched to junior status and played in the Edinburgh & District Junior League.[4][5] The club ceased activity completely in 1955,[4] when the local council refused to renew its lease on its home ground, City Park.[5]
A club called Postal United was founded in 1966. The Edinburgh City Football Club Ltd (Social Club), which had continued trading throughout the abeyance of the football club, gave their approval in 1986 for Postal United to use the Edinburgh City name.[5]
The club has regularly participated in the Scottish Cup since the mid-1990s, when it became a full member of the Scottish Football Association.[5] In season 1997-98 they defeated SFL club East Stirlingshire, before losing 7-2 to Dunfermline Athletic, then of the Premier Division. Edinburgh City have since played Scottish Cup ties against Buckie Thistle, Cowdenbeath, Ayr United, Stirling Albion and East Stirlingshire.
The club applied to join the Scottish Football League in 2002,[6] after Airdrieonians had gone bankrupt, but Gretna won the vote instead. Following Gretna's liquidation in 2008, Edinburgh City again applied,[7] but this time lost out to Annan Athletic.[8]
The club won the East of Scotland Football League title for the first time in season 2005–06. They have won the King Cup three times, the League Cup twice and the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup twice (including one King Cup and one Qualifying Cup won as Postal United).
[edit] Stadium
When the club first joined the Scottish Football League in 1931, it played its home matches at Powderhall.[3] The pitch was only just wider than the minimum width of 50 yards due to the presence of a sprint track.[3] Edinburgh City also played at City Park during its time in the SFL.
The present club initially played their home fixtures at the Saughton Enclosure, which is now home to Lothian Thistle, before switching to Paties Road, where Edinburgh United presently play. Edinburgh City then moved to City Park and then Fernieside. Edinburgh City moved to Meadowbank Stadium in 1996, which had been vacated by the move of Meadowbank Thistle to Livingston.[5]
[edit] Colours
The club colours are white and black.[5] Postal United F.C. played in all-red, but switched to the traditional colours when it adopted the Edinburgh City identity in 1986.[5]
[edit] Players
Start of 2009/2010 Season
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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[edit] References
- ^ (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 294)
- ^ a b c (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 90)
- ^ a b c d e f (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 91)
- ^ a b c d e f (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 295)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Edinburgh City". Historical Football Kits. http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Scottish_Football_League/Edinburgh_City/Edinburgh_City.htm. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ Lindsay, Clive (17 June 2002). "Airdrie may edge out Gretna". BBC Sport (BBC). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/2048687.stm. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Edinburgh City will apply to SFL". BBC Sport (BBC). 11 June 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7448284.stm. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ^ "Annan voted into Scottish league". BBC Sport (BBC). 3 July 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7487357.stm. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- Bob Crampsey (1990). The First 100 Years. Scottish Football League. ISBN 0951643304.
[edit] External links
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