Queens Park F.C.

Queens Park F.C. is a Scottish football team with much history and tradition, today it remains as the only amateur club in the Scottish League. Founded in 1867, the club plays its home games at Hampden Park, Glasgow, the home of the Scottish national team.

History

The club was responsible for incorporating crossbars, free-kicks and half-time into the game, and it can be argued that Queens Park are significantly responsible for making football what it is today. A tour to Ireland to play Caledonians produced so much excitement that the first Irish football club, Cliftonville, was founded soon afterwards.

Queens Park, also known as "The Hoops" and "The Spiders", developed its own code of rules for football. At this time there was no one official code. The first international match between Scotland and England was organised by Queens Park and played under the Queens Park rules. The Scottish side consisted entirely of Queens Park players, who wore their club jerseys, which were entirely blue in colour. Today, these colours are used by the national team. In 1873, the club adapted its home strip to black and white hoops, these colours remain today. This is where the club's nicknames originated.

The club has historically resisted professionalism in the game, former professional players from other clubs were not allowed to play for Queens Park and in 1890 the club refused to join the newly formed Scottish League. The club also feared the League would dominate the game and cause the demise of smaller clubs. Although this is now showing to be true, six of the founder members of the League soon went out of existence. Queens Park were being left behind by the League, so in 1900 they took up their opportunity to enter. Special favours were granted from the League, not only were they the only amateur members, they were also protected from relegation to the Second Division until 1922

The club has twice finished runner-up in the predominantly English competition, the FA Cup. This was in the days prior to the Scottish Cup, which they now enter.

By the 1880s, the club was attracting large crowds for friendly matches. A new stadium with a larger capacity was built, this new ground retained the name of Hampden Park. The third (and current) Hampden Park was opened in 1903, the club renamed the second Hampden Park, Cathkin Park and sold it to Third Lanark.

Since World War II the club has been comparatively unsuccessful, rarely playing in the top division and failing to make a big impression when it did.

Only in the 1990s have former professional players been allowed to play for the club, thus allowing many of the higher quality players to play for Queens Park. Only under the influence of coach John McCormack did the club management allow players to come on loan from professional clubs. Although still amateur the managers are now paid "honourariums"

Queen's Park play in Hampden Park otherwise known as The National Stadium which has recently been redeveloped at the cost of about £65,000,000 of public money. The capacity of the ground is about 52,000 and the average "crowd" at their games is approx. 500 which gives fans a "Marie Celeste" experience when they visit. Only when Scotland international matches or cup finals and the likes are played there does the ground fill up.

The team is currently in Scottish Division Three.

This team is sometimes mistaken for Queens Park Rangers F.C. of the English Championship. However, there appears to be no connection between the two sides.

Notable players for the team have included Andrew Watson, the first black international footballer, and Alex Ferguson, later manager of Manchester United F.C..

Their fans have a reputation for being vicious (in a vocal rather than physical way) to visiting teams and fans and also to match officials.

Honours

Division II 1922/23: 1922/23

B Division: 1955/56

Scottish Second Division: 1980/81

Third Division: 1999/2000

Scottish Cup: 1874, 1875, 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1886, 1890, 1893

FA Charity Shield: 1899 (Shared with Aston Villa F.C.)

External links

• http://www.queensparkfc.co.uk/ - Official website of Queens Park F.C.de:Queens Park F.C.