Black Watch
Full nameBlack Watch Football Club
Nickname(s)the Royals,[1] the Kilties[2]
Founded1876
Groundvaried according to stationing

Black Watch F.C. is a British association football club. It is the footballing side of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (the Black Watch).

History

As an organized football club, the Black Watch F.C. was founded in 1876. The club's home depended on where the battalion was stationed.

The sides in the Irish Cup final of 1891-92

Scottish Cup

In common with many military football sides in the amateur era, the club entered first-class competitions on a number of occasions. Normally based in Scotland, the club entered the Scottish Cup most years from 1893–94 to 1912–13.

In 1893–94, the club - at the time known as the Second Battalion, Black Watch - won through to the first round of the Cup proper, after only winning one match; the club benefitted from two byes and two draws with Cowlairs, having come from 3–0 down to draw 3–3 in the original tie at Springburn,[3] which meant, under the rules of the competition at the time, both clubs progressed.[4] In the first round the club lost 6–0 at Albion Rovers, 2,000 people attending Whifflet Park for the match.[5]

The club won through the Scottish Qualifying Cup for the only time in 1905–06, reaching the last eight of the qualifying competition at a time when the last 16 were placed in the first round proper. The club was forced to scratch from its final Qualifying Cup replay with Dunblane because an Army Cup tie was due to be held on 8 November[6] and the Scottish Football Association refused to grant an extension of time.[7] In the first round proper the club lost 7–2 at St Mirren.[8]

Highland and Perthshire League

From 1904 to 1906, and from 1926 to 1929, when the battalion was based in Fort George, the club played in the Highland League.[9]

The club's best season in the Highland League was its first; it finished level on points at the top of the table with Clachnacuddin, but refused to play off for the title because of objections to the referee chosen. In its final season, the club finished bottom.

The battalion was stationed in Perthshire during World War 2, and took part in Perthshire competitions, winning the Perthshire League in 1941–42 and twice winning the Perthshire Cup.

Playing in Ireland

The club's finest achievements came when the battalion was stationed in Ireland from 1886 to 1892. In 1889–90, the club won the Belfast Charity Cup, beating the Gordon Highlanders - who had recently won the Irish Cup - by 5 goals to 3,[10] having beaten Linfield 5–1 in the semi-finals.[11] The club also won the County Antrim Shield in 1890–91 with a 4–2 win over Oldpark in the final.[12]

In 1891–92, the club reached the final of the Irish Cup, with Cup holders Linfield gaining a significant revenge, by beating the club 7–0 at Solitude, in front of 8,000 spectators.[13] One reason for the change in fortune was forward Robert Hill, who had scored one of the Black Watch goals in the 1890 semi-final, had switched from the Royals to the Blues.[14]

Army football

As the game became more professional, the Black Watch stopped entering non-military competitions. The club has won the Army Cup on three occasions.[15]

Colours

In its senior days, the club mostly wore dark blue jerseys with a white collar.[16] It also wore the following:

  • 1894–95: green and red jerseys with black knickers[17]
  • 1895–96, 1898–99: maroon[18][19]

Grounds

The club is known to have played in the following areas:

Legacy

Two clubs took their name from the club - Campsie Black Watch F.C. and Shankhouse Black Watch F.C., the formation of both inspired by the Black Watch playing games when stationed in those towns.[20] Everton was nicknamed the Black Watch in its early days for its black kit.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Football". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 11 April 1890.
  2. ↑ "Football notes". Dundee Courier: 3. 29 October 1900.
  3. ↑ "Cowlairs v Black Watch". Glasgow Herald: 10. 16 October 1893.
  4. ↑ Mathers, Stewart. "Season 1893-94". The Beautiful Dribbling Game. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Scottish Cup Ties". Glasgow Herald: 9. 27 November 1893.
  6. ↑ "Athletic Column". Perthshire Advertiser: 4. 3 November 1905.
  7. ↑ "Qualifying Cup". Daily Record: 6. 1 November 1905.
  8. ↑ "St Mirren 7, Black Watch 2". Glasgow Herald: 13. 29 January 1907.
  9. ↑ "Highland League tables" (PDF). Scottish Football Historical Results Archive. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Football". Belfast News: 7. 28 April 1890.
  11. ↑ "Football". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 11 April 1890.
  12. ↑ "Football". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 23 March 1891.
  13. ↑ "Final of the Irish Challenge Cup". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 14 March 1892.
  14. ↑ "Football in Belfast". Belfast News-Letter: 7. 2 October 1890.
  15. ↑ "Army Challenge Cup". Army FA. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  16. ↑ "Club Directory". Scottish Football Historical Results Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  17. ↑ M'Dowall, John (1894). Scottish Football Annual 1894–95. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 92.
  18. ↑ M'Dowall, John (1895). Scottish Football Annual 1895–96. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 88.
  19. ↑ "Junior Secretaries' Addresses". Scottish Referee: 3. 19 September 1898.
  20. ↑ "Ground 223: Action Park, Shankhouse F.C." The Accidental Groundhopper. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  21. ↑ "The History of the Black Watch". Everton F.C. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
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