Cowdenbeath

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Cowdenbeath is a burgh in Fife, Scotland. The outlying area of the eponymous town was awarded burgh status in 1890.

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[edit] Information

[edit] Industry and Population

The town made its name as a famous coal mining centre. At the height of its size, the town was home to 25,000 people, mostly connected with this industry, but as the mines closed in the 1960s, the population declined in common with the trend of Scottish towns. It is now relatively settled at its current level of around 11,627 (2001 Census).

[edit] Geography

Cowdenbeath lies in south-western Fife, near the larger town of Dunfermline. Its precise coordinates are 56.11°N 3.35°W. As the mining legacy of the town suggests, Cowdenbeath lies near the southern ridge of hills running through Fife.

The town has a railway station on the Fife Circle Line.

[edit] Sport

Cowdenbeath contains a rather dilapidated stadium called Central Park, which can hold a maximum capacity of 5,268. A large expanse of terracing, a minority of which has a roof over it, and covered seating for 1,622 spectators. The stadium boasts a tarmac track, one of Britain's fastest, used for stock-car racing, and enclosed by this is a football pitch, used by the Scottish Football League club Cowdenbeath FC, known affectionately as The Blue Brazil.

Cowdenbeath FC, nicknamed the Blue Brazil, currently play in the Scottish 2nd Division following promotion last season as 3rd Division Champions – the first title win since 1939! This was a fitting end to a season which marked the Club’s 125th year and 5000th league goal.

The Club is part-time and runs teams from senior level down to under 12s. Indeed, Cowdenbeath FC has run a successful youth policy for over 10 years now and was awarded Elite Performance Status by the Scottish Football Association in 2006, one of only three clubs’ outside of the Scottish Premier League to do so.

Attendances fluctuate between 300 and 700 but the Club has supporters and supporters clubs’ all around the world and attracted a crowd of over 2600 for the title clinching fixture against Elgin City in April 2006.