Burntisland Shipyard Amateur F.C.
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Burntisland Shipyard Amateur Football Club are a Scottish football (soccer) club based at the Recreation Ground in the town of Burntisland, Fife. They were formed out of the Burntisland Shipbuilding Company's recreation fund, which had been established in 1919 by weekly subscription from the workers at the company to establish recreational activities for themselves. This fund allowed for the establishment of a cricket club, bowling club and two football teams, one at junior level, the other at juvenile level.
The recreation club then bought a ground and built a pavilion at it to facilitate the playing of cricket in the Summer months, and football in the Winter. The junior team faded by the early 1920s, but the juvenile team continued to play in local Fife leagues, and it was in 1925 that the Burntisland Shipyard Amateur F.C. that exists at present was properly formed. They joined the Lothian Amateur Football League, and in 1929 they were allowed to enter the Scottish Cup at the qualifying stages.
It is this fact that makes them notable, as they remain one of the few clubs outwith the Senior ranks (i.e. SPL; SFL, Highland; East; and South leagues) allowed to participate in the Scottish Cup. They are one of four clubs in this category along with Golspie Sutherland F.C., Glasgow University F.C. and since 2004, Girvan F.C..
Qualification for the Scottish Cup proper has happened on few occasions, but they first qualified in 1935-1936 season when they hosted Dumbarton F.C. in a first round tie. They held the league side to a creditable 2-2 draw in front of 600 fans on January 25, 1936 before being defeated 3-1 in a replay at Dumbarton on January 29, 1936. They qualified for the cup once again in 1938-1939 season, and hosted Celtic F.C. on January 21, 1939. They were defeated 8-3 in front of a crowd of 2,000, but were only losing 3-2 at half-time in the game.
The club continued to play in the Lothian League until 1959 when they joined the Kirkcaldy and District Amateur League, before entering the Kingdom Caledonian Football League, the competition they continue to play in today.
Their most recent qualification for the Scottish Cup was in season 1994-1995. They managed to defeat St Cuthberts Wanderers F.C. by a score of 6-2 in a second round tie held in Burntisland on January 7, 1995, before being defeated 7-0 by Huntly F.C. in the third round on January 28, 1995.
