Johnstone Burgh F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Johnstone Burgh

Full name

Johnstone Burgh Football Club

Nickname(s)

The Burgh

Founded

1956

Ground

James Y. Keanie Park,
Johnstone
(Capacity 5000)

Manager

George Walker

League

SJFA West Division One





Home colours





Away colours

Johnstone Burgh are a Scottish football (soccer) club based in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, and are in the Scottish Junior Football West Division One of the Scottish Junior Football Association.

The club was formed in 1956, in response to an article in the "Johnstone & Linwood Gazette" newspaper from a journalist that had been ordered out of the newspaper's office on the corner of Johnstone's Rankine Street by the office manager with instructions not to return until he had a story. The journalist proceeded to ask locals what they thought about forming a new football club to replace the former Scottish league side Johnstone F.C..

Since their foundation, "The Burgh," have been based at James Y. Keanie Park (named after the builder who donated the land the club was built upon), but have much-delayed plans afoot to relocate within in the next couple of years to a new ground at the more central Thomas Shanks Memorial Park less than one mile away, built in conjunction with the local council: the perpetually poor drainage at Keanie Park resulting in the regular postponement of home fixtures during the winter months has been a severe financial drain on the side.

Johnstone Burgh have a home support of around 100-150, though this tends to increase vastly when the team is doing well. An OVD Cup tie between Johnstone Burgh and Glenafton in February 2000 attracted a crowd of over 2000.^{[citation needed]}

The club was part of the Stagecoach Super League but have recently been relegated into the Stagecoach Super League First Division, with Arthurlie pipping them to tenth place by a few points after the Barrhead club were deducted 15 points at the beginning of the season.

In the 2000 Scottish Junior Cup Final against Whitburn, goals by Colin Lindsay, who later had a spell as manager, and John McLay took the game to penalties after a 2-2 draw. Johnstone Burgh won on penalties in their semi final at St. Mirren Park but failed to repeat this success in the final.

Johnstone Burgh play in red tops, white shorts and red socks. The current manager of the team is George Walker - without whose financial aid the club would most certainly have folded during its bad times of the 1980s and 1990s - the assistant manager, Eddie McKim, and the goalkeeper coach, William Walker. The physio is ex-Dunfermline player Mark Smith.