Kilsyth Rangers F.C.

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Kilsyth Rangers F.C.
Full name Kilsyth Rangers Football Club
Nickname(s) The Gers
Founded 1913
Ground Duncansfield Park,
Kilsyth, Scotland
Manager Flag of Scotland Matt Coulter
League SJFA West Division One
2007-08 SJFA West Premier League, 12th (relegated)
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Away colours

Kilsyth Rangers Football Club are a Scottish football (soccer) club based in the town of Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire. Nicknamed The Gers, they were formed in 1913 and play at Duncansfield Park, one of the bigger non-league football grounds in Scotland. They wear blue tops and shorts, the away strip (uniform) being red tops, white shorts and red socks, and currently compete in the West Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association.

The club played in its first Junior Cup Final at Hampden Park in 1954-55 against Duntocher Hibs before a crowd of 64,976. The game ended 1-1 and Kilsyth won the replay 4-1 before a crowd of 30,000, all four goals being scored by the clubs most prolific ever striker Alex Querrie. This feat is still a record to this day.Kilsyth lost the 1957 final against Banks O'Dee (1-0) after being hot favourites. The last final success was in 1967 when they beat Rutherglen Glencairn 3-1 after a 1-1 draw in the first game at Hampden which was played in front of 22,000 fans.

Recent years have brought the first league and cup trophies for many years with the club winning the Central League Division One title (2002-03), followed by the Superleague First Division title (2004-05) and the Evening Times Cup Winners Cup 2002-03.

Some famous players to have played for the team are Drew Jarvie (Airdrie, Aberdeen), Willie Wallace (Hearts, Celtic), Frank McGarvey (St.Mirren, Liverpool, Celtic), David Stewart (Leeds Utd), Pat McMahon (Chelsea, Aston Villa), George Mulhall (Aberdeen, Sunderland), Jim Storrie (Airdrie, Aberdeen, Leeds Utd)Gary Mcstay (Falkirk) plus many more.

In recent years Kilsyth Rangers have had several players stepping up to Senior Football. Chris Gentile and Paul McQuilken went to Dumbarton. Stephen Low signed for Elgin City, Martin Fellowes went to Huntly and William Stewart went to play for Forfar Athletic. John Gallacher left to take the post of Assistant Manager at Dumbarton.

The clubs biggest rivals are Kirkintilloch Rob Roy F.C., who play in nearby Kirkintilloch. The most recent derby match, in the Sectional League Cup in August 2006, ended with Rob Roy scoring a sensational injury time goal to win 2-1. The record attendance at Duncansfield Park is 8,740 for a game against Broxburn Athletic in a 1951 Scottish Junior Cup tie.

[edit] Honours

[edit] Scottish Junior Cup

  • Winners: 1954-55, 1966-67
  • Runners-up: 1956-57

[edit] Other Honours

  • West of Scotland Cup winners: 1953-54, 1967-68
  • Central League champions: 1947-48, 1953-54, 1956-57
  • Central Division One winners: 1982-83, 2002-03
  • Glasgow Junior Cup: 1930-31
  • Glasgow Dryburgh Cup: 1953-54, 1967-68
  • Evening Times Cup Winners Cup: 2002-03
  • Superleague First Division Champions 2004-05
  • Stirlingshire Junior Cup 1894-95,1918-19,1937-38,1945-46,1952-53 to 1959-60(8 times) and1961-62.
  • Pompey Cup 1956-57,1957-58
  • Glasgow Junior Cup 1930-31