Queen of the South F.C.

Queen of the South
Full name Queen of the South Football Club
Nickname(s) The Doonhamers, Queens, QoS
Founded March 1919 (1919-03)
Ground Palmerston Park, Dumfries, Scotland
Ground Capacity 8,690[1]
Chairman Billy Hewitson
Manager Gary Naysmith
League Scottish Championship
2016–17 Scottish Championship, 6th
Website Club website

Queen of the South Football Club are a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish Championship, in the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers but are usually referred to as Queens or QoS.[2][3] Their home ground since their formation has been Palmerston Park.

The club's national honours include winning the Division B Championship in season 1950–51, the Second Division Championship in season 2001–02 and in season 2012–13 and also the Scottish Challenge Cup in season 2002–03 and in season 2012–13. Queens led Scotland's top division up until New Year in season 1953–54 and the club's highest finish in Scotland's top division was fourth in season 1933–34. The club reached their first major cup final in 2008 when they reached the final of the Scottish Cup, where they were runners-up to Rangers. Gary Naysmith is the current club manager, having been appointed on 1 December 2016 and John Rankin is the current club captain, having been appointed on 7 January 2017.[4]

History

Stadium

Club culture

Robbie Neilson, the current manager of MK Dons, said about Queens from his loan period at the club in 2002: "It's a well-run club and a real family club with a good spirit about the place."[5]

Marc Horne wrote in The Scotsman following Queens' appearance in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final: "In the Palmerston Park club's songbook, it is clear there is no room for songs which feature religion, violent vendettas or centuries-old battles that took place in other lands."[6]

Historic table positions of Queen of the South in the League.

In the 2008 UEFA Cup qualifying trip to Denmark Queen of the South fans were hailed as "a great credit both to their club and to Scotland" by Danish police. About 850 supporters of the Dumfries club travelled to Denmark to watch the UEFA Cup clash with FC Nordsjaelland. Despite the fact that their team was eliminated, local police said their behaviour was impressive. Insp Rune Hamann said: "It was a pleasure hosting such a visit by Queen of the South whose supporters were extremely well behaved and a great credit both to their club and to Scotland. Copenhagen was particularly busy in the build up to and after the match with a carnival, party atmosphere being evident. I look forward to welcoming Queen of the South and their terrific supporters back in Denmark in the future."[7]

Ch Insp Mickey Collins from Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said the fans were a "pleasure to work along with". He added: "Despite the huge numbers of supporters who travelled to Denmark there were no arrests, incidents or issues of any concern. Great praise should be passed on to those fortunate enough to be at the match."[7]

Club mascot

Dougie the Doonhamer at Palmerston for the celebration of the 2007–08 QoS run to the Scottish Cup Final.

The club mascot is 'Dougie the Doonhamer', a human sized border collie dog.The character has been played for many years by supermarket worker Brian Harkness.[8]

Biblical references

Queen of the South are often humorously cited as the only league club in the United Kingdom to be mentioned in the Bible. Luke 11:31 states "The Queen of the South shall rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them..."[9] Queen of the South is similarly quoted under Matthew 12:42.[10] In the biblical quote the "Queen of the South" is considered to be the Queen of Sheba. In 2005 the issue was investigated by The Guardian website in their series "The Knowledge" who also found full references to Arsenal, Bury and Reading as well as partial references to "hearts", "wolves", "forest", "hammer", "spurs" and "man's field".[11]

Honours

National League Competitions

Highest Finish in Top Division – 4th; Division 1; 1933–34

Division 2 – Champions 1950–51, 2001–02, 2012–13; Runners Up 1932–33, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1980–81, 1985–86

Division 3 – Runners Up 1924–25

National Cup Competitions

Scottish League Challenge Cup – Winners 2002–03, 2012–13; Runners Up 1997–98, 2010–11; Semi Finalists 1991–92

Scottish Qualifying Cup – Winners 1923–24

Scottish Cup – Runners Up 2007–08; Semi Finalists 1949–50

Scottish League Cup – Semi Finalists 1950–51, 1960–61[12]

B.P. Youth Cup – Runners Up 1985–86

Invitational Tournaments

1936 Algiers Invitational Tournament – Winners

Border Cup – Winners 1991–92, 1992–93

Scottish Brewers Cup – Winners 2000–01, 2001–02, 2006–07

Regional League Competitions

Scottish League South and West (Wartime League) – Runners Up 1939–40

Western League – Champions 1922–23

Southern Counties League – Winners 1996–97

Regional Cup Competitions (Competed for and won by the reserve team)

Southern Counties Charity Cup – Winners 1920–24, 1926, 1930–32, 1934, 1937

Southern Counties Cup – Winners 1921, 1924, 1935, 1936, 1962, 1966, 1972, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1997, 2003, 2004

Southern Counties League Cup – Winners 1996–97

Southern Counties Consolation Cup – Winners 1922

Potts Cup – Winners 1921, 1960, 1961

Individual Awards

PFA Scotland Manager of the Year Award – Allan Johnston 2012–13[13]

PFA Second Division Player of the Year Award – Jimmy Robertson 1980–81, Andy Thomson 1991–92, 1993–94, John O'Neill 2001–02, Nicky Clark 2012–13[13]

Bell's SFL Fan of the Season Award – Ian Black 2003–04

SFL Phenomenal Achievement Awards

Recognition of Queens' remarkable Scottish Cup run – Gordon Chisholm 2007–08[14]

Second Division Player of the Year Award – Nicky Clark 2012–13[15]

SFL Goalkeeper of the Season Award – Lee Robinson 2012–13[15]

SFL Second Division Manager of the Year Award – John Connolly 2001–02, Allan Johnston 2012–13[15]

Ginger Boot Award – Nicky Clark 2012–13[15]

Bell's SFL Angels Award – 2003–04[16]

SFL Team of the Season Award – 2012–13[15]

Club records

One of Palmerston's record-breaking floodlights

Record victory: 11–1 versus Stranraer; Scottish Cup; 16 January 1932[17]

Record defeat: 2–10 versus Dundee at Dens Park; Scottish First Division; 1 December 1962. Queens played for 78 minutes with 10 men after goalkeeper George Farm was injured in the 12th minute and was carried off. Dundee's Alan Gilzean scored 7 of the goals. Dundee were reigning Scottish League Champions at the time and would make the European Cup semi-finals that season where they lost to eventual winners AC Milan.[18]

Record home attendance: 26,552 versus Heart of Midlothian; Scottish Cup 3rd Round; 23 February 1952; Queens 1 Hearts 3[19]

Record home league attendance: 21,142 versus Rangers; 6 October 1962; Queens 0 Rangers 4

Record attendance (any venue): 58,975; 5 April 1950; Hampden Park; 3–0 Scottish Cup semi-final replay defeat to Rangers; 52,924 watched the 1–1 draw with Rangers four days earlier, also at Hampden Park.[20]

Most league points (2 points for a win system): 55; Scottish Division 2; 1985–86

Most league points (3 points for a win system): 92; Scottish Division 2; 2012–13

First ever Scottish League Match under floodlights: Rangers versus Queen of the South; Ibrox Park; 7 March 1956; Rangers 8 Queens 0; Rangers player Don Kitchenbrand scored five goals in this match.[21]

Highest free standing floodlights in Scottish football: Queens floodlights were first used on 29 October 1958 and at 85 feet (26 m) high they are the tallest in Scotland. To mark the occasion Preston North End sent a team north for a friendly match.[17]

Highest terrace in Scottish football: Following the trend towards all seater stadia, the height differential between the lowest and highest step on the Portland Drive terrace, records this as the highest remaining terrace in Scottish football.

Individuals

All-Time Top 21 Club Appearances
Games Played Player Name
731 Allan Ball
615 Iain McChesney
462 Jim Patterson
457 Jackie Oakes
431 Dougie Sharpe
403 Jim Kerr
400 Jimmy Robertson
381 Roy Henderson
369 Willie Savage
364 Alan Davidson
358 Jim Thomson
355 Jocky Dempster
346 Bobby Black
340 Nobby Clark
339 Paul Burns
337 Andy Aitken
335 Derek Lyle
334 George Cloy
332 Lex Law
321 Crawford Boyd
297 Tommy Bryce

All-Time Top 22 Goals Scored
Goals Player Name
251 Jim Patterson
120 Bobby Black
114 Andy Thomson
111 Derek Lyle
98 Jocky Dempster
95 Tommy Bryce
94 Stevie Mallan
93 Tommy McCall
89 Ian Reid
Jimmy Robertson
85 Stephen Dobbie
81 Jackie Oakes
79 Iain McChesney
78 Rowan Alexander
74 Billy Houliston
71 Jackie Law, Sr
70 John O'Neill
68 Lex Law
66 Jimmy Rutherford
65 Willie Dougan
64 Tommy Bryce I
Kenny Dick

Longest serving player: Iain McChesney – 1960 to 1981 (615 appearances and scored 79 goals)[22]

Record league scorer in a season: Alexander "Jimmy" Gray – 37 goals in season 1927–28

Record scorer (all competitions) in a Season: Jimmy Rutherford – 41 goals in season 1931–32; Nicky Clark – 41 goals in season 2012–13

Most capped player: Billy Houliston (3 caps; 1948–49 season; 3–2 v Northern Ireland at Hampden (scoring 2 goals on his debut in 30 & 89 minutes), 3–1 v England at Wembley and 2–0 v France at Hampden.[20]

Andy Aitken

First Queens players to earn four senior Scottish football medals while playing for the club: Jim Thomson and Andy Aitken (winners of the 2001–02 Second Division and 2002–03 Scottish Challenge Cup; runners up in the 1997–98 Scottish Challenge Cup and 2007–08 Scottish Cup).[17]

Most decorated Queens player with four winners medals: Derek Lyle (2001–02 & 2012–13 Second Division; 2002–03 & 2012–13 Scottish Challenge Cup)[23]

Record transfer fee received: Andy Thomson; £250,000; Southend United; 1994[24]

Fastest hat-trick: Tommy Bryce; 1 minute 46 seconds Guinness World Records in the 6–0 win versus Arbroath on 18 December 1993. Bryce's hat-trick was recorded in the 8th, 9th & 10th minutes and Bryce also scored a fourth goal in the match.[25]

Longest distance goal by an outfield player: Ryan McCann84 yards (77 m) in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final 2–0 win versus Dundee on 8 March 2008.[17]

First player to collect the complete set of four senior Scottish football winners medals: Andy Goram when he played in the 2002–03 Scottish Challenge Cup Final 2–0 win for Queens versus Brechin City, to add to his medals haul gathered elsewhere.[17]

Oldest player to play for the club: Ally MacLeod versus St Mirren in the Reserve League West in April 1992. With Queens short of players the manager named himself as a trialist and played the whole 90 minutes. During the second half Queens were awarded a penalty and the ex-Scotland manager converted the kick. The final score was 7–1 to St Mirren and MacLeod received a standing ovation from the small crowd at the end of the game. He was 61 years old at the time.

European record

UEFA Cup/Europa League:[17][26]

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
2008–09 UEFA Cup Second qualifying round Denmark FC Nordsjælland 1–2 1–2 2–4

Players

Current squad

As of 10 August 2017[27]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Scotland GK Alan Martin
2 Scotland DF Shaun Rooney
3 England DF Jordan Marshall
4 Scotland DF Callum Fordyce
5 Scotland DF Darren Brownlie
6 Scotland MF Callum Tapping
7 Scotland MF Andy Stirling
8 Scotland MF John Rankin (Captain)
9 Scotland FW Derek Lyle
10 Scotland FW Chris Kane (on loan from St Johnstone)
11 Scotland FW Stephen Dobbie (Vice-captain)
No. Position Player
14 South Africa MF Kyle Jacobs
15 Scotland DF Jason Kerr (on loan from St Johnstone)
17 Scotland FW Connor Murray
18 Scotland MF Ross Fergusson
19 Scotland MF Owen Bell
20 Scotland GK Jack Leighfield
21 Scotland MF Dan Carmichael
22 England MF Jesse Akubuine
23 England GK Lee Robinson
24 Scotland DF Scott Mercer
25 Australia FW Lyndon Dykes

Notable players

The following players were inducted into Queen of the South's Hall of Fame on 29 October 2011, 19 January 2013 and 24 October 2015 respectively:[28]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
England GK Allan Ball
Scotland FW Bobby Black
Scotland MF Tommy Bryce
Scotland MF Paul Burns
Scotland GK Roy Henderson
Scotland FW Billy Houliston
Scotland DF Jim Kerr
No. Position Player
Scotland FW Derek Lyle
Scotland DF Iain McChesney
Scotland FW Jim Patterson
Scotland FW Jimmy Robertson
Scotland FW Andy Thomson
Scotland DF Jim Thomson

The following players are listed on the club's official website as 'Queens Legends':[29]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Scotland DF Andy Aitken
England GK Allan Ball
Scotland DF Jimmy Binning
Scotland FW Bobby Black
Scotland DF Crawford Boyd
England FW Ivor Broadis
Scotland MF Tommy Bryce
Scotland DF Nobby Clark
Scotland MF George Cloy
Scotland GK Alan Davidson
Scotland FW Jocky Dempster
Scotland FW Ian Dickson
Scotland GK George Farm
Scotland MF Willie Ferguson
Scotland FW Hughie Gallacher
Scotland FW Dave Halliday
No. Position Player
Scotland FW George Hamilton
Scotland GK Roy Henderson
Scotland FW Billy Houliston
Scotland DF Jim Kerr
Scotland FW Lex Law
Scotland FW Neil Martin
Scotland DF Iain McChesney
Scotland FW Ted McMinn
Scotland FW Jackie Oakes
Scotland FW Jim Patterson
Scotland FW Jimmy Robertson
Scotland DF Willie Savage
Scotland DF Dougie Sharpe
Scotland FW Andy Thomson
Scotland DF Jim Thomson

Managers

P/C = Player-Coach P/M = Player-Manager

1 Second Spell

Club staff

Coaching staff

  • Manager: Gary Naysmith
  • Assistant Manager: Dougie Anderson
  • Football Development Manager: Position Vacant
  • Goalkeeping Coach: Lee Robinson
  • Community Officer: Daniel Armstrong
  • Physiotherapist: Gavin Lee
  • Sports Scientist: Andrew Lombard
  • Kitmen: Kevin McCormick & Graeme Dalgleish
  • Under 20's Manager: Eddie Warwick
  • Under 20's Physiotherapist: Lauren Edwards
  • Head of Youth: Andy Irving
  • Under 13's Coaches: Darren Malin & Neil Murray
  • Under 15's Coaches: Stuart Douglas, Gary Kerr & Ross Newlands
  • Under 17's Coaches: David Learmont, Warren Pearson & Martin Thomson
  • Youths Goalkeeping Coaches: Daniel Armstrong & David Byers
  • Club Doctor: Dr Guy Beaumont

Operational staff

  • Chairman: Billy Hewitson
  • Directors: Mark Blount & Craig Paterson
  • Honorary Directors: Allan Ball, Norman Blount & Davie Rae
  • Secretary: Craig Paterson
  • Commercial Manager: Position Vacant
  • Supporters Liaison Officer: Position Vacant
  • Disability Access Officer: Eric Slaven
  • Football Administration: Ewan Lithgow
  • Office Administration: Stephanie Adams & Stacey Murray
  • Office Contact: admin@qosfc.com
  • Programme Editorial Team: Ewan Lithgow, Iain McCartney, Euan Maxwell & John Paterson
  • Website Contact: webmaster@qosfc.com
  • Website Team: Sandra Brown, Andy Cowan, Malcolm Johnson, Colin Johnstone, Fraser Johnstone, Ewan Lithgow, Euan Maxwell & David Preston
  • Press Officer: Sandra Brown
  • Cover Artwork: Paine Proffitt
  • Matchday Press Liaison: Bill Goldie
  • Groundsmen: Kevin McCormick & Andrew Brown
  • Safety Officers: Alex Dickson & Eric Moffat
  • Club Cameraman: Drew Low
  • Club Chaplain: Grant Hamilton

References

  1. "Queen of the South Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  2. "QosFC: Burnsy".
  3. "QosFC: Eva Mendes – the latest Queen of the South".
  4. 1 2 "Gary Naysmith: Queen of the South appoint East Fife boss as new manager". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  5. Young stars should take step back to go forward – Scotsman.com Sport
  6. Horne, Marc (25 May 2008). "Scottish Cup Final: 'Result is irrelevant, we are here to party'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
  7. 1 2 "Fans 'credit' to club and country". BBC News. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  8. Border News and Lookaround, 2008
  9. "Luke 11:31; Luke 11:32 (English Standard Version)", BibleGateway.com, retrieved 15 April 2008
  10. "Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 12:42 – English Standard Version".
  11. Dart, James (21 December 2005). "Which football teams appear in the bible?" via The Guardian.
  12. "QosFC: League Cup Doonhamers".
  13. 1 2 "QosFC: Queens Duo Scoop Another Double at PFA Awards".
  14. "Dumfries & Galloway Sport – Daily Record".
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "QosFC: Irn Bru Phenomenal End of Season Awards".
  16. "Official Queen of the South Site".
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "QosFC: Club History".
  18. "QosFC: Legends – George Farm".
  19. "QosFC: Legends – Jackie Oakes".
  20. 1 2 "QosFC: Legends – Billy Houliston".
  21. "Live: QotS v Rangers – Rangers Football Club, Official Website". 9 May 2015.
  22. "QosFC: Legends – Iain McChesney".
  23. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/queen-south-striker-derek-lyle-6284826
  24. "QosFC: Legends – Andy Thomson".
  25. "QosFC: Legends – Tommy Bryce".
  26. "Congratulations FC Nordsjælland". www.qosfc.com. Queen of the South. 27 May 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  27. "2017–18 Queen of the South squad". Queen of the South FC. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  28. "QosFC: Hall of Fame Review".
  29. "QosFC: Queens Legends".
  30. "Queen of the South: Gavin Skelton exits as manager after six months". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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