Parkgrove F.C.

Parkgrove F.C. were a nineteenth-century Glasgow-based senior football club. They were based in Govan, Glasgow.^[1]

History[]

Originally the team played in red & blue colours (1874–79); but for the 1879–80 season they changed to a white shirt with thin black hoops.^[1][2]

The club is notable for having two of the earliest known black footballers; Andrew Watson and Robert Walker. While at Parkgrove, Watson became the club's match secretary - making him also the first black administrator in association football.^[3]

It was noted that Parkgrove played with a cosmopolitan team. Thomas Britten, a Welsh international football player, played for the club in 1878.^[4] Another of its players, goalkeeper Tommy Martin, was noted as being from Japan.^[5]

The club made the fifth round of the Scottish Cup in 1879-80. They drew with South Western; but were beaten in the replay. South Western progressed to the Quarter-Finals but were beaten by Pollokshields Athletic.

Decline[]

The club couldn't make a game with Dunfermline F.C. on New Year's Day 1880.^[6]

It was noted that Parkgrove moved out of their Trinidad Park ground in 1880. A notice of the ground at the Broomloan estate states that Parkgrove recently moved - and that the ground was now for let.^[7][8] Kinning Park, home of Rangers at the time Parkgrove played at Trinidad Park, was fairly near;^[5] The Gers moved to the first Ibrox Park, directly adjacent to the Trinidad site, in 1887.

The Scottish Referee noted on 8 October 1894 that they were asked to contradict a rumour that the Parkgrove club were about to collapse. It noted that the secretary advised that the club was in healthy condition and was likely to survive for many days.^[9]

The club was still extant late that same year, playing Rangers on 15 December 1894 in the Kirkwood Shield competition.^[10] They were still playing in 1896 as they were in a Partick Thistle-sponsored tournament in season 1896–97;^[11] however, by August 1897, Parkgrove was listed by the Scottish Referee as one of the many defunct clubs of Glasgow.^[12]

Notable former players[]

• Andrew Watson (footballer, born 1856), Scottish international football player; and the first black association football player.
• Robert Walker (Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers footballer), another black player to play association football alongside Watson at Parkgrove.
• Thomas Britten, Welsh international player - who was noted as Parkgrove's leading striker.^[5]

References[]

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