Clubs in Falkirk District - Gairdoch

Long before the current situation, in about the 1880s/90s if you were to ask a local who was the third biggest team in Falkirk District [clearly 'Shire then Falkirk [in that order] would be 1 & 2] they would probably look at you then say "Camelon" with the unsaid "ya div" left hanging in the ether.

If you were to ask who was fourth, it would be murkier, but I would lay a bet that they would more likely say Gairdoch before Stenhousemuir.

The village of Carronshore is not where you might find a really good football team [do not get me wrong shoreites, the village produced many good footballers, many who eventually joined other, bigger clubs] but it is too small to attract a big enough crowd to pay them players. They were helped by the fact that T.D.Brodie [their Patron] let them play at Dovecote Park without paying rent.

But even that could not stem the tide of professionalism, eventually FFC, ESFC & clubs further afeild pilfering their best players meant they collapsed into nothingness: they were reborn into a junior side, but even that could not sutain itself.

It is sad, as they really did produce some good players.

I have never tracked down the exact location of Dovecote Pk, but get the feeling that it might have been somewhere close to the Dovecote.

Kinnaird Brass Band Four-a-Side Competition 1889

Held at Dovecot Pk, Carronshore, Sat 20th July 1889, Scores are Goals+Touchdowns

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East Stirlingshire II         1+2    Gairdoch                   1+0       First Round
Carronshore Pates, East Stirlingshire & Gairdoch II - Byes

East Stirlingshire            3+1    Gairdoch II                0+0       Semi-Final
East Stirlingshire II         1+1    Carronshore Pates          0+0       Semi-Final

East Stirlingshire            2+2    East Stirlingshire II      2+0       Final

Teams-
East Stirlingshire - Dunn, Ritchie, Kirkwood, Simpson.
East Stirlingshire II - Johnston, Howden, T.Dunn, A.N.Other.

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4-a-side and 5-a-side Competitions

Carron Band Four-a-Side Competition 1889

Held at Inns Park, Carron, Sat 11th May 1889 (Scores are Goals+Touchdowns)

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Gairdoch                      3+0    Crichton Rovers      0+0       First Round
Stenhousemuir                 2+0    Carronshore Pates    0+0       First Round
Falkirk Strollers             2+0    Stenhousemuir II     1+0       First Round
Falkirk Excelsior             scr    Carronshore Pates II WO        First Round
Falkirk                       5+0    Carron Athletic      0+0       First Round
Grangemouth                   scr    Burnhouse            WO        First Round
Gairdoch II                   2+0    West Carron          0+0       First Round

Gairdoch                      4+0    Carronshore Pates II 0+0       Second Round
Falkirk Strollers             2+0    Burnhouse            0+0       Second Round
Stenhousemuir                 2+0    Gairdoch II          1+0       Second Round
Falkirk - Bye

Falkirk                       2+0    Falkirk Strollers    0+0       Semi-Final
Gairdoch                      1+0    Stenhousemuir        0+2       Semi-Final

Falkirk Strollers             2+1    Stenhousemuir        0+0       Third Place

Falkirk                       5+0    Gairdoch             0+0       Final

Teams-
Falkirk - M.Harley, Drummond, T.McDonald, Stark.
Gairdoch - Kemp, Brown, Rae, Honeyman.
Falkirk Strollers - Malcolm, Stewart, Cochrane, Murphy.

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4-a-side and 5-a-side Competitions