football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club based in the
burgh
A burgh ( ) is an Autonomy, autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots language, Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when David I of Scotland, King David I created ...
of
Partick
Partick (, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to the north Broo ...
(now part of the city of
Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
),
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
. The club was founded in 1875 and played their home games at
Inchview
Inchview was a football ground in the Whiteinch area of Glasgow, Scotland. It was the home ground of Partick from the 1870s until 1885, and of Partick Thistle from 1885 until 1897.
History Partick FC
Partick F.C. were formed in 1875, with thei ...
on Dumbarton Road in the
Whiteinch
Whiteinch () is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated directly north of the River Clyde, between the Partick and Scotstoun areas of the city. Whiteinch was at one stage part of the burgh of Partick, until that burgh's absorp ...
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland (NLS; ; ) is one of Scotland's National Collections. It is one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom. As well as a public programme of exhibitions, events, workshops, and tours, the National Library of ...
)
History
In the early uptake of football in the west of Scotland, many clubs were formed in conjunction with the practice of
cricket
Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
Hamilton Crescent
Hamilton Crescent is a cricket ground in the Partick area of Glasgow, Scotland, which is the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club. It was previously also used for association football and hosted the first international football match in ...
cricket ground in Partick in 1872. Partick F.C. were formed for enthusiasts of both sports on 23 March 1875, and developed their basic grounds during that summer. The
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League (SFL) is a defunct league featuring professional and semi-professional football clubs mostly from Scotland.One club, Berwick Rangers, is based in the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is located approximately 4&nbs ...
would not be formed for some years, but Partick immediately applied for membership of the
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association (; also known as the Scottish FA and the SFA) is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA incl ...
and entered the
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,1875–76 season.
Through connections of players including William Kirkham, matches were organised between Partick and
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
teams
Darwen
Darwen is a market town and civil parish in the Blackburn with Darwen borough in Lancashire, England. The residents of the town are known as "Darreners".
The A666 road, A666 road passes through Darwen towards Blackburn to the north, Bolton to ...
and
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...
– among the earliest cross-border fixtures – with the Scottish team winning most of them, some by large margins. Although officially amateur, the English clubs enticed some of Partick's players south to play for them, including Jimmy Love and Fergie Suter, now recognised as the first professional footballers, and William Struthers (a guest player from
Rangers
A ranger is typically someone in a law enforcement or military/paramilitary role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called "ranging" or "scouting". The term most often refers to:
* Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with prot ...
) who became one of the first managers of
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Football Club ( ) is a professional association football, football club based in Horwich, Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in EFL League One, League One, the third level of the Englis ...
.
Partick had little impact on the Scottish Cup, and found an emerging local rival in the form of
Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football, football club from Glasgow, Scotland and currently plays in the . Despite their name, the club are based at Firhill Stadium in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not ...
who also moved to Whiteinch (though a different ground) in 1880. Partick won their first meeting that year at Inchview by a 5–1 scoreline, but Thistle also began to compete in the Scottish Cup, won the next meetings 5–2 and 3–1, continued that run the following year and increased their popularity among locals after moving nearer to the heart of the burgh at Muir Park (close to Hamilton Crescent) in 1883.Muir Park , Partick Thistle - The Early Years That year, both clubs joined the newly formed
Glasgow Football Association
Founded in 1883, the Glasgow Football Association, based in the city of Glasgow, Scotland and affiliated to the national Scottish Football Association, is one of the List of Football Associations by date of foundation, oldest such bodies in footb ...
.Chapter XXV—Glasgow Association , History of the Queen's Park Football Club 1867 - 1917 (via Electric Scotland)
In summer 1885, it was announced that Partick F.C. had gone defunct and Partick Thistle would be moving in as tenants at Inchview; they continued to play there until 1897 (although not stated as a
merger
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...
or takeover at the time, effectively that is what occurred).1884-85 Takeover Partick Thistle - The Early Years
Colours
The club played in red and blue one-inch hooped jerseys and hose, with white knickers, until 1880. Until the club's final season it wore white shirts and navy knickers, and then changed to the West of Scotland rugby colours of black, red, and gold; later coincidentally adopted by Partick Thistle.
Ground
The club played at Inchview Park in
Whiteinch
Whiteinch () is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated directly north of the River Clyde, between the Partick and Scotstoun areas of the city. Whiteinch was at one stage part of the burgh of Partick, until that burgh's absorp ...