Possil Bluebell Football Club was a 19th-century football club from the
Possilpark
Possilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde and centred around Saracen Street. The area developed around Saracen Foundry of Walter MacFarlane & Co., which was the main employer. In the wake of the ...
area of
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...
in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...
.
History
The club was founded in 1878, with the name originally stylized as Possil Blue Bell. With 28 members in its first season, the club was the second-smallest known senior club in Glasgow, only Union known to have been smaller. The club still only had 38 members in its second season.
Notwithstanding its size, the club entered the
1878–79 Scottish Cup
The 1878–79 Scottish Cup – officially the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup – was the sixth season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Defending champions Vale of Leven met Rangers in the final but, aft ...
, and enjoyed an 8–0 win over the 19th L.R.V. in the first round. The club lost 2–1 at
Partick
Partick ( sco, Pairtick, 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 t ...
in the second, the home side having a third chalked off and the Blue Bell goal being a consolation with ten minutes to go - the Partick goalkeeper only touched the ball on two other occasions.
The club made the second round again the following season, albeit thanks to the
Telegraphists
Telegraphists Football Club was a 19th-century association football club based at Govan, now in Glasgow.
History
The club was founded in 1874 for workers at the Telegraph Department of the Glasgow General Post Office, as a winter activity fo ...
ceding the first round tie. Given little chance against the 3rd L.R.V., the Bluebell put up a remarkable fight, holding the Hi-Hi to a goalless draw at the original Cathkin Park thanks to "capital back play" and only losing 1–0 in the replay; the Volunteers' superior fitness told as the Blue Bell dominated the first half, the Hi-Hi the second.
However that was as good as it got for the club; with other clubs in Glasgow and its environs emerging, a small club like the Bluebell was simply swamped. Indeed, the last record of the club playing is in a match against the Good Templars Harmonic in February 1880 for which it needed to borrow players from the unknown Possil Park United.
It entered the
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,1880–81, even a first round bye not persuading the side to play its second round tie. In 1881–82, the club was drawn to play Alexandra Athletic, but had dissolved before the tie could take place.
Colours
The club wore dark blue jerseys and knickers, and red hose with a white stripe.