Bridgeton Waverley F.C.
| Full name | Bridgeton Waverley Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Lea |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Dissolved | 1962 |
| Ground |
Shawfield Stadium Barrowfield Park New Barrowfield |
| League |
Scottish Junior League 1925–1927 Scottish Intermediate League 1927–1931 Central Junior League 1931–1962 |
Bridgeton Waverley Football Club was a Scottish football club based in Glasgow. Originally founded in 1904, they competed in the Junior grade from 1923 until folding in 1962.
The club was initally formed as a team for former pupils of Queen Mary Street School in Bridgeton in the East End of Glasgow. The reason for choosing the title Waverley is uncertain, although there was a public house of that name situated very close to the school. They played at Juvenile level before disbanding during World War I; upon reforming they became a powerful force at that level, winning the Glasgow Juvenile Cup five times and the Scottish Juvenile Cup three times in succession between 1922 and 1924 (the only team ever to achieve this feat).
The success at Juvenile level convinced the Bridgeton Waverley committee to seek a place in the Junior leagues, having been permitted by senior club Clyde F.C. and their manager Frank Thompson to play fixtures at their Shawfield Stadium ground in Rutherglen as they sought a local home ground of their own. At that time the city of Glasgow was densely populated and heavily industrialised, and there were many clubs already established in the area. The most notable was the giants Celtic F.C., although their Irish-Catholic connections held little appeal for many of the area's residents. Junior clubs Strathclyde and Parkhead were based in the vicinity of Bridgeton, and other established clubs Glencairn, Shettleston, St Roch's, Shawfield, Baillieston, Vale of Clyde and Cambuslang Rangers were all within a few miles and could be expected to compete for players. However despite these challenges, Waverley performed well from the outset, having joined the Second Glasgow District League for 1923–24 while also putting out a side at juvenile level. They reached the semi-finals of the most prestigious national competition, the Scottish Junior Cup, at the first attempt, eventually being eliminated by neighbours Parkhead; the match at Celtic Park attracted an attendance of 11,500, even though the senior Scottish Cup final was taking place at Hampden Park at the same time.
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