Clyde FC
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| Full name | Clyde Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Bully Wee |
| Founded | 1877 |
| Ground |
Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld, Scotland |
| Capacity | 8,086 |
| Chairman | Norrie Innes |
| Manager | Jim Chapman |
| League | Scottish League Two |
| 2016–17 | Scottish League Two, 9th |
| Website | Club home page |
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Cumbernauld, who play in Scottish League Two. Formed in 1877 at the River Clyde, the team play their home games at Broadwood Stadium.
The Clyde Football Club was founded and played on the banks of the River Clyde at Barrowfield. Documentary evidence from the SFA and indeed match reports in the Glasgow press clearly show it all began in 1877, and the thread continues unbroken to this day.
Here's how the SFA recorded Clyde's origins:
"Clyde:- Founded 1877; Membership 50; Grounds (private), Barrowfield Park, on the banks of the Clyde; ten minutes walk from Bridgeton Cross; Club House on grounds; Colours, White & Blue. Hon. Secretary, John D. Graham, 24 Monteith Row."
Sitting on the edge of Bridgeton, Barrowfield Park lay in a triangle of land enclosed by Carstairs Street, Colvend Street and the river Clyde. The area was an intense mix of chemical, engineering and textile works with a high population density to provide the labour. Although no stadium photographs have emerged it appears the ground consisted of a grand stand running north-south, a pavilion and tennis courts at the southern end and a bicycle track surrounding the pitch.
Today this area is dotted with industrial units, but also contains a large grassed area. So it may be possible to stand upon a corner of the original Barrowfield pitch. Barrowfield was originally shared with a short-lived team called Albatross.
The club founded then has no resemblance to a modern professional football club. Clyde F.C. were a private members club more akin to a present-day golf or bowling club. Clyde's Secretary, John Graham, was also a noted rower and it seems the club had other sporting and cultural activities besides football.
The first mention of Clyde was in Monday's Evening Times of 17 September 1877:
"Clyde v T. Lanark
Clyde opened their season at Barrowfield with a match against the 3rd Lanark Volunteers. In the end the 3rd were victors by 3 goals to 1."
This very short report was common at the time as sport was of little significance and football competed with racing, bowling and quoiting for the limited column space available.
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