Annan Wanderers F.C.

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Annan Wanderers
Full nameAnnan Wanderers Football Club
Nickname(s)Wanderers
Founded1876
Dissolved1879
GroundHillend
PresidentLouis C. Salkeld Esq.[1]
SecretaryGeorge Hope Jr
CaptainAlex. Pollock

Annan Wanderers F.C. was an association football club from Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

History[edit]

Annan Wanderers 0–0 Annandale Rangers, Annandale Observer and Advertiser, 18 January 1878

The village of Annan was one of the first places to adopt association football, the Annan N.B. Football Club being founded in December 1867,[2] albeit it never seems to have played outside Dumfriesshire, its most notable opponent being the Kinmount side under the captaincy of the Marquess of Queensbury.[3]

The Wanderers club was founded in 1876,[4] its first recorded game against another club being a draw with Dumfries Wanderers in February 1877.[5]

Given the paucity of other clubs, the Wanderers did not play many matches, and after 3 wins in 6 matches in 1878, the club joined the Scottish Football Association[6] and entered the 1878–79 Scottish Cup. The regional nature of the draw meant the Wanderers were bound to play the only other senior side in the area, the Queen of the South Wanderers, and the clubs already had a keen rivalry - one match between the sides earlier in the year was left unfinished after the Dumfries side walked off in protest at a goal being given to Annan.[7] The luck of the draw had the tie take place in Annan, but - despite the home side borrowing three Annan Rangers players for the match - the visitors side had an easy 3–0 victory, with one more goal not being allowed after the umpires could not agree as to whether the ball had gone in. Beattie in the visitors' goal only handled the ball once.[8]

Annan entered the Scottish Cup again the following year, but, again with only the QotS Wanderers in its section of the draw, the clubs were again forced together, and, despite being drawn at home again,[9] Annan was dissolved before playing the tie.[10] A new club was promptly founded in September 1879, involving many of the same people as before (including patron Louis Salkeld and the Wanderers' last captain W. D. Currie),[11] but it only lasted a couple of years.

Colours[edit]

The club played in scarlet and white jerseys and hose, with white knickers.[12] Whether consciously or not, this reflected the Annan N.B. colours of white with red caps.[13]

Ground[edit]

The club played at Hillend, half-a-mile from the railway station, and with a clubhouse on the grounds.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Annan Wanderers' Football Club". Annandale Observer: 2. 3 May 1878.
  2. ^ Alcock, Charles (1868). John Lillywhite's Football Annual. Paternoster Row: John Lillywhite. p. 81.
  3. ^ "Annan v Marquess of Queensbury's team". Field: 22. 28 March 1868.
  4. ^ Dick, William (1878). Scottish Football Annual 1878–79. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 69.
  5. ^ "Football". Dumfries and Galloway Standard: 7. 14 February 1877.
  6. ^ "Scottish Football Association". North British Daily Mail: 3. 11 September 1878.
  7. ^ "Annan Wanderers v Queen of the South Wanderers". Annan Observer: 3. 8 February 1878.
  8. ^ "Football - Queen of the South Wanderers v Annan Wanderers". Dumfries and Galloway Standard: 5. 9 October 1878.
  9. ^ "Scottish Association Cup ties". Daily Review (Edinburgh): 6. 28 August 1879.
  10. ^ Scottish FA Minutes 1879–80. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 30 September 1879. p. 43.
  11. ^ "Formation of a football club in Annan". Annandale Observer and Advertiser: 2. 19 September 1879.
  12. ^ Dick, William (1878). Scottish Football Annual 1878–79. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 69.
  13. ^ Alcock, Charles (1868). John Lillywhite's Football Annual. Paternoster Row: John Lillywhite. p. 81.
  14. ^ Dick, William (1878). Scottish Football Annual 1878–79. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 69.