Parkgrove F.C.


Parkgrove F.C. were a nineteenth-century Glasgow-based senior football club. They were based in Govan, Glasgow.

History

Originally the team played in red & blue colours ; but for the 1879–80 season they changed to a white shirt with thin black hoops.
The club is notable for having two of the earliest known black football players; Andrew Watson and Robert Walker. While at Parkgrove, Watson became the club's match secretary - making him also the first black administrator in association football.
Thomas Britten, a Welsh international football player, played for Parkgrove in 1878.
It was noted that Parkgrove played with a cosmopolitan team. Another one of its players, Tommy Martin, the goalkeeper, was noted as being from Japan.
The club made the fifth round of the Scottish Cup in 1879-80. They drew with South Western; but were beaten in the replay. South Western progressed to the Quarter-Finals but were beaten by Pollokshields Athletic.

Decline

The club couldn't make a game with Dunfermline F.C. on New Year's Day 1880.
It was noted that Parkgrove moved out of their Trinidad Park ground in 1880. A notice of the ground at the Broomloan estate states that Parkgrove recently moved - and that the ground was now for let. Trinidad Park was a neighbouring football park next to Kinning Park; Rangers played at Kinning Park at the time Parkgrove played at Trinidad Park.
The Scottish Referee noted on 8 October 1894 that they were asked to contradict a rumour that the Parkgrove club were about to collapse. It noted that the club secretary advised that the club was in healthy condition and is likely to live for many days.
The club was still extant late that same year, playing Rangers on 15 December 1894 in the Kirkwood Shield competition.
The club was still playing in 1896; they were in a Partick Thistle-sponsored tournament in season 1896–97.
However, by the next season in August 1897, the team was listed by Scottish Referee as one of the many defunct clubs of Glasgow.

Notable former players