University of Stirling Football Club are a football club based in Stirling, Scotland. They are associated with the University of Stirling and have played in the Lowland Football League since 2013. The club operates six teams which compete in a combination of BUCS Football League and in senior and amateur leagues across Scotland. The club currently have five teams in the BUCS Football League and various in the Scottish Lowland Football League, East of Scotland Football League, Lowlands U20 Development League as well as the Caledonian Amateur Football League. The university deliver a High Performance Football Programme which provides players to the first team. As part of this programme, students can be offered football scholarships to study for a degree and play football at the university. The football scholarship programme is named after Craig Gowans, a talented Falkirk player who died in 2005 while training with the university.
History
The club was admitted to the First Division of the East of Scotland Football League in 2008, after Berwick Rangers withdrew their reserve team. The 2009–10 season was one of great success for the students, as they won the First Division title in only the team's second season in the East of Scotland League. They also won the Scottish Universities Championship and reached the KingCup final, losing to East of Scotland Premier Division champions Spartans 0–2 at Ferguson Park, Rosewell. In the 2010–11 season, in their first season in the East of Scotland Premier Division, the students secured a second-place finish and also suffered defeat in the King Cup final at the hands of Spartans at the Falkirk Stadium. They were successful in the Alex Jack Cup, winning the final 7–0 against Lothian Thistle at the Falkirk Stadium. In 2012, Stirling University again won the Alex Jack Cup, beating Gretna 2008 in the final. In March 2012, the university's first year scholar Stephen Hoyle left the program to sign for ASB Premiership side Hawke's Bay United in New Zealand. Stirling University had a remarkable 2011–12 season, bringing three trophies back to the university, including the East of Scotland Premier Division title for the first time. This saw the university compete in the 2012–13 Scottish Cup, participating in the Scottish Cup for the first time in the club's history. Stirling University were drawn against Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic in the second round, with the university losing 0–1. Many of the University Scholars have gone on to play professionally in recent seasons. At the end of the 2012–13 season, goalkeeper Kevin Walker left the university to sign a one-year professional contract with Scottish Championship side Livingston. More recently, two of the first team players during the 2018-19 season signed pre-contracts with professional clubs. Lewis Hunter and Blair Lyons signed professional terms with Scottish League One sides East Fife F.C. and Montrose F.C. respectively. When it was announced in 2013 that Stirling University would be admitted to the Lowland League, it was also announced that they would use Stirling Albion's Forthbank Stadium for their home fixtures. In August 2014 they announced their new manager as Shelley Kerr, becoming the first senior club in Britain to appoint a female manager. On 13 April 2017 Kerr was appointed as manager of Scotland women's head coach. Following her departure, long-serving striker Chris Geddes was promoted to the role of first team coach after assisting Kerr throughout previous seasons.
Current squad
As of 1 July 2020
Women
In 2014 the women's team joined forces with Falkirk L.F.C. and compete as Stirling University and Falkirk L.F.C..
