| Full name | Paisley Academical F.C. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | the Gilded Youths,[1] Acas,[2] the Accies,[3] the Academicals | ||
| Founded | 1890 | ||
| Dissolved | 1953 | ||
| Ground | Greenlaw Park | ||
| |||
Paisley Academical F.C. was anold boyassociation football club fromPaisley, Renfrewshire.
The club was founded in 1890[4] for pupils and former pupils at thePaisley Grammar School inRenfrewshire.[5] The name was reported as Academical or Academicals, but the name the club gave officially was the singular.[6]
The club was a regular entrant to theRenfrewshire Cup from 1891–92 to 1935–36 and theScottish Qualifying Cup from 1895 to 1896, having also played in the lastScottish Cup qualifying section in 1894–95. Given its narrow constituency, the club was usually outclassed. Its last win in the Renfrewshire Cup for instance coming in 1903–04, when it beatJohnstone in the first round.[7] The only time the club won more than one tie in the competition was 1899–1900, which put the club into a semi-final againstMorton. Paisley had been drawn at home, but, "disappointed" in the lack of town support, switched the tie toCappielow Park,[8] and was rewarded with an attendance of 2,000.[9] However the professional side won 4–2.
The club's chances diminished after the formation of thePaisley Grammar School Former Pupils F.C., whose potential membership overlapped with the Academicals, and which was originally tabbed only to play in specific Old Boy leagues, but which also joined the Scottish FA[10] and Renfrewshire Association in 1912.[11] Perhaps in response to this, the Academicals merged with theJohn Neilson FPs before the 1912–13 season,[12] and used the Academicals name for nearly all purposes afterwards.
The Academicals played in the main section of the Scottish Cup twice, in1929–30 and1934–35. The former time the club had the significant luck of the draw, being given byes through to the third round of the southern section, putting it into the first round proper; in the Qualifying Cup, the club lost 6–0 at home toSt Cuthbert Wanderers. In the Cup itself, reigning Cup-holdersKilmarnock gained its biggest-ever Cup win, beating the Academicals 11–1; the Academicals held out for 15 minutes, but were seven down by half-time, and Jimmy Weir scored a double hat-trick for Killie.[13]
In 1934–35 the club again had the benefit of two byes, and beat theGreenock High School Former Pupils in the third round of the southern section of the Qualifying Cup, earning a spot in round one proper. At the next stage in the Qualifying Cup, the Academicals lost 5–0 toRosyth Dockyard Recreation, and in the Cup itself 7–0 toAlbion Rovers, Renwick scoring four and Lyon three.[14]
At an amateur level, the club had more success. It was runner-up in theScottish Amateur Cup in its first instalment in 1909–10, losing to its future partner the John Neilson FPs in the final atLove Street,[15] and was the first champion in theScottish Amateur Football League in 1901–02,[16] heading (amongst others)Ayr Parkhouse in the final table.[17] It regained the title in 1904–05.[18] It also played in the first season of the Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Football League in 1903–04, finishing fourth of six in the almost-completed final table.[19]
The last references to the club playing date from the 1952–53 season.[20]
The club's original colours were navy jerseys and white knickers.[21] From 1897[22] to 1912 its colours were blue shirts and white knickers, and from 1912 black and white.[23]
The club played at Greenlaw Park.[24]
