| Full name | Partick Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 | |
| Dissolved | 1885 | |
| Ground | Inchview | |
Partick Football Club was afootball club based in theburgh ofPartick (now part of the city ofGlasgow),Scotland. The club was founded in 1875 and played their home games atInchview on Dumbarton Road in theWhiteinch neighbourhood until they went defunct in 1885.[1]
In the early uptake of football in the west of Scotland, many clubs were formed in conjunction with the practice ofcricket – thefirst-ever international football match had been played atHamilton Crescent cricket ground in Partick in 1872. Partick F.C. were formed for enthusiasts of both sports on 23 March 1875,[2] and developed their basic grounds during that summer. TheScottish Football League would not be formed for some years, but Partick immediately applied for membership of theScottish Football Association and entered theScottish Cup from the1875–76 season.
Through connections of players including William Kirkham, matches were organised between Partick andLancashire teamsDarwen andBlackburn Rovers – among the earliest cross-border fixtures – with the Scottish team winning most of them, some by large margins.[3] Although officially amateur, the English clubs enticed some of Partick's players south to play for them, includingJimmy Love andFergie Suter, now recognised as the first professional footballers, and William Struthers (a guest player fromRangers) who became one of the first managers ofBolton Wanderers.[4]
Partick had little impact on the Scottish Cup, and a local rival emerged in the form ofPartick Thistle who also moved to Whiteinch (though a different ground) in 1880.[5] Partick won their first meeting that year at Inchview by a 5–1 scoreline,[6] but Thistle also began to compete in the Scottish Cup, won the next meetings 5–2 and 3–1,[7] continued that run the following year[8] and increased their popularity among locals after moving nearer to the heart of the burgh at Muir Park (close to Hamilton Crescent) in 1883.[9][10] That year, both clubs joined the newly formedGlasgow Football Association.[11]
In summer 1885, it was announced that Partick F.C. had gone defunct and Partick Thistle would be moving in as tenants at Inchview; they continued to play there until 1897 (although not stated as amerger or takeover at the time, effectively that is what occurred).[12]
The club played in red and blue one-inch hooped jerseys and hose, with white knickers, until 1880.[13] Until the club's final season it wore white shirts and navy knickers, and then changed to theWest of Scotland rugby colours of black, red, and gold;[14] later coincidentally adopted by Partick Thistle.
The club played at Inchview Park inWhiteinch.[15]
