 | |||
| Full name | Kelty Hearts Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Hearts The Maroon Machine[1] The Jambos[2] | ||
| Founded | 1975; 50 years ago (1975)[3] | ||
| Ground | New Central Park,Kelty | ||
| Capacity | 2,181 (354 seated)[4] | ||
| Chairman | George McTrusty | ||
| Manager | Thomas O'Ware (interim) | ||
| League | Scottish League One | ||
| 2023–24 | Scottish League One, 6th of 10 | ||
| Website | https://keltyhearts.co.uk/ | ||
Kelty Hearts Football Club is afootball club based in the village ofKelty inFife,Scotland. Formed in 1975[3] and nicknamedthe Hearts,the Maroon Machine andthe Jambos, they play their home games at New Central Park.[4] Their home colours are maroon shirts, white shorts and maroon socks, while their away colours are typically all blue.
Kelty Hearts compete inScottish League One, having been promoted fromScottish League Two as champions in 2022.
The club were previously members of theScottish Junior Football Association, playing in theFife League followed by theEast Region Superleague. In December 2017 the club became a fullSFA member, making them eligible to enter theScottish Cup and move up through thepyramid system.[5]
In 1975, Kelty Hearts were formed as Kelty Hearts Amateur Football Club and worked their way up from the bottom of the Kirkcaldy & District Amateur Football Association to the top in four seasons.[6] The club turnedjunior after only a few years to remain competitive with other local sides.[7] They initially played in theFife League, one of six regions across the country, quickly becoming one of its leading sides, then became members of theEast Region in 2002 when the number was reduced to three.
Kelty reached theScottish Junior Cup final twice but were runners-up both times: in 1999 they lost 1–0 toKilwinning Rangers, and in 2007 they were defeated 2–1 after extra time byLinlithgow Rose.[8]
Kelty looked to move away from being a junior side after winning theEast Region Super League for the second time in2017.[9] The club applied for membership to join theSFA and in December 2017 became a full member, making them eligible to enter theScottish Cup as well as progress higher up theScottish football league system.[5]
After being accepted into and winning theEast of Scotland Football League in2018, Kelty were promoted to theLowland League (the fifth tier of theScottish football league system) for the2018–19 season after a comprehensive 10–0 aggregate win overThreave Rovers in thepromotion play-off.[10][11]
The team had been managed since October 2013 byTam Courts but the club reluctantly accepted his resignation as manager on 11 October 2018.[12]
FormerRangers andScotland captainBarry Ferguson was announced as the club's new manager on 18 October 2018.[13]
The2019–20 Lowland League season was ended with immediate effect on 13 April 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic with Kelty Hearts being declared champions on a points per game average based on the current standings.[14][15]
For the second consecutive season, Kelty were declared champions of the2020–21 Lowland Football League on a points per game formula due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was announced by theLowland Football League on 30 March 2021.[16] Kelty were promoted to theSPFL for the first time on 23 May 2021 after beatingBrechin City 3–1 on aggregate in the Pyramid play-off final.[17]
Continuing to make history during the 2021–22 season, Kelty, leadingScottish League Two at the time, played in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup for the first time. FacingScottish Premiership side and cup holdersSt Johnstone, Kelty won 1–0 after extra time at home in front of a sold-out crowd, thanks to a goal byKallum Higginbotham.
Kelty were promoted toScottish League One at the first attempt with five games of the season remaining on 26 March 2022 when they beatStenhousemuir 1–0, and nearest challengersAnnan Athletic lost their match.[18]
.jpg) Kelty Hearts v Solihull Moors, 2019 | |
  New Central Park Location within Fife | |
| Former names | Central Park (until 2015) |
|---|---|
| Location | Bath Street, Kelty, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°08′10″N3°22′46″W / 56.13625°N 3.37945°W /56.13625; -3.37945 |
| Capacity | 2,181 (354 seated)[4] |
| Record attendance | 2,300 vRangers XI 7 October 2012[4] |
| Field size | 100 x 60 m |
| Surface | Artificial turf |
| Construction | |
| Renovated | 2015, 2016, 2018[19] |
| Tenants | |
| Kelty Hearts (1979–)[20] Kelty Hearts Women (2018–) Dunfermline Athletic Reserves | |
Kelty Hearts play their home games at New Central Park, situated just off Bath Street inKelty.
The overall capacity of New Central Park is 2,181 and consists of two covered enclosures which can hold around 1,030 spectators in total and a seated stand with a capacity of 354.[4] There is a social club and a sports bar/hospitality lounge within the ground. The pitch at New Central Park has a 3G MX artificial surface, which was installed in 2015 along with floodlights.[19]
Dunfermline Athletic Reserves also play their home games at New Central Park.[21]
The majority of supporters of Kelty Hearts come from the village ofKelty and surrounding areas inFife.
Kelty are also known to attract manygroundhoppers due to the club's good reputation as hosts on matchdays.[22]
Kelty share a fierce local rivalry withEast of Scotland teamHill of Beath Hawthorn. Both clubs were founded in the same year in 1975. The rivalry mainly stems from the close proximity of the two clubs and both being very successfuljunior sides within the Fife League, often exchanging league title wins from year to year and frequently meeting in the cup competitions.[23] Kelty are currently three leagues above Hill of Beath; however, they can still face each other in theScottish Cup.
Kelty's other rivals includeLinlithgow Rose andBonnyrigg Rose, two successful formerEast junior sides, who they have faced in both league and cup competitions over the years.[8][24]
Upon gaining promotion to theSPFL, Kelty compete in the biggerFife derbies, with their closest rivals beingCowdenbeath, the two separated by just 2.7 miles (4.3 km).
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager |  Thomas O'Ware |
| Goalkeeping coach | David McGurn |
| Physio | Luisa Robertson |
| Sports therapist | Jamie McDonald |
| Kitman | Calum Wood |
| Season | Division | Tier | Pos. | Pld. | W | D | L | GD | Pts | Scottish Amateur Cup Scottish Junior Cup Scottish Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–76 | Kirkcaldy & District Amateur League | Amateur 1 | ||||||||
| 1976–77 | Kirkcaldy & District Amateur League | Amateur 1 | ||||||||
| 1977–78 | Kirkcaldy & District Amateur League | Amateur 1 | ||||||||
| 1978–79 | Kirkcaldy & District Amateur League | Amateur 1 | 1st | |||||||
| 1979–80 | Kirkcaldy & District Amateur League | Amateur 1 | ||||||||
| 1980–81 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 30 | 19 | 8 | 3 | +30 | 46 | 2nd Round |
| 1981–82 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 3rd | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | +34 | 39 | 4th Round |
| 1982–83 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 32 | 22 | 6 | 4 | +45 | 50 | |
| 1983–84 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 34 | |||||||
| 1984–85 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 34 | 2nd Round | ||||||
| 1985–86 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 34 | 1st Round | ||||||
| 1986–87 | Fife Junior League East Section | Junior 1 | 2nd | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | +27 | 33 | 5th Round |
| 1987–88 | Fife Junior League Division 1 | Junior 1 | 2nd | 24 | 15 | 3 | 6 | +17 | 33 | |
| 1988–89 | Fife Junior League Division 1 | Junior 1 | 2nd | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | +27 | 31 | |
| 1989–90 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 4th | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | +32 | 37 | |
| 1990–91 | Fife Junior League Division A | Junior 1 | 1st | 21 | 14 | 5 | 2 | +31 | 33 | 2nd Round |
| 1991–92 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 1st | 26 | 22 | 1 | 3 | +57 | 45 | 2nd Round |
| 1992–93 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 1st | 26 | 22 | 3 | 1 | +50 | 47 | 3rd Round |
| 1993–94 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 5th | 28 | 14 | 7 | 7 | +53 | 35 | |
| 1994–95 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 28 | 17 | 4 | 7 | +47 | 38 | 5th Round |
| 1995–96 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 28 | 20 | 3 | 5 | +64 | 43 | |
| 1996–97 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 1st | 28 | 27 | 1 | 0 | +84 | 55 | 4th Round |
| 1997–98 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 28 | 21 | 6 | 1 | +60 | 69 | 2nd Round |
| 1998–99 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 1st | 30 | 26 | 3 | 1 | +77 | 81 | Runners-up |
| 1999–2000 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 28 | 21 | 3 | 4 | +68 | 66 | 4th Round |
| 2000–01 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 4th | 28 | 16 | 6 | 6 | +41 | 54 | 3rd Round |
| 2001–02 | Fife Junior League | Junior 1 | 6th | 28 | 15 | 7 | 6 | +18 | 52 | 4th Round |
| 2002–03 | Fife District League | Junior 2 | 1st | 22 | 18 | 3 | 1 | +47 | 57 | 4th Round |
| 2003–04 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 7th | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 3rd Round |
| 2004–05 | Fife District League | Junior 2 | 3th | 22 | 15 | 4 | 3 | +38 | 49 | 3rd Round |
| 2005–06 | Fife District League | Junior 2 | 4th | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | +31 | 47 | 1st Round |
| 2006–07 | Junior East Premier League | Junior 2 | 2nd | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | +20 | 42 | Runners-up |
| 2007–08 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 7th | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 28 | 3rd Round |
| 2008–09 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 5th | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | +8 | 30 | 2nd Round |
| 2009–10 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 9th | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | -6 | 27 | 3rd Round |
| 2010–11 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 9th | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 24 | 1st Round |
| 2011–12 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 5th | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | -2 | 26 | 1st Round |
| 2012–13 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 5th | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 28 | Quarter-finals |
| 2013–14 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 14th | 30 | 5 | 11 | 14 | -18 | 26 | 1st Round |
| 2014–15 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 1st | 28 | 20 | 5 | 3 | +40 | 65 | 3rd Round |
| 2015–16 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 2nd | 30 | 19 | 5 | 6 | +29 | 62 | 5th Round |
| 2016–17 | Junior East Super League | Junior 1 | 1st | 30 | 25 | 3 | 2 | +55 | 78 | 5th Round |
| 2017–18 | East of Scotland League | 6 | 1st | 24 | 23 | 0 | 1 | +131 | 69 | Preliminary Round 1, losing toLothian Thistle Hutchison Vale |
| 2018–19 | Lowland League | 5 | 3rd | 28 | 16 | 6 | 6 | +29 | 54 | 2nd Round, losing toPeterhead |
| 2019–20 | Lowland League | 5 | 1st† | 25 | 22 | 2 | 1 | +78 | 68 | 1st Round, losing toAuchinleck Talbot |
| 2020–21 | Lowland League | 5 | 1st† | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | +36 | 36 | 2nd Round, losing toStranraer |
| 2021–22 | League Two | 4 | 1st | 36 | 24 | 9 | 3 | +40 | 81 | 5th Round, losing toSt Mirren |
| 2022–23 | League One | 3 | 8th | 36 | 10 | 10 | 16 | -15 | 40 | 3rd Round, losing toPartick Thistle |
† Season curtailed due toCOVID-19 pandemic - Kelty were announced as champions for the 2019–20[26] and 2020–21 season. A points per game basis was used to finalise standings.[27]
56°08′09″N3°22′43″W / 56.1359°N 3.3786°W /56.1359; -3.3786
