Broughty Athletic (Scotland)

Broughty Athletic FC is a non league football club from the seaside resort of Broughty Ferry a few miles east of Dundee. The club play in the Scottish Junior FA system.

Athletic were formed in 1920 as Broughty Ex Servicemen before changing to their present title in 1951 when they also moved to a new home at Claypotts Park. In 1989 the ground was renamed Whitton Park in recognition of former player and club official Eddie Whitton who passed away that year.

In 2006-07 the SJFA restructured their leagues and placed ‘The Fed’ in the East Region North Division. Athletic narrowly missed out on promotion in 2007-08 and 2008-09. However, promotion was achieved to the Premier Division at the culmination of the 2009-10 campaign.

Despite finishing bottom of the table in 2012-13 The Fed stayed up thanks to league reconstruction. Hopes were high that a further promotion could be achieved as the club became part of the Dundee East Community Sports Club Project.

The Hub was formed of five football clubs, a rugby club, a cricket club, a tennis and table tennis club, a bowling club, a handball club and a karate club. The clubs were given use of the facilities at Whitton Park and the nearby Forthill Sports Club, Douglas Sports Centre and the grass pitches at Dawson and Claypotts Park.

The Dundee East Community Sports Club Project benefitted from having over 150 qualified coaches and a strong committee. Plans were afoot to improve facilities at Whitton Park. A new all weather seven a side pitch was opened in July 2012, with a new stand for the main pitch being planned for 2016.

In January 2015 Keith Gibson was named as the new manager of Athletic.

Broughty Ferry FC will play in the SJFA East Region Premier League in the 2014-15 season.

My visit

Thursday 22nd January 2015

Having stayed in the very pleasant Broughty Ferry for the evening after watching the Dundee v Kilmarnock match the previous evening I decided that I needed to walk off my very generous breakfast at the B&B before my train back down south.

Using a bit of research and the excellent http://nonleaguescotland.org.uk/ website I headed uphill towards Claypotts Park. I got slightly wrong on my way and ended up in Dawson Park and had to take a detour before eventually finding Whitton Park.

The ground was locked but the fencing low enough to afford me a decent view inside to take my photos.

Whitton Park was pretty basic with a post and rail fence around the playing area. The only buildings came by way of a brick building in a corner behind the goal at the south end, with container units further along by the entrance offering more facilities. The installation of the planned stand would make a huge difference and allow the club progression to the Super League.

I headed towards the city of Dundee along Arbroath Road in search of a look at the home of East Craigie FC.