Cowdenbeath (Scotland)

Cowdenbeath FC is a semi-professional football club from the former mining town of the same name in Fife, Scotland that was formed in 1881, following the merger of Cowdenbeath Rangers and Cowdenbeath Thistle.

Seven years after their formation the club moved into North End Park from Jubilee Park; winning the Central League in 1896-97 after moving into the competition following a time in the Midland League.

Cowdenbeath were admitted into Division Two of the Scottish League in 1905, with the club soon finding themselves in financial troubles. Whippet racing at North End Park created vital cash to keep their heads above water.

Fortunes on the pitch improved as Cowden adopted blue and white as their new club colours.Despite winning the league title in 1913-14 and 1914-15 thanks in part to the goals of Willie Philp they were not promoted under manager Sandy Paterson.

When peace was restored after World War One the club was not re-elected to the enlarged Division One, so they resigned and competed in the Central League; enticing star players Joe Dodds and Scott Duncan before moving into Central Park in 1917.

JR Smith was prolific in 1921-22 as the team finished as runners-up before the goals of Willie Devlin helped the team to a Division Two runners-up finish in 1923-24, to secure promotion to Division One, which would be Paterson’s seventeenth and final year at the helm.

Devlin’s form continued as gates of 9,000 regularly attended games at Central Park. Despite a fifth place finish the manager Jimmy Richardson departed with former player Duncan taking over the reins.

Devlin was sold to Huddersfield Town; who were managed by Herbert Chapman at the time. Duncan Lindsay would become the new Central Park favourite before moving to Newcastle United. Manager Duncan would move to Manchester United in 1932-33 taking players with him.

The team remained in Division One until 1933-34 when they were relegated before John Dougary was appointed as manager, with the club struggling financially once again. A third Division Two title was clinched in 1938-39 as Rab Walls bagged fifty four league goals as Bill Hodge managed the side.

Willie Fotheringham was tasked with the job of rebuilding the side after World Wat Two. Cowden were placed in joining the B Division in 1946-47, to the disgust of those at the club. They finished bottom of the table in their comeback season.

Players were continually sold to balance the books. A 3-2 win against Rangers at Ibrox in the first leg of the League Cup quarter final in 1949-50 being the highlight of the period. A crowd of 25,586, more than twice the population of the town, saw Cowden go out after extra time in the second leg.

The Miners flirted with relegation to the C Division despite the goals of Jimmy Inglis. Jimmy Mitchell replaced Dougary in 1958-59 before spells from Archie Buchanan and then Harry Colville. Another financial crisis led to his resignation during the 1963-64 campaign.

New director Charlie Gronbach introduced speedway to Central Park as former Scotland star Archie Robertson took over team affairs before departing for Clyde in 1968. Andy Matthew was appointed as the new Cowden boss.

The forward line of John Dickson, Billy Mullen and Billy Bostock would take Cowdenbeath back to the First Division as league runners-up in 1969-70. However, the spell in the top flight lasted just one year. A League Cup semi-final appearance proved scant consolation.

A defeat to Arbroath at the end of the following season deprived Cowden of an immediate return. Matthew resigned in September 1974. Stability was lost as thirteen managers came and went at Central Park in a fifteen year period.

Bert Paton, Dan McLindon, Frank Connor Pat Wilson, Pat Stanton, Andy Rolland, Hugh Wilson, Willie McCulloch, John Clark, Joe Craig, Dick Campbell, John Blackley and then John Brownlie were the men in the hot seat.

The Scottish League had been extended with Cowden remaining in the Second Division; even though that had become the third tier from 1974-75. Goalkeeper Ray Allan was a part of the side for much of the period while teammates continued to be sold.

Gordon McDougall became the new club owner in 1990. He was also the supremo of the stock car racing held at Central Park. John Brownlie came in as manager and led Cowden to a runners-up place and promotion to the First Division in 1991-92.

After two years the team went back down to the league basement. A new stand was opened in 1995 to replace the half that was ravaged by fire, before Craig Levein took the team up in 2000-01. His side included several stalwarts who built a solid platform.

The team christened ‘The Blue Brazil’ went back down in 2002-03 before Mixu Paatelainen arrived in his first managerial appointment, as his team won the Division Three title in 2005-06. Their spell lasted two seasons before Cowden were relegated after a play-off defeat to Arbroath.

The goals of John Gemmell under manager Danny Lennon took Cowden back up to Division Two in 2008-09. The following season the team reached the play-offs, where victories over Alloa Athletic and then Brechin City realised promotion to the second tier First Division.

Lennon departed for St Mirren with the former Northern Ireland playing legend Jimmy Nicholl taking over. The day to day running of the club was handed over to the supporters with former Rangers vice-chairman Donald Findlay QC becoming chairman.

Brechin exacted revenge twelve months later as they won the play-off to send Cowdenbeath back down to the Second Division. Nicholl departed for a coaching role elsewhere, which allowed former Scotland defender Colin Cameron to take up his first managerial role.

He took the team to the Second Division title in 2011-12. Back in the second tier Cowden survived on the final day of the 2012-13 campaign to become members of the retitled Championship.

The Blue Brazil again secured their safety via the play-offs under a returning Nicholl, defeating Ayr United and then local rivals Dunfermline Athletic over two legs with pacey forward Kane Hemmings creating havoc. The reward was competing in a competition that included Rangers, Hibernian and Hearts in the 2014-15 season.

Greg Stewart and Hemmings were sold to Dundee as Cowden struggled in such illustrious company; going down at the season’s end to the retitled third tier League 1. Colin Nish was appointed player/manager as more players left the club.

Cowden went down to League 2 at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season after a play-off loss to Queen’s Park with Nish being replaced by young coach Liam Fox. He lasted until February 2017 as the club found itself in deep trouble. Gary Locke was appointed as the new manager.

Cowden survived and retained their Scottish League status when they defeated East Kilbride after a penalty shoot out. The 2017-18 campaign was also one of struggle. Billy Brown and then Gary Bollan took over from Locke. Again, the side finished bottom of the table.

This time eight man Cove Rangers were seen off in the second leg at Central Park as Cowden remained a league club while fans and directors tried to raise cash to try and stabilise the club who no longer owned the club and therefore missed out on the rent from stock car racing.

A sixth place finish ensued in 2018-19 as David Cox led Bollan’s side on the pitch before Cowden were in fourth and denied of a go at the play-offs when the season ended early in 2019-20 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cowdenbeath FC will play in Scottish League Two in the 2020-21 season.


My visit

Cowdenbeath 3 Brechin City 2 (Saturday 25^th January 2020) Scottish League Two (att: 382)

The name of Cowdenbeath held a fascination to me from an early age. My Dad brought home a book with all the English and Scottish teams in it with team photos and club colours. It fascinated me as we spent time together.

Dad always maintained that football was good for my education as I learnt to read, spot colours and geography. I regret that I no longer have that book, like much old stuff from my childhood. Goodness knows what happened to it.

I must have struggled with the name as I made Dad laugh by calling them Corn Beef. It strange how things like that stick in your mind. Whatever, I wanted to go and see a home game.

My opportunity came as part of a Fife triple header. I’d been to the Championship game between Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee the previous evening and then seen the first half of the Lochgelly Albert v Stoneyburn game which had a 1.45pm kick off.

Lochgelly playing in the Junior non-league set up had no floodlights, so their early start and proximity worked well to give me an extra fix. The bus from Main Street on my day pass dropped me off at the end of Hill Street in Cowden.

Cutting down the slope past the Leisure Centre I got to the gates to pay my £13 admission and then buy the excellent programme for £2.50 before walking round the track at the east end and tasking my place on the open South Terrace before the teams made their appearance.

Central Park took me back to The Shay at Halifax back in the 80's with the track, open terracing and old stand. The track here was concrete and used for stock car racing. The old seated stand was joined by a newer structure from where the players emerged. The west end had a few rows of open terrace.

Despite the cold and strong wind, I watched the first half from the open terrace with the Cowden diehards. Lee Duncanson went on a good run for Brechin before firing wide in the opening stages.

A Jordan Allan glancing header from a Craig Barr cross had put the hosts ahead on five minutes. City keeper Lewis McMinn then produced a top class save to deny a rasping Gavin Morrison drive on eleven minutes.

At the other end defender Chris Hamilton managed to block an effort from Ollie Hamilton midway through the half. McMinn made another decent save before he was left holding his head in his hands kneeling on the turf after making an almighty howler.

His scuffed clearance allowed an unchallenged Archie Thomas to double the lead just before the half hour mark. The visiting players looked demoralised and carrying the body language of the bottom of the table side that they were.

Jamie Todd had to be alert at the heart of the Blue Brazil defence, making two good challenges on foraying Paul McManus as Brechin tried to get back into the encounter. Meanwhile, a visiting fan had lost his composure.

He had also been watching on our side of the ground before he got the huff and got involved with some brilliant verbal abuse with the home fans, as he was sent on his way with his tail between his legs while continuing to offer hand signals and further feedback.

Both scorers continued to menace, with Allan thudding a shot across McMinn and against the post just before referee Chris Fordyce blew his whistle for half time. I made a run down the steps where I’d gone in and round to the pie stall.

The two lasses behind the counter dealt with the long queue comfortably as one dispatched food and the other drinks. I had a Scotch pie and a lentil soup for £4. The soup was fantastic and most welcome on such a cold day.

I headed for the Old Stand as there looked far more space; taking up a place up at the back on one of the wooden benches. It was a good choice as I was to enjoy a fine comeback through the eyes of the away fans.

City came firing out of the traps at the start of the second period to encourage their travelling support as Duncanson shot just over from twenty yards. One suspected that manager Mark Wilson told his troops just to go for it with nothing to lose.

They continued to attack and were rewarded when Paul Allan cut inside before firing a beauty across Josh Rae and into the far corner from twenty five yards. It was definitely game on. All the players and the away support could sense it.

A minute later Dougie Hill was allowed a free header from a corner to level things up. The City fans were jubilant, and it looked to me as though their side were certain to go on to win the match.

On seventy three minutes City came desperately close to taking the lead through Andy Jackson. keeper Rae clawed the ball off the line. Indeed, my score app had even announced the goal before later amending it.

Cowden’s players decided to wake up and do something about the situation. With fifteen minutes remaining they regained the lead after Barr headed home a Fraser Mullen free kick. David Cox was orchestral in much of the play and his experience helped calm things down.

t was noticeable that the ball boys weren't quite as energetic across the track returning errant balls after the goal. The City fans certainly picked up on this. However, a gaggle of them went overboard with their observations towards the Cowden team, the ref and the nearest ball boy. It was brutal abuse.

McManus headed just wide as Brechin desperately searched for an equaliser with four minutes remaining. Two minutes later Andy Jackson finished but the linesman flagged for offside as the goal was chalked off.

It was rather fitting that the ball boy had his moments of fun for the unwarranted stick he had taken. Across the track and beyond the high fencing installed for the stock car racing, he wasn't subtle in showing his delight. Good on him! It certainly made me smile.

A full time I made the station easily enough for the 16.58 departure and took the train to warm up and jump out at Edinburgh Gateway to head to the airport via the tram. I wish in hindsight I’d stayed on until Haymarket and chosen a pub there.

I caught up with all the scores from elsewhere and had a pint from the grumpy staff at one of the Wetherspoons outlets. What is it that’s so difficult or an affront if the customer wants a pint of bitter that’s uncloudy and not off?

A pint of Tennants in All Bar One was much better, even if it did come at London pub prices. There was time to grab a snack before finding m departure gate, so I’d be ready when I arrived in London. My entertainment for the day was still not done.

People were being charged because their bags were too big for the allowance on the Flybe service. “Yours is fine Sir” That was me done thanks. A bloke paid the baggage fee for a hysterical woman who was screaming and swearing.

When landing at Heathrow we had to return to the aircraft on the bus to the terminal as the benefactor had left his phone on board. Brilliant stuff. There was still time for a few pints with a couple of pals who'd enjoyed a "long day" at Orient.

I’d thoroughly enjoyed my short visit to Fife; with much of it made easier by the poster known as Prorege on the Non League Matters forum after I messaged him for advice. I offer him my utmost thanks.