Albion Rovers (Scotland)

Albion Rovers FC is a semi-professional football club based in the North Lanarkshire town of Coatbridge, a few miles east of Glasgow, who were formed in 1882. 'The Wee Rovers' get their name as they were an amalgamation of Coatbridge Albion FC and Coatbridge Rovers FC.

The club started out playing home games at Meadow Park prior to joining the Second Division of the Scottish League for the 1903-04 season where a second place in 1913-14 was the highlight.

The Second Division was scrapped after the following season, so the club became members of the Western League before moving into Cliftonhill in 1917. Rovers were given a place in the extended Scottish League First Division for the 2019-20 season.

While finishing lowly in the league they shocked Rangers by defeating them in the Scottish Cup semi-final before going down 3-2 to Kilmarnock in the final in front of 95,000 fans at Hampden Park with Watson and Hillhouse netting for Rovers.

It is said that keeper Joe Shortt had to be bailed out of the police cells on the morning of the game to play in the match after a rather heavy alcohol consumption the day before. The club built their Main Stand at Cliftonhill to celebrate their achievements.

Rovers were relegated in 1922-23 after Jock White was capped for Scotland while at the club before he moved on to Heart of Midlothian. The team won back their top flight status in 1933-34 after lifting the Second Division title under manager Webber Lees.

The league was restructured after World War II which led to league restructuring and Albion being placed in the second tier Division B. Star wingers Willie Findlay and Johnny McIlhatton moved on to Rangers and Everton.

Promotion was won in 1947-48 with Jock Stein in the team after the league had returned to its Second Division name with Lees’ Rovers team finishing as runners-up. However, their First Division stay lasted just one season.

After that the team usually finished in the bottom third of the table, with just an occasional season to cheer the Cliftonhill faithful. Fifth place in 1955-56 for the team led by Jackie Hutton was about as good as it got along with an 8-2 hammering of local rivals Airdrieonians in the 1965-66 League Cup.

One of the stars of the mid 60’s was midfielder Tony Green who would see great success at Blackpool and Newcastle United before Jim Brown took over in goal before moving on to Sheffield United in 1973. Both players were capped by Scotland.

The 1975-76 season saw further league restructuring as Rovers found themselves in the third tier Second Division after the introduction of the Premier Division, not that it changed the fortunes or prospects for the team in terms of honours.

Fourth place in 1979-80 was a rare foray to the top end of the table under manager Sam Goodwin before the forward skills of Bernie Slaven and Vic Kasule offered entertainment to Rovers fans in the mid 80’s.

In 1983 confectioners Tunnock's became the club's shirt sponsor and the appearance of the shirt was altered to an iconic version showing the gold wrapper with red diagonal stripes of a caramel wafer bar the company produced.

Then out of nowhere and a procession of managerial comings and goings, David Provan the former Rangers player led the side to become 1988-89 Second Division champions. Their stay in the First Division would last just one term before dropping back down.

A couple of seasons at the foot of the Scottish League’s ensued before Rovers were placed in the new fourth tier Third Division in 1994-95 as the board made the decision to sell Cliftonhill and share the new Excelsior Stadium with Airdrieonians.

Supporters mobilised shareholders as the board were ousted for the club to stay put in their spiritual home. The goals of Willie Watters and Lee Gardner took the side to fifth place in 1997-98 after a couple of previous bottom of the table finishes.

A third place followed in 2001-02 and again twelve months later with John McVeigh and then Peter Hetherston managing the side after an attempt at full-time football was ditched owing to its financial strain.

Veteran midfielder Kevin McAllister finished his playing career at the club followed by a spell as manager. Another attempt by the board to sell Cliftonhill was thwarted in 2004 which led to the setting up of the Albion Rovers Supporters' Trust.

Scott Chaplain and Pat Walker put the goals away for Jim Chapman’s side in 2006-07 which were backed up by John Gemmell and Kenny Wright the following season. The team led by Paul Martin narrowly missed out on the play-offs in 2009-10.

However, there was no mistake in 2010-11 after a runners-up place and then victories against Queen’s Park and then Annan Athletic sent Rovers up a division with the help of an Ally Love hattrick in the first leg of the final.

There was play-off action the following season when a win over Elgin City set up the final with Stranraer with Rovers securing their Second Division status on penalties. Todd Lumsden took over as manager but couldn’t prevent the team from being relegated in 2012-13.

James Ward was appointed for the 2013-14 campaign taking the team to the quarter final of the Scottish Cup where they led Rangers 1-0 at Ibrox with a Ciaran Donnelly goal until the hosts got a late equaliser and then won the replay 2-0 at New Douglas Park.

Darren Young replaced Ward and took Albion to the League Two title in 2014-15 by ten clear points. The goals of Love helped secured a mid table slot in 2015-16 before Brian Kerr arrived as manager in May 2017 as the team went down in bottom place a few months later.

Former Rovers striker John Brogan took over the managerial reins as the club looked to use players from the Junior non-league set up. The idea failed to work leading to the appointment of Kevin Harper in October 2018.

He rallied the troops and brought in several loan signings as Rovers avoided the relegation play-off game by overhauling Berwick Rangers with a fine run. Declan Byrne ended as leading scorer the following season as the team ended in the same place when play ended early owing to the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Manager Harper departed after a dispute over wages in May 2020.

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

My visits

Wednesday 27th January 2010

I was out and about in the Glasgow area and had just visited the home of nearby Airdrie United FC. I managed to get the train in the nick of time to catch it to Coatdyke. A ten minute walk saw me entering Cliftonhill, home of Albion Rovers. 

Let’s just say that it’s seen better days. The Main Stand is all that is used on match days although the covered terrace opposite seemed alright from a distance. I guess that it’s only because Glasgow and its environs aren’t so cluttered and land is fairly inexpensive that grounds and clubs haven’t been swallowed up, like in London. 

I’m glad clubs like Albion Rovers keep going on terrible crowds in their own home grounds. There seemed something far more appealing to the game, compared to in England.

Cliftonville has held crowds of up to 27,000 over the years. It is an oval shape which has allowed it to host speedway, greyhound racing and stock car races. The Main Stand has a seating deck with a terraced paddock in front of it which was given a roof extension in 1994. 

A covered terrace enclosure stands opposite although it is not used for games. Both ends were open banks around the track.

Albion Rovers 0 Clyde 2 (Saturday 14^th February 2015) SPFL League Two (att: 741)

It was the second day of a long weekend with pals Karl Theobald, Carl Ellis and Guy Watson. Three of us had been to Ibrox for the Rangers v Hibernian game the previous evening while Carl had stayed in the pub laughing at the result. We decided to go somewhere slightly less salubrious for our Saturday afternoon fix.

England’s cricket team had once again disappointed as they were trounced by Australia in the World Cup. We lamented the performance in the Henglers Circus near to our accommodation up high on Renfrew Street before it was time for a magnificent Glasgow pub.

I’d taken Karl to the Bon Accord a couple of years previously so it seemed a great place to relax and eat. We weren’t let down. I had a magnificent meal and a couple of drinks served by friendly and welcoming staff. They epitomised the high standards in the city whose motto is “People Make Glasgow”.

The pub was ideal for Charing Cross station. We caught the 1.20 service to Coatdyke. Poor Carl arrived on the one after owing to the faulty toilet on our train needing him to abandon ship! By the time he arrived we were enjoying a pint inside Owens on Main Street; a smart pub/restaurant but sadly lacking hand pulled ale..

The locals groaned when St Johnstone pulled a goal back against Celtic, but the leaders hung on to their win. We departed and walked the couple of minutes to Cliftonhill where admission was £10 for the derby clash, which attracted a bumper gate. Sadly this meant the programmes had run out despite the best efforts of one of the stewards.

Only one side of the stadium was open, although works were ongoing to put a new terracing behind the Airdrie End goal square to the pitch. Some of the Clyde fans were not very complimentary to Cliftonhill, but it certainly didn’t lack character. At least they owned their own ground, as an Albion fan pointed out.

The steward at the other side of the players tunnel was keen to make an impact. We were outside on the corner but he was quick to point out the rules to Carl as he rolled a cigarette. He ended up having to leave the ground for his smoke, which seemed a crazy over the top regulation. 

A portion of the ‘Bully Wee’ visitors sang songs close to the knuckle which led to the steward marching over like a prison officer. Predictably enough, he was taunted and kept taking the bait.

On the pitch Clyde looked the better side despite being several places below second placed Albion. They took the lead on fourteen minutes when Steven McDougall headed in Stephen O'Donnell's pinpoint cross.

We went down the steps and up the other side to stand with the home support, who were far better behaved. The small portable hut served pies, sausage rolls and most needed Bovril as the day was cooling down.

At the interval we chatted to a friendly Dover Athletic fan who was up with a friend and was heading to the teatime match at nearby Airdrie.

The second period followed the pattern of the first half. Albion were lacking invention despite putting in plenty of effort. Clyde were quicker and brighter in possession. The big home side centre forward John Gemmell had something about him, but it wasn’t his day.

The game was sealed with eleven minutes remaining as Scott Ferguson tapped in striker Keigan Parker's cross. It was probably slightly harsh on Albion.

We gave it a few minutes more before Karl and Guy headed back to Glasgow, while Carl and I caught the 201 bus towards Airdrie for the visit of Forfar Athletic.

I had enjoyed Cliftonhill. It was a bit ramshackle but everyone, save the over officious steward were top drawer.