Beith Juniors (Scotland)

Beith Juniors FC are a Scottish Junior or non-league football club who were formed in 1938 and hail from the small town of Beith, which is located in North Ayrshire's Garnock Valley, which is around twenty miles south west of Glasgow.

The current club are the successors to Beith FC, who were formed in 1875. The original club won many regional honours as well as the Scottish Qualifying Cup in 1928. 'The Cabinet Makers' as the club were nicknamed, became members of the Scottish League Third Division for the 1923-24 season and lasted there for three seasons before dropping down into the Scottish Football Alliance. In 1938 the club opted to change to the Junior ranks.

'The Mighty' or 'The Cabes' as the new club were nicknamed initially started out life in the Western League, while continuing to play at Bellsdale Park. Over the years The Mighty have collected many regional honours including the Ayrshire League in 1964-65 and 1968-69 to go alongside lifting the Ayrshire Cup nine times up to 2004 and the West of Scotland Cup in 1966, 1967 and 2009.

The former Chelsea and Scotland full back and West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke started out his career at Beith Juniors before being spotted by St Mirren. Other prominent players who have graced the Bellsdale Park turf include Ken Armstrong, Martin Canning and Stephen Watson.

The Cabes finished as runners up in the West of Scotland Super League Division One in 2006-07 and then the Premier Division champions in 2009-10. This led to Beith being entered into the Scottish Cup for the following season. Linlithgow Rose and then Glasgow University were defeated leading to an away tie to Airdrie United in round three.

In the clash at New Broomfield, Beith led 2-0 with just ten minutes remaining. However, they were reduced to ten men which led to the league club drawing level in injury time. Airdrie went on to win the replay 4-3 at Bellsdale Park.

John Millar was appointed as manager of Beith in April 2013 but he couldn't save the side from relegation at the end of the season.

Beith Juniors FC will compete in the SJFA West Super League First Division in the 2013-14 season.


My visit

Monday 30th September 2013

It was originally my intention to visit Beith Juniors the previous day during my trip to Glasgow and its surrounding districts as I was to watch the team play in the final of the Ayrshire Sectional League Cup that afternoon at Troon. Unfortunately I got mixed up by the bus timetable while calling in at the clubs bitter rivals Kilbirnie Ladeside, thus missing the bus and delaying my plans. Instead I got up early on the Bank Holiday Monday and walked into the centre of Glasgow from my hotel on the city's Springfield Quay and make up for missing out. 

The excellent express bus service, which was covered by my Daytripper ticket for £11.20 which turned oput to be a bargain for the miles I covered. The bus was soon whizzing down to the Garnock Valley and into the picturesque town of Beith. I must have been captivated as I alighted and left my woollen Scarborough Athlethic hat on board.

I had got off at the correct stop and was soon walking down the large grass bank towards Bellsdale Park. Even though the arena was closed I managed to gain access to all the areas I required to take some decent photos.

The pitch had a huge slope from one end to the other, which I imagined to be a huge home advantage. The actual ground was small compact and neat and in the true traditions of Junior football it lacked floodlights and unnecessary seating areas. The far side had two covers, with the main side just one and the clubhouse. It appeared that the players changed at the recently built structure in the corner of the ground, which also serviced an artificial pitch at the bottom of the slope. Both ends were slightly curved away from the goal and had a small area of hard standing backed by grass.

After taking my images I wandered back up the hill to have a wander about as I still had twenty minutes or so to kill before my next bus. The town seemed to have plenty of tradition. A group of older gents chatted away by the green. Two pensioners; a man and a woman discussed the previous days cup final defeat against Cumnock. The lady said that she'd heard that there'd been a big crowd and that the team had been unlucky.

I had to giggle at the local butcher's being called Stalker. Surely a dark name for someone who chops up meat for a living? A pub window advertised a weekly magazine called The Juniors. I called in at the newsagents opposite who gladly sold me a copy that had arrived just an hour earlier. It turned out to be a fine publication and one I'd recommend to anyone visiting up north to broaden their knowledge of the grass roots game.

Eventually my bus arrived and I was on my way to Dalry. There was something I really liked about Beith. Unlikely though it is because I've so many places to visit, I wouldn't mind another go and a game at Bellsdale Park.