Maryhill FC is a Scottish non-league football club who are a near neighbour of Partick Thistle FC in Glasgow. The club were formed in 1884, originally as a senior club so it could compete in the Scottish FA Cup, before reverting to Junior, non-league football and competing in the West Region leagues.
Maryhill were runners-up in the second ever Scottish Junior Cup final in 1887-88 when they went down 3-1 to Wishaw Thistle before lifting the trophy in 1899-00 when they defeated Rugby XI 3-2. The team went close to retaining the trophy but lost the 1900-01 final 2-0 to Burnbank Athletic, before suffering a similar fate the following season.
On that occasion, it was Glencairn who inflicted defeat with a 1-0 victory. However, Maryhill would go on to win the Junior Cup on a second occasion and again in 1939-40 when Morton Juniors were beaten 1-0, a couple of decades after the club produced Rangers and Scotland player Davie Meiklejohn through their youth set up.
Future Celtic and Scotland legend Danny McGrain spent his youth career at Maryhill in the late 1960’s while club and country colleague Paul Wilson also had a brief spell on loan at Lochburn Park around the same period.
Tommy Burns, who would later become a playing and managerial legend at Celtic Park and Kilmarnock, as well as making appearances for the national team, spent the 1973-74 season with Maryhill.
Maryhill are not one of the bigger junior clubs, but investment from a wealthy backer, who went on to be a future owner of Hamilton Academical FC, in the 1990s brought a period of success at their Lochburn Park home under manager Ronnie MacDonald.
The side finished the 2014-15 campaign in third position, before improving on that with a runners-up finish the following season to win promotion to the West of Scotland Super League First Division with John Delaney managing the side. The 2016-17 season resulted in a tenth-place finish under manager John Hughes.
Defeat in a playoff to Whitletts Victoria the following season saw the club miss out on a place in the West Region Premiership, with Maryhill being placed in the First Division. The club followed the lead of other SJFA outfits and became a member of the SFA West of Scotland League for the 2020-21 season.
A midtable finish in Conference A in the 2021-22 season led to Maryhill being placed in the Second Division for the following season when Mark Young replaced Ross Wilson in the manager's job. He took the side to seventh place in 2023-24, backed up by eighth, twelve months later.
Maryhill FC will compete in the SFA West of Scotland League Second Division in the 2025-26 season.
My visits
Wednesday 27th January 2010
I was staying in Glasgow for a couple of days to visit some new grounds as well as take in the matches between Hamilton Academical and Kilmarnock, and then Celtic v Hibernian. The weather was cold and wet, but I was determined to enjoy my time.
After popping by at Firhill, I took a bus up Maryhill Road to see what Lochburn Road had to offer. I was extremely impressed as I entered the open venue.
The far side had a decent bank of covered terracing with an unusual roof. The near end had a few steps of open terracing, while the far end had a section of uncovered seating; the sort I'd expect to be erected for a special event.
The near touchline had open standing and a few steps with some kind of gym and leisure facility, as well as what looked like a catering outlet. The whole of the spectator views were above pitch level, meaning that fans would look down on the action.
Once done with the impressive ground, I took another bus to Maryhill station, from where I took a train to Partick before changing for a service to head to Dumbarton.
Thursday 18th May 2017
I was staying in Glasgow for a couple of days to visit some new grounds as well as take in the matches between Hamilton Academical and Kilmarnock, and then Celtic v Hibernian. The weather was cold and wet, but I was determined to enjoy my time.
After popping by at Firhill, I took a bus up Maryhill Road to see what Lochburn Road had to offer. I was extremely impressed as I entered the open venue.
The far side had a decent bank of covered terracing with an unusual roof. The near end had a few steps of open terracing, while the far end had a section of uncovered seating; the sort I'd expect to be erected for a special event.
The near touchline had open standing and a few steps with some kind of gym and leisure facility, as well as what looked like a catering outlet. The whole of the spectator views were above pitch level, meaning that fans would look down on the action.
Once done with the impressive ground, I took another bus to Maryhill station, from where I took a train to Partick before changing for a service to head to Dumbarton.
Thursday 18th May 2017
With a couple of days off work, I was delighted to see that Partick Thistle were at home to Celtic to allow me to tick off another Scottish venue on my list. While in Glasgow, I decided to also visit a few junior clubs.
I was rather hoping that the Lochburn Park ground would be open to add to my photos. Unfortunately, I had to make do with taking some from outside the ground before heading back to the city and enjoying pre-match beers.
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