Edinburgh City F.C.

Edinburgh City Football Club is a semi-professional senior Scottish football club which plays in Scottish League Two, the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League. The club play at Ainslie Park in Edinburgh, while redevelopment work takes place at Meadowbank Stadium.

For the 1928−1955 club, see Edinburgh City F.C. (1928).

Edinburgh City
Full nameEdinburgh City Football Club
Nickname(s)The Citizens
Founded1928 (1928)
GroundAinslie Park
Edinburgh, Scotland
Capacity3,534 (534 seated)
ChairmanJim Brown[1]
ManagerJames McDonaugh
LeagueScottish League Two
2019–20Scottish League Two, 2nd of 10
WebsiteClub website

A club known as Edinburgh City was first formed in 1928. It participated in the Scottish Football League in the 1930s and 1940s, but went out of business in the 1950s. The present club adopted the Edinburgh City name in 1986. It applied to join the Scottish Football League in 2002 and 2008, but failed to win election. Edinburgh City became members of the new Lowland League in 2013. The club won the Lowland League championship in 2015 and 2016 and won promotion to the Scottish Professional Football League in 2016.

History

The original Edinburgh City was founded in 1928. The club adopted amateur status, with the aim of becoming the Edinburgh equivalent of Queen's Park. Edinburgh City joined the Scottish Football League in 1931.[2] The club played in the Lothian Amateur League during the Second World War and were only admitted to the C Division in 1946.[3][4] After three more years of struggle, the club left the Scottish Football League in 1949.[3][4] It switched to junior status and played in the Edinburgh & District Junior League.[3][4] The club ceased activity completely in 1955,[3] when the local council refused to renew its lease on its home ground, City Park.[4]

A club called Postal United was founded in 1966 and joined the East of Scotland League. Their best league finish was third in 1985–86, having won the Qualifying Cup in 1982–83 and King Cup in 1984–85.

The Edinburgh City Football Club Ltd.,[5] which had continued trading as a social club since the football club stopped playing, gave their approval in 1986 for Postal United to use the Edinburgh City name.[4] The club has participated in the Scottish Cup since the mid-1990s, when it became a full member of the Scottish Football Association.[4] In the 1997–98 Scottish Cup they defeated SFL club, East Stirlingshire, before losing 7–2 to Dunfermline Athletic, then of the Premier Division.

The club applied to join the Scottish Football League in 2002,[6] after Airdrieonians had gone bankrupt, but Gretna won the vote instead. Edinburgh City applied again following Gretna's liquidation in 2008,[7] but this time lost out to Annan Athletic.[8]

Edinburgh City won the East of Scotland Football League Premier Division title for the first time in the 2005–06 season and became members of the new Lowland League in 2013.[9] The club won the Lowland League title in 2014–15 and 2015–16. They then gained promotion to the Scottish Professional Football League by defeating East Stirlingshire in a play-off with a penalty four minutes from time by Dougie Gair.[10] The victory also meant that it was the first time that a non-league club had been promoted to the professional league. The club has remained within Scottish League Two since their promotion, finishing in seventh place during their first season of 2016-17.[11] They avoided the League Two play-offs in 2018, finishing 8 points ahead of bottom placed Cowdenbeath.[12] The club fared better in 2018–19, finishing third and qualifying for the League One play-offs.[13] However, they were knocked out by Clyde in the play-off semi-finals, losing 4–0 over two legs.[14] Edinburgh City sat second in the table after 27 games when the truncated 2019–20 season was brought to an early finish in April 2020.[15]

The club began preparations for Season 2020–21 by announcing the signing of a pre-contract with former striker Ouzy See in June 2020.[16] This was followed up by the signing of defender Lee Hamilton from Stranraer and goalkeeper Kelby Mason in July.[17][18] The club also confirmed that sporting director Jim Jeffries had departed to return to Hearts.[19]

Colours

The club colours are white and black.[4] Postal United F.C. played in all-red, but switched to the traditional colours when it adopted the Edinburgh City identity in 1986.[4]

Stadium
Meadowbank Stadium, the club's home which is currently undergoing renovation
Ainslie Park, where the club currently ground share with Spartans

The original club played its home matches at Powderhall Stadium and City Park during its time in the Scottish Football League.

The present club initially played their home fixtures at the Saughton Enclosure, which is now home to Lothian Thistle, before switching to Paties Road, where Edinburgh United currently play. Edinburgh City then moved to City Park and then Fernieside. Edinburgh City moved to Meadowbank Stadium in 1996, which had been vacated by the move of Meadowbank Thistle to Livingston.[4]

In February 2013, the City of Edinburgh Council started a new consultation process about the future of Meadowbank Stadium.[20] Three options for redeveloping Meadowbank were put forward for consideration by Edinburgh Council in December 2013.[21] A planned design was made public in November 2016[22] and work began after the 2016–17 season ended.[23] Edinburgh City reached an agreement with Spartans to use their Ainslie Park ground for three seasons while Meadowbank is redeveloped.[24]

First-team squad
As of 1 June 2020[25]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  WAL Calum Antell
— GK  SCO Dean Beveridge
— GK  SCO Kelby Mason
— DF  ENG Conrad Balatoni
— DF  SCO Callum Crane
— DF  SCO Lee Hamilton
— DF  SCO Liam Henderson
— DF  SCO Robbie McIntyre
— DF  SCO Craig Thomson (captain)
— MF  SCO Andrew Black
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  SCO Liam Brown
— MF  SCO Alex Harris
— MF  SCO Danny Jardine
— MF  SCO Marc Laird
— FW  SCO Danny Handling
— FW  SCO Blair Henderson
— FW  SCO Regan Lumsden
— FW  GAM Ouzy See
— FW  SCO Allan Smith

Club officials

Management
Position[26]Name
ManagerJames McDonaugh[27]
First Team CoachColin Jack
Goalkeeping CoachJim McQueen
Kitman Ian McIntyre
Head Physio Scott Anderson
Sports Therapist Ryan Elliot
Sports Scientist Andrew Wilson

Board of Directors
PositionName
ChairmanJim Brown
DirectorChristine Curtis
DirectorGordon Kneebone
DirectorAndy McDonald
DirectorAlick Milne
DirectorCalum Smith
DirectorTom Tracy
Director/Company SecretaryPaul McIntosh

Honours

Lowland Football League

East of Scotland Football League

  • Winners: 2005–06
  • Runners-up: 2003–04

East of Scotland Football League First Division

  • Winners: 1995–96
  • Runners-up: 1989–90

SFA South Region Challenge Cup

  • Runners-up (3): 2007–08, 2010–11, 2015–16

East of Scotland League Cup

  • Winners (3): 1992–93, 2001–02, 2012–13[28]
  • Runners-up (4): 2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2011–12

King Cup

  • Winners (2): 1998–99, 1999–00
  • Runners-up: 2004–05

References
  1. Pilcher, Ross (26 May 2017). "Jim Brown appointed chairman of Edinburgh City". Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  2. (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 294)
  3. (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 295)
  4. "Edinburgh City". Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  5. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/SC016957
  6. Lindsay, Clive (17 June 2002). "Airdrie may edge out Gretna". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  7. "Edinburgh City will apply to SFL". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  8. "Annan voted into Scottish league". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  9. "Scottish Lowland Football League clubs selected". Scottish FA. SFA. 17 June 2013.
  10. McLauchlin, Brian (14 May 2016). "East Stirlingshire 0–1 Edinburgh City". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. "Scottish League 2, 2016/2017 Season". skysports.com. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  12. "2017/2018 LEAGUE TWO". spfl.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  13. "Scottish League Two table 2018/19". skysports.com. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  14. "SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE - PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL - 2ND LEG 3 0". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  15. "Scottish League 2 2019/20 Season". skysports.com. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  16. "Ouzy See returns". edinburghcityfc.com.
  17. "Hamilton Is A Citizen". edinburghcityfc.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  18. "Edinburgh City Complete Signing of Kelby Mason". edinburghcityfc.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  19. "Edinburgh City FC Confirms Jim Jefferies' Departure". edinburghcityfc.com.
  20. "Future of Meadowbank Stadium unclear as council opens negotiations". www.news.stv.tv. STV. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  21. "Three options considered for Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh". BBC News. BBC. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  22. "New Meadowbank Stadium design plans unveiled". BBC News. BBC. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  23. Temple, Alan (28 April 2017). "Pitch invasions, Manchester United & DIY: Emotional Edinburgh City prepare for Meadowbank farewell". Deadline News. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  24. Pilcher, Ross (29 March 2017). "Edinburgh City and Spartans confirm three-season groundshare". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  25. "Edinburgh City squad". Edinburgh City FC. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  26. "Management". Edinburgh City FC. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  27. "Club statement". Edinburgh City. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  28. "Previous East of Scotland League Cup finals". Retrieved 12 May 2019.
Sources
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