Fraserburgh F.C.

Fraserburgh Football Club are a senior football club based in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. The fishing port is known locally as 'The Broch' hence the club nickname. Fraserburgh currently play in the Highland Football League in Scotland and as a senior non-league team in Scottish football, they are eligible to enter the annual Scottish Cup.

Fraserburgh
Full nameFraserburgh Football Club
Nickname(s)The Broch
Founded1910 (1910)
GroundBellslea Park, Fraserburgh
Capacity3,000 (480 seated)
ChairmanFinlay Noble
ManagerMark Cowie
LeagueHighland League
2019–20Highland League, 3rd of 17

History

The club were formed in 1910 and play at Bellslea Park. Prior to 1910, they played as a select side made up of the best players from the local amateur league. The club's colours (consisting of black and white stripes) were acquired from a local fish merchant who had links with Newcastle United, and the tradition has since been kept, with the current away kit consisting of a sky blue shirt, white shorts and sky blue socks Fraserburgh's first ever match was an away tie in the Scottish Qualifying Cup against rivals Peterhead, which Fraserburgh won 3–1. In their very first season they went on to win the Aberdeenshire Cup, defeating Buckie Thistle at Pittodrie Stadium.

They were granted admission into the Highland Football League in 1921 and up until that time they competed in the Aberdeenshire Cup and Scottish Cup.

Fraserburgh's most famous victory was in the Scottish Cup on 31 January 1959, where they defeated Dundee, one of the top clubs in Scotland at the time, 1–0 at Bellslea Park. This is widely regarded as the biggest ever 'giant killing' shock in the Scottish Cup.

On 21 January 1970, the Fraserburgh lifeboat The Duchess of Kent was lost, being turned over by a freak wave approximately 40 miles (64 km) from Fraserburgh while trying to escort the Danish fishing vessel Opal to safety. Only one of the six crew members survived. After the disaster, Jock Stein took his Celtic side to the Broch for a fundraising game,[1] which Fraserburgh lost 7–0.

Another one of Fraserburgh's most memorable games was a 10–0 victory away to local rivals Peterhead in the Highland League Cup on 14 August 1974. They have always had a rivalry with Peterhead but as Peterhead got promoted into the Scottish league the rivalry has wavered somewhat.

During 1984, Charlie Duncan was named new manager due to Brian McCann's departure; eventually reaching his 1,000th game in charge during October 2009 in a Scottish Cup tie against Bonnyrigg Rose.[2] Duncan's tenure brought huge success to the club; after becoming champions for only the third time in the club's history, winning the Highland League Cup for the first time in 47 years, the two Qualifying Cup wins in 1995–96 and 2006–07, as well as an Aberdeenshire Cup in 1996 and five Aberdeenshire Shield wins – 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1999. Duncan's tenure ended when he got sacked from the club in July 2011, after an eventful 27 years at the helm.

Fraserburgh are now the permanent holders of the Qualifying Cup (North), as they won the last competition at Princess Royal Park, Banff when they beat Keith 2–1 in November 2006, with goals from Marc Dickson and Michael Stephen.

Fraserburgh progressed to the fourth round (last 32) of the 2017–18 Scottish Cup, and were drawn against Rangers where they lost 3-0.[3]

Stadium
Bellslea Park

The club's home ground is Bellslea Park. The capacity is 3,000 and the stand can hold 480 people.

Current squad
As of 20 January 2019

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  SCO Paul Leask
— GK  SCO Eddie Flinn
— GK  SCO Joe Barbour
— DF  SCO Cammy Buchan
— DF  SCO Ryan Christie
— DF  SCO Ryan Cowie
— DF  SCO Lewis Davidson
— DF  SCO Jack Simpson
— DF  SCO Owen Cairns
— DF  SCO Bryan Hay
— DF  SCO Nathan Stuart
— DF  SCO Kieran Simpson
— MF  SCO Jamie Beagrie
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  SCO Greg Buchan
— MF  SCO Liam Norris
— MF  SCO Logan Watt
— MF  SCO Grant Campbell
— MF  SCO Ross Willox
— MF  SCO Ryan Sargent
— MF  SCO Willie West
— MF  SCO Paul Young
— FW  SCO Paul Campbell
— FW  SCO Aidan Combe
— FW  SCO Gary Harris
— FW  SCO Graham Johnston
— FW  SCO Scott Barbour

Honours

References
  1. "Celtic match to honour 1970 Fraserburgh lifeboat disaster". BBC News. BBC. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  2. "Thousand game manager feels grand". News.bbc.co.uk. 2 October 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
  3. Crawford, Kenny (20 November 2017). "Fraserburgh excited by Rangers tie in Scottish Cup fourth round". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
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