Maxwell FC (Scotland)
Not all clubs
that feature in this book will have a huge story or go on for numerous pages.
Some may just have had a couple of years in the footballing world, which has
made them truly forgotten. However, that is why I include some of these
unremarkable clubs, to make sure that they do not get forgotten. This next club
is one that many Scottish football fans might not have known existed, or maybe
they have. Either way, I have decided to tell their short and sweet story. It’s
Maxwell FC, the club who played just one season in the Scottish Football League
and only appeared once in the Scottish Cup.
The club was
founded in 1878 and were based in Glasgow, playing their games at Norwood Park.
They wore navy and white hopped jerseys. Whilst being founded in 1878, the club
didn’t play any matches until 1879. In 1880, the club played 17 matches,
winning 11 of them. This prompted the club to apply and join the Scottish
Football Association.
It was their one and only season in senior football, as was their entry into
the Scottish Cup that year. They played Oxford on September 11th, 1880, losing
the game 6-0 at Crosshill. It was a big surprise as it was the only game Oxford
had won in seven attempts in the Scottish Cup.
As it was, Maxwell never attempted to enter the famous old competition again,
and in 1882, the club dissolved. Their stadium was handed over to Granton FC, a
club that then went bust in 1886. It was then taken over by Pollokshaws Harp FC
in 1888, but they didn’t last long either, going bust themselves in 1891.
Norwood Park, which was situated in or near Pollock Country Park, played host
to many Forgotten Football Clubs, far more than the three mentioned here.
The name Maxwell FC could stem from the residence of the park, the Maxwell
Family, whose estate was situated there, but this hasn’t been confirmed and is
only a guess by myself.
Most notably, Maxwell FC is known for fielding the first ever black
player in club foorball. Andrew Watson, a name many know and a Scottish
international, started his career off with Maxwell FC. He is a player that will
feature in other chapters of this book.