Stenhousemuir F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Stenhousemuir


fullname = Stenhousemuir Football Club
nickname = The Warriors
founded = 1884
ground = Ochilview Park,
Stenhousemuir, Scotland
capacity = 3,776
chairman = flagicon|SCO David O. Reid
manager = flagicon|SCO John Coughlin
league = Scottish Third Division
season = 2007-08
position = Scottish Third Division, 5th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=800000|body1=800000|rightarm1=800000|shorts1=800000|socks1=800000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=ffffff|body2=ffffff|rightarm2=ffffff|shorts2=ffffff|socks2=ffffff

Stenhousemuir Football Club is a Scottish football team, based in the small town of Stenhousemuir. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division.

Background

Founded in 1884, they play at Ochilview Park (capacity 3776 of which 626 seated). Their nickname is "The Warriors", and the team's mascot is "Willie the Warrior", a Fudge-like figure with round balls and horned helmet. Through much of its history the team has languished in the relative obscurity of the lower leagues of Scottish football, spending the 2006/07 season in the Third Division.

upporters' Organisations

*Stenhousemuir Supporters' Club (Official supporters' club of Stenhousemuir FC).

*Kriss Akabusi Loyal (A strong band of dedicated home and travelling support).

*Norwegian Supporters' Club (Small supporters' organisation based in Oslo, Norway). The Supporters Club was founded on New Years Eve 1992 by Rolf Erik Wulff, Christian Wulff and Kjell Jarslett. In 1996 it was given one share of Stenhousemuir F.C. as a recognition of their support and promotion of the club. As of today, the supporters club and its members owns about 5% of the shares in Stenhousemuir.

Honours

Scottish Qualifying Cup - Winners 1900/1901 and 1901/1902.

Scottish Third Division - Runners-up 1998/99.

Scottish Challenge Cup - Winners 1995. (defeated Dundee United 5-4 on pens).

Club Records

Biggest league win: 9-2 .v. Dundee United F.C. on 16th April 1937 (Scottish League - Division Two)

Biggest league loss: 2-11 .v. Dunfermline Athletic F.C. on 27th September 1930 (Scottish League - Division Two)

Biggest home attendance: 12,500 .v. East Fife F.C., on 11th March 1950 (Scottish Cup Quarter-Final)

History

1884-1950

1884: Peter Hutton took a hand in the formation of Stenhousemuir FC, becoming the President over the first 20 years.

1890: Warriors move to Ochilview Park.

1900-01: Winners, Scottish Qualifying Cup.

1901-02: Winners of four trophies.

1902-03: Reached Scottish Cup semi-final, losing 1-4 at home to Rangers.

1921-22: First season in senior Scottish League football.

1925-26: Goalkeeper Joe Shortt is offered a £50 bribe to throw a match vs. Broxburn. Stenhousemuir win 6-2. A bookmaker from Bainsford, a small village on the outskirts of Falkirk, was subsequently jailed for attempted match fixing.

1926-27: Greyhound racing introduced at Ochilview Park, in a revenue raising attempt.

1927-28: Old grandstand burns down.

1928-29: New grandstand opened (not demolished until 1999), although due to planning errors, the staircases had to be added later.

1936-37: Drew 1-1 with Celtic in the Scottish Cup, and recorded club record victory (9-2 win against Dundee United).

1949-50: Record crowd of 12,500 at Ochilview, for a Scottish Cup tie against East Fife, with the visitors running out 3-0 winners on the day.

1950-2000

1951-52: The first ever floodlit game between two Scottish senior teams was in November 1951 at Ochilview, versus Hibernian.

1955-56: The legendary Stanley Matthews plays for the Warriors against local rivals Falkirk, in a special fund raiser. Also, the Warriors take part in the first ever floodlit Scottish Cup tie, at Bayview Park, against East Fife.

1958-59: Third in the league, missing out on promotion by five points.

1960-61: Third in the league, this time missing out on promotion by four points (rumour had it that rivals Stirling Albion hosed down their pitch in a vital end of the season match at Annfield, to slow down the small Warriors forwards).

1964: Summer of this year sees Rangers reveal a plan to remove the Warriors from the league, along with four other clubs.

1968: Stenhousemuir (along with Albion Rovers, Berwick Rangers, Brechin City and Stranraer) win perhaps their greatest ever victory, with the help of local solicitor Robert Turpie, and guile of long serving secretary Jim Weir, finally defeating the Rangers plan after four hard years.

1969-70: Alex Smith appointed as club's first ever manager.

1972-73: Warriors defeat Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox stadium in the Scottish League Cup (Rangers, at the time, were European Cup Winners' Cup holders).

1984: Club celebrates its centenary year.

1991-92: Striker Billy McLafferty banned for eight and a half months for allegedly head-butting a referee.

1992-93: Warriors allow rivals Stirling Albion to ground share Ochilview Park. Terry Christie appointed manager.

1993-94: Warriors move out of the bottom league for the first time in the club's history, due to the formation of the Scottish Third Division.

1994-95: Beating St Johnstone (4-0) and Aberdeen (2-0) on the way, the Warriors reach the Scottish Cup quarter final stage.

1995-96: Victory in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final, 5-4 win on penalties vs. Dundee United after a goalless 90 minutes and extra time at McDiarmid Park, Perth on 5th November. Also, a famous away Scottish Cup win at then Scottish Premier League Falkirk (2-0).

1996-97: New stand opened, later named The Norway Stand.

1997-98: Stenhousemuir relegated from the Scottish 2nd Division to the Scottish Third Division. Relegation is the first in the club's history.

1998-99: Stenhousemuir win promotion for the first time in club's history, seeing the club return to the Scottish Second Division. Graeme Armstrong sets the British outfield appearances record. Following Terry Christie's resignation as manager, Armstrong is appointed as his replacement.

2000 present

1999-2000: Graeme Armstrong is sacked as the Warriors battle against relegation. Local man Brian Fairley appointed as manager. With relegation avoided, a mass clear out of players in preparation for 2000-2001 season takes place.

2000-2001: Despite challenging for promotion, the Warriors end the season disappointed. The squad is again freshened in preparation for the new season.

2001-02: Brian Fairley departs early in the season with Jimmy Bone taking over. However, the Warriors experience great difficulties as the season progresses, Bone departs with the Warriors second bottom and "relegated". However, Airdrieonians FC go out of business, leading to a reprieve for Stenhousemuir. Former Raith Rovers manager John McVeigh takes over at the club and sees Stenhousemuir retain Division Two status for season 2002-03. flirting with both promotion and relegation in the final weeks of season 2002-03, the Warriors once again remain in the Scottish Second Division.

2002-03: Despite flirting with both promotion and relegation throughout the season, the Warriors once again remain in the Scottish Second Division.

2003-04: Local rivals Falkirk come ground sharing pending completion of their new stadium in Falkirk's Westfield area, while the Warriors plan extensive redevelopments independent of our temporary tenants. On the field, however, Stenhousemuir FC struggle. Manager John McVeigh leaves the Club in January by "mutual consent". The club finish bottom of the Scottish Second Division and are relegated.

2004-05: A double management team of Des McKeown and Tony Smith have a disappointing season in the Scottish Third Division, as the Warriors finish seventh. A new roof, constructed by Warriors fans and volunteers is completed, over the West terraces at the Tryst Road end of Ochilview Park.

2005-06: A thrilling season in which Stenhousemuir, Cowdenbeath and Berwick Rangers engage in a close run fight for the Scottish Third Division championship. However a dip in form at the end of the season sees the Warriors finish in third place. Stenhousemuir lose 1-0 on aggregate to Berwick Rangers in the play-off semi-finals.

2006-07: The Club announces that they will be laying a new synthetic surface at Ochilview Park during the summer, in time for the start of the new season. The surface will be the first in the UK to pass the FIFA 2 Star category accreditation. Manager Des McKeown resigns as manager after a disappointing start to the season, citing a "general malaise" at the club. McKeown is replaced by Stenhousemuir youth team coach Campbell Money. Scotland U-17 star David Templeton leaves Ochilview to join Heart of Midlothian for an initial £30,000, which could rise to £70,000. However the youth policy continued with the emergence of young stars including, Scott McManus, Steven Desmond and Gary Thom. The club finish a disappointing 7th in the league.

2007-08: Stenhousemuir make a number of close season signings. Including a return for Ross Hamilton. Also signing will be John Dillon from Dumbarton. A triplet from Brechin also joined in the form of goalkeeper John Hillcoat, midfielder Steven Ferguson, who is youth development officer at Ochilview and striker Steven Hampshire.

New contracts were offered to a host of players including John Dempster, Paul Tyrell, Scott McCulloch, Andy Thomson, Brian McLaughlin, Robert Forde, Craig Menzies, Stevie Desmond, Gary Thom and Rhys Galloway.

However the Warriors have lost Kevin McLeish, who returns to Berwick, John Paul McBride, who is set to join Stirling Albion. The Warriors have also taken on a mass clear-out releasing Gordon Connelly, Mark Cowan, Darren Henderson, Robbie Henderson, Gareth Hutchison, Paul Murphy, Tommy Sinclair and goalkeeper, Willie McCulloch.

Campbell Money resigned after a poor start to the season, with a 7-0 thrashing by East Fife the final straw.

On the 12th October John Coughlin was announced as the new manager of Stenhousemuir F.C.Unfortunately his opening fixture ended in a 3-2 defeat to Elgin City after a brace of goals from John Dempster had put them 2-0 up.

Despite some decent results (including both home and away wins over runaway Champions East Fife) ultimately Stenhousemuir's season ends in disappointment and they finish 5th, just outside a playoff place.

2008-09: Warriors boss John Coughlin makes wholesale changes in the close season, releasing John Hillcoat, Scott McCulloch, fan favourite Craig Menzies, Brian McLaughlin, Ross Hamilton and Jose Quitongo amongst others.

The squad is bolstered with the signings of Andrew Brand from rivals East Stirlingshire, Keiron Renton, John Ovenstone, Jordan Smith, Chris McGroarty, Alan Brazil, Andy Shirra and Kevin Motion.

Stenhousemuir make a very decent start to the season, going unbeaten in the first quarter of the season; this includes a smash-and-grab 1-0 win over promotion rivals Cowdenbeath. Among the players to impress are new midfield signing Motion who scores 5 in his first 8 games; and Ovenstone, a commanding central defender.

Current squad

"As of 1 October 2008"

External links

* [http://www.stenhousemuirfc.com/ Official club site]
* [http://www.stenhousemuir.com/ Norwegian fan site]