Edinburgh City F.C.

Edinburgh City Football Club is a semi-professional senior Scottish football team who play in the East of Scotland Football League.

They were founded in 1928 although the initial incarnation ceased to be in mid-1950s. The club had aimed to become the Edinburgh equivalent of the Glasgow club Queen's Park F.C., and similarly joined the Scottish Football League as an amateur club in 1931. The Edinburgh City Football Club Ltd (Social Club), which had continue throughout the abeyance of the football side itself, gave their approval in 1986 to local side Postal United allowing them to use the Edinburgh City name.

It was tough going for City in the early years and they were never able to emulate the success of Queen's Park and for most of their time as league members they finished near the bottom of the league table each season.

Their most celebrated victory was beating Hibernian 3-2 away at Easter Road in the First Round of the Scottish Cup on 22 January 1938. Milne missed a penalty with 5 minutes to go for the home side. In the next round they lost 9-2 away to Raith Rovers on 9 February 1938.

They remained a league member until 1949 when financial considerations forced a switch to "junior" status, and they were wound up in 1955.

As stated, the club reformed in 1986, and since then have been able to establish themselves as one of the leading clubs at their level. They initially elected to play their home fixtures at the Saughton Enclosure, which is now home to Lothian Thistle F.C., before switching to Paties Road, where Edinburgh United F.C. presently play. They then switched to City Park, where the club had played as a Scottish Football League member in the 1930s and 1940s (it is presently used by Spartans F.C.) before moving to the Meadowbank Stadium in 1996. Since moving to this ground they have also managed to pick up the support of a number of former Meadowbank Thistle F.C. fans, who lost their team when the owners of that club decided to reform themselves as Livingston F.C. in 1995.

Since moving to the Meadowbank Stadium the club has qualified five times for the Scottish Cup, the latest being in 2006/07 after progressing past Civil Service Strollers, St. Cuthbert's Wanderers and Hawick Royal Albert in the Scottish Qualifying Cup (South). In season 1997-1998 they played and defeated league club East Stirlingshire F.C. before losing 7-2 to top side Dunfermline Athletic F.C. They have since qualified four times, playing, and losing to Buckie Thistle F.C., Cowdenbeath F.C., Ayr United F.C. and Stirling Albion F.C..

In 2002 they applied to join the Scottish Football League, after Airdrieonians F.C. had gone bust leaving space for a new league member. However they lost out in the vote to Gretna F.C. however, due to Gretna's liquidation, on June 3 2008, Edinburgh City once again applied to join the Scottish Football League, this time however they lost out to Annan Athletic

One of the top sides in the area for a number of years they claimed the EoS League title for the first time in season 2005/06. They have won the King Cup (twice) and League Cup though. Club colours are white and black.

Edinburgh City also have one of the largest youth organisations in the area. There is a women's football team playing under the Edinburgh City banner. Edinburgh City Ladies are in the women's semi-professional top flight and are rivals to Hibernian F.C.'s affiliated women's club.

External links

* [http://www.edinburghcityfc.com/ecfc/default1.html Website]