Recreation Grounds (Perth)

The Recreation Grounds, opened in 1885, was the first home of Scottish football club St. Johnstone F.C. It met their requirements for almost forty years until the club moved to the other side of the town, opening Muirton Park in 1924. The football club St Johnstone was formed by members of the town's cricket club who were seeking a suitable sport to occupy them during the months when there was no cricket. Well-known local curler George Valentine was the football club's first President. The club currently plays at McDiarmid Park after selling the Muirton Park site to the ASDA supermarket chain in the late 1980s.

The twenty members of the newly-formed football club contributed one pound each to lease suitable land at Craigie Haugh near to the South Inch park and across from where Perth Prison stands today. [http://www.stjohnstonefc.co.uk/history.asp Official club website history section] ] The land, leased from Sir Robert Moncrieffe, became known as the Recreation Grounds. The football ground was typical of its era but very basic by today's standard. A small grandstand and pavilion (described as dilapidated in the minutes of a meeting in 1924) was the only shelter for spectators, the rest of the crowd watched matches standing on a grassy banking around the remainder of the pitch. The grandstand was not even built new in 1885, it had previously housed spectators watching horse racing on the North Inch.

The Recreation Grounds were officially opened on August 15, 1885; [ [http://www.pkc.gov.uk/Education+and+learning/Libraries+archives+and+learning+centres/Libraries+-+local+and+special+collections/Local+studies+-+additional+resources/Amazing+past+Perthshire/St+Johnstone+Origins.htm St. Johnstone origins - Perth and Kinross Council official website] ] but, somewhat unusually, the home club didn't participate in the match. The now-defunct Our Boys from the city of Dundee down the River Tay were crushed by Queen's Park from Glasgow, six goals going into the Dundee net without reply. Gate receipts were £50.

Before settling on the now familiar royal blue and white strips, a black and white outfit was followed by a spell playing in maroon shirts with a white shield.

It was whilst at the Recreation Grounds that the club played its first match in the Scottish Football League. Arthurlie from East Renfrewshire were defeated 4-1 in a Division Two match on Saturday 19 August, 1911. The sum of £40 was taken at the turnstiles. The club were also involved in some high-scoring matches in the early years of their existence. The club record victory of 15-0 was achieved twice before the club notched up its first decade, although both were achieved in friendly matches. Unfortunately, all of the club's record defeats were also suffered at the Recreation Grounds.

At a shareholders meeting in February 1924 to discuss the club's options for a new football ground the following is recorded in the minutes:

"Regarding the old or present site. Not being conversant with the history of the club, nor of the reasons why such a situation was selected, it is unnecessary for me to deal, beyond expressing some surprise that cramped area with unprepossing surroundings along with an extremely bad access - specially for vehicles should have been laid out as a football field by an outstanding club."

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed unanimously to choose the Muirton Park site for the club's future.

Facts and figures

*Highest attendance: 12,000 (approx.) v. Clydebank, April 1923
*First match: Queen's Park (6) v. Our Boys (Dundee) (0)
*Last match: St. Johnstone (4) v. Kilmarnock (2)

References

Further reading

* cite book
last = Bannerman
first = Gordon
authorlink =
title = Saints Alive! St Johnstone Football Club Five Years on a High
publisher = Sportsprint Publishing, Edinburgh
series =
year = 1991
doi =
isbn = 0 85976 346 3
*
* Official match programme from last match at Muirton Park, April 29, 1989 v. Ayr United — this programme which was the main source for the factual content of this article contains an article on the last match at the Recreation Grounds and a reproduction of the minutes of the shareholders' meeting mentioned above.