Eastern Football Club was a 19th-century football club based in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Scotland. They were one of the founder members of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and one of the sixteen teams to participate in the inaugural season of the
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,Thistle F.C. club. The club's first game, at Fleshers' Haughs, took place on 25 January 1873, against a Celtic football club, and ended in a 4-0 win to Eastern, although the Celtic goalkeeper claimed the score was merely 3-0.
Eastern one of the eight clubs that agreed to form the SFA in March that year. Eastern participated in Scottish Cup tournaments between 1873–74 and 1876–77, reaching the quarter-finals on the first two occasions.
A member of Eastern FC, James McIntyre was selected to referee the first
Scottish Cup final
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish Cup, is a knockout cup competition in Scottish football. Organised by the Scottish Football Association, it is the third oldest existing football competition in the w ...
Clydesdale Clydesdale is an archaic name for Lanarkshire, a traditional county in Scotland. The name may also refer to:
Sports
* Clydesdale F.C., a former football club in Glasgow
* Clydesdale RFC, Glasgow, a former rugby union club
* Clydesdale RFC, South ...
on 21 March 1874.
The club's final Cup tie was against Alexandra Athletic F.C. in 1876. The clubs in the first game, and Eastern won the second 2-0, but the Athletes protested on the basis that the referee who took charge of the match had not been agreed beforehand; ironically, this was down to Eastern objecting to the Alexandra nominee, but Eastern called the protest "a mean subterfuge to attempt to wrest the honours which have already been fairly won". Perhaps as a result of the Scottish FA acceding to the protest, and the Athletes winning the third match, Eastern does not seem to have played football again, with members instead joining the
Clyde Clyde may refer to:
People
* Clyde (given name)
* Clyde (surname)
Places
For townships see also Clyde Township
Australia
* Clyde, New South Wales
* Clyde, Victoria
* Clyde River, New South Wales
Canada
* Clyde, Alberta
* Clyde, Ontario, a tow ...
club.
Second club
A second Eastern club from Glasgow was founded in 1885, playing at Springfield Park and wearing navy shirts and white shorts. It seems to have existed for just one season.
Colours
The club played in royal blue and scarlet shirts with white shorts.
Stadium
The club's first ground was Fleshers' Haugh on
Glasgow Green
Glasgow Green is a park in the east end of Glasgow, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde. Established in the 15th century, it is the oldest park in the city. It connects to the south via the St Andrew's Suspension Bridge.
History
I ...
. In 1875, the club moved to
Barrowfield Park
Barrowfield Park was a football ground in the Bridgeton / Dalmarnock area of Glasgow, Scotland. It was the home ground of Eastern during the 1870s and Clyde between 1877 and 1898.
History
Clyde moved to Barrowfield Park in 1877, initially gr ...
, which was also known informally as Glengarry Park, after the open space next to the roped-off area. It was immediately to the east of the Barrowfield print works and considered short at 130 yards.
Notable players
During its relatively short time, Eastern provided
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...