Fraserburgh F.C.
 |
|||
| Full name | Fraserburgh Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Broch | ||
| Founded | 1910 | ||
| Ground | Bellslea Park | ||
| Capacity | 2,500 (480 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Finlay Noble | ||
| Manager | Mark Cowie | ||
| League | Highland Football League | ||
| 2014–15 | Highland Football League, 5th | ||
|
|
|||
Fraserburgh Football Club are a senior football club based in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. The fishing port is known locally as 'The Broch' hence the club nickname. They currently play in the Highland Football League in Scotland and by being a senior non-league team in Scottish football, Fraserburgh are eligible to enter the Scottish Cup at the first round stage.
History
The club were formed in 1910 and play at Bellslea Park. Prior to 1910, they played as a select side made up of the best players from the local amateur league. The club's colours (consisting of black and white stripes) were acquired from a local fish merchant who had links with Newcastle United, and the tradition has since been kept, with the current away kit consisting of all red in the pattern of the town's Fraser clan tartan.
Fraserburgh's first ever match was an away tie in the Scottish Qualifying Cup against rivals Peterhead, which Fraserburgh won 3–1. In their very first season they went on to win the Aberdeenshire Cup, defeating Buckie Thistle at Pittodrie Stadium.
They were granted admission into the Highland Football League in 1921 and up until that time they competed in the Aberdeenshire Cup and Scottish Cup.
Fraserburgh's most famous victory was in the Scottish Cup on 31 January 1959, where they defeated Dundee, one of the top clubs in Scotland at the time, 1–0 at Bellslea Park. This is widely regarded as the biggest ever 'giant killing' shock in the Scottish Cup.
On 21 January 1970, the Fraserburgh lifeboat The Duchess of Kent was lost, being turned over by a freak wave some 40 miles from Fraserburgh while trying to escort the Danish fishing vessel Opal to safety. Only one of the six crew members survived. After the disaster, Jock Stein took his European Cup Finalists, Celtic up to the Broch for a fundraising game, which Fraserburgh lost 7–0.
Another one of Fraserburgh's most memorable games was a 10–0 victory away to local rivals Peterhead in the Highland League Cup on 14 August 1974.
During 1984, Charlie Duncan was named new manager due to Brian McCann's departure; eventually reaching his 1,000th game in charge during October 2009 in a Scottish Cup tie against Bonnyrigg Rose.[1] Duncan's tenure has brought huge success to the club; after becoming champions for only the third time in the club's history, winning the Highland League Cup for the first time in 47 years, the two Qualifying Cup wins in 1995–96 and 2006–07, as well as an Aberdeenshire Cup in 1996 and five Aberdeenshire Shield wins – 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 1999. Duncan's tenure ended when he got sacked from the club in July 2011, after an eventful 27 years at the helm. The Broch then appointed ex-Turriff Utd manager and former striker Kris Hunter as their new manager for the beginning of the 2011–2012 season.
Fraserburgh are now the permanent holders of the Qualifying Cup (North), as they won the last competition at Princess Royal Park, Banff when they beat Keith 2–1 in November 2006, with goals from Marc Dickson and Michael Stephen.
They have always had a rivalry with Peterhead but as Peterhead got promoted into the Scottish league the rivalry has wavered somewhat.
Stadium
The club's home ground is Bellslea Park. The capacity is around the 2,500 mark, and the stand can hold about 450 people.
Honours
- Highland Football League – 1932–33, 1937–38, 2001–02
- Highland Football League Cup – 1958–59 2005–06
- Scottish Qualifying Cup – 1957–58, 1995–96 2006–07
- Aberdeenshire Cup – 1910–11, 1937–.38, 1955–56, 1963–64, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1996–97, 2012–13
- Aberdeenshire Shield – 1991–92, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2011–2012
- Aberdeenshire League – 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
