Rankinston F.C.

Rankinston Football Club was an association football club from the village of Rankinston, Ayrshire.

Rankinston
Full nameRankinston F.C.
Nickname(s)the Mountaineers
Founded1876
Dissolved1883
GroundLittlemills
Match SecretaryHugh Reynolds, Irvin Clifford

History

The club was founded as Rankinston Mountaineers in 1876. Apart from a one-off reference in a friendly against Coylton Coila in 1880,[1] its last recorded match under its full name was against Mauchline in February 1878,[2] and the club was formally registered as Rankinston, although the media occasionally used the Rankinstone spelling.

It was never a large club; its highest membership, in its last season of 1882–83, was a mere 35.[3] It was also never very active, only playing 10 matches in its last season before turning senior,[4] and 9 in its first senior season.

Nevertheless, it was one of the inaugural entrants to the Ayrshire Cup in 1877–78, and it won through to the third round on three occasions, its best performance in 1879–80 seeing it only lose narrowly at Kilmarnock Athletic at that stage.

Perhaps encouraged by that the club turned senior and entered the 1880–81 Scottish Cup. It entered the national competition three times, and every time was drawn against Maybole in the first round. The first tie between the sides in 1880–81 was a brutal one, Maybole allegedly audibly deciding to play the man rather than the ball, only for Rankinston to retaliate to greater effect, reducing Maybole to 10 men, and winning 1–0, two further goals "disallowed by the referee from Maybole".[5] Maybole however protested successfully against the lack of ropes and the Mountaineers' rough play, and the Scottish FA ordered a replay with a neutral referee.[6] The replay took place at Springvale Park, the home of Ayr F.C., and Maybole scored a "decisive" 3–1 victory.[7] Rankinston had a change of approach in the aftermath - its thrilling 5–5 draw with Hurlford in the Ayrshire Cup later in October was "one of the best ever played in Rankinston" and "of a friendly nature all through".[8]

Its remaining Scottish Cup entries however were ignominious. In 1881–82 Maybole won 7–0[9] and in 1882–83 Rankinston simply scratched.[10]

The club's last run in the Ayrshire Cup, in 1882–83, came to an unfortunate end; drawn at Largs Athletic in the quarter-final, the club's players missed the train, and the club had to scratch.[11] The club's formal end came when it was struck off the Scottish FA's roll in August 1883.[12] The name was revived for a Junior club in 1890.[13]

Colours

The club wore black and white jerseys and hose.[14]

Ground

The club's ground, Littlemills, was 2½ miles from Drongan railway station.[15]

References
  1. "Coylton Coyla v Rankinston Mountaineers". Irvine Herald: 8. 1 May 1880.
  2. "Football". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: 5. 2 March 1878.
  3. M'Dowall, John (1882). Scottish Football Association Annual 1882–83. Glasgow: W. Weatherston. p. 141.
  4. Fleming, J. S. (1880). Scottish Association Football Annual 1880–81. Gillespie Brothers. p. 48.
  5. "Rankinstone [sic] v Maybole". Ayrshire Weekly News: 5. 18 September 1880.
  6. "Scottish Football Association". Glasgow Herald: 7. 22 September 1880.
  7. "Maybole v Rankinstone (Protested Cup tie)". Glasgow Evening Post: 4. 4 October 1880.
  8. "Rankinston v Hurlford - Cup tie". Ayrshire Weekly News and Galloway Press: 3. 23 October 1880.
  9. "Scottish Cup". Glasgow Herald: 7. 25 October 1880.
  10. Scottish FA Minutes 1881–84. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 19 September 1882. p. 82.
  11. "Ayrshire Association". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: 3. 30 December 1882.
  12. Scottish FA Minutes. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 21 August 1883. p. 143.
  13. "Ayrshire Junior Football Association". Ayr Observer: 8. 29 August 1890.
  14. Fleming, J. S. (1880). Scottish Association Football Annual 1880–81. Gillespie Brothers. p. 48.
  15. Livingstone, Robert (1881). Scottish Football Association Annual 1881–82. Gillespie Brothers. p. 107.
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