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Eyemouth United history article
Del Tennant12 May 2021 - 10:48
Nice piece of work by Kenny McLean posted on the East of Scotland Football League Retro page
Nice piece on Eyemouth United from Kenny McLean ...
Eyemouth United FC 1945-2021
Eyemouth United have resigned and ceased operating as a senior club. They will continue to run youth teams and support a new entry forming in the Border Amateur League. Founded in 1945 they spent their entire 75 years in membership of the East of Scotland League. They won the competition for 3 seasons running in the 1950s, then again half a century ago this year in 1970-71. They were the longest-standing continuous member of the league after Coldstream. It is a sad irony they came into being after a world war - they were apparently formed by returning servicemen - and have gone out towards the end of a national emergency, although the writing has been on the wall for some time. They last won a game 3 years ago yesterday at Tweedmouth.
Undoubtedly their finest hour came in the Scottish Cup of 1959-60 when they reached the Quarter-Finals, and only went down 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock. Over the decades they played many famous cup-ties before thousands at Playing Fields Park including v Celtic in 1953. They also visited Parkhead in 1964, but it proved their last tie in the competition. Eventually losing their ground and with it SFA membership they ultimately played from the famously exposed Gunsgreen Park aka Warner Park. Atop sea cliffs south of the harbour, it was a formidable venue in a gale.
Apparently striker William Burgess was also the first black player to represent a Scotland team in modern times. He played all 3 games in the Home Nations 1962-63 for Scotland Amateurs: scoring a brace v England at Hampden and another in Wrexham. They also have the possibly unique accolade of twice having finished seasons with fewer points than they started... managing 2 draws in 2004-05 they sufferred a deduction for breach of rules to finish on -1pt, then outdid themselves in 2018-19 finishing on -3pts.
Over the years they won all the long standing cup tournaments... South Qualifying Cup, EOS Cup, EOS Qualifying Cup, King Cup and the last-ever Border Cup. They also won the inaugural but short-lived South Supplementary Cup in 1954-55. However they never secured the League Cup or Alex Jack Cup since the EOS was reorganised for 1987-88. Indeed they only managed 2 seasons in the Premier Division during the late 1980s.
Probably their last big achievement was reaching the Alex Jack Cup Final in 2015-16, where they lost to Leith... In recent times they have not had their troubles to seek. In season 2018-19 they lost all 24 games with an average scoreline of 1-7. They then decided to sit out last season. They came back this season but had lost all 10 matches with the same average scoreline of 1-7 when football at this level was suspended and the season ultimately null-&-void.
They join a depressing list of recent Border club demises... Kelso United, Duns, Selkirk and now Eyemouth United. Coldstream are now the only senior club in Berwickshire. Sad times.
Their last-ever game was lost 0-5 at home v Lochore Welfare on Saturday 19th December 2020.
With that The Fishermen - quite literally - took in their nets for the final time.
Eyemouth United FC 1945-2021
Eyemouth United have resigned and ceased operating as a senior club. They will continue to run youth teams and support a new entry forming in the Border Amateur League. Founded in 1945 they spent their entire 75 years in membership of the East of Scotland League. They won the competition for 3 seasons running in the 1950s, then again half a century ago this year in 1970-71. They were the longest-standing continuous member of the league after Coldstream. It is a sad irony they came into being after a world war - they were apparently formed by returning servicemen - and have gone out towards the end of a national emergency, although the writing has been on the wall for some time. They last won a game 3 years ago yesterday at Tweedmouth.
Undoubtedly their finest hour came in the Scottish Cup of 1959-60 when they reached the Quarter-Finals, and only went down 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock. Over the decades they played many famous cup-ties before thousands at Playing Fields Park including v Celtic in 1953. They also visited Parkhead in 1964, but it proved their last tie in the competition. Eventually losing their ground and with it SFA membership they ultimately played from the famously exposed Gunsgreen Park aka Warner Park. Atop sea cliffs south of the harbour, it was a formidable venue in a gale.
Apparently striker William Burgess was also the first black player to represent a Scotland team in modern times. He played all 3 games in the Home Nations 1962-63 for Scotland Amateurs: scoring a brace v England at Hampden and another in Wrexham. They also have the possibly unique accolade of twice having finished seasons with fewer points than they started... managing 2 draws in 2004-05 they sufferred a deduction for breach of rules to finish on -1pt, then outdid themselves in 2018-19 finishing on -3pts.
Over the years they won all the long standing cup tournaments... South Qualifying Cup, EOS Cup, EOS Qualifying Cup, King Cup and the last-ever Border Cup. They also won the inaugural but short-lived South Supplementary Cup in 1954-55. However they never secured the League Cup or Alex Jack Cup since the EOS was reorganised for 1987-88. Indeed they only managed 2 seasons in the Premier Division during the late 1980s.
Probably their last big achievement was reaching the Alex Jack Cup Final in 2015-16, where they lost to Leith... In recent times they have not had their troubles to seek. In season 2018-19 they lost all 24 games with an average scoreline of 1-7. They then decided to sit out last season. They came back this season but had lost all 10 matches with the same average scoreline of 1-7 when football at this level was suspended and the season ultimately null-&-void.
They join a depressing list of recent Border club demises... Kelso United, Duns, Selkirk and now Eyemouth United. Coldstream are now the only senior club in Berwickshire. Sad times.
Their last-ever game was lost 0-5 at home v Lochore Welfare on Saturday 19th December 2020.
With that The Fishermen - quite literally - took in their nets for the final time.
Further reading