Bathgate Rovers F.C.

History

Founded in 1883 by Irish workers in Bathgate, the club originally went by the name Durhamtown Rangers. By the close of that first season, local newspapers were already covering its matches. In 1884–85, the side entered the inaugural Linlithgowshire Cup, also called the Rosebery Cup, and reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Mossend Swifts. Durhamtown lodged a protest, arguing that Mossend lay outside Linlithgowshire. Though the claim was proven correct—Mossend was indeed beyond the county boundary—the tournament committee allowed the Swifts to continue. Durhamtown did, however, claim the Consolation Cup, a prize for teams eliminated before the final. They beat Loanhead Sarsfield 5–0 at Powderhall Stadium, with William “Brassey” Murnin netting a hat-trick and a player named Tobin adding two more.

The club reached its first Linlithgowshire Cup final in 1886–87, facing Armadale at Broxburn. Snow covered the pitch, so both sides agreed to treat the match as a friendly. Unfortunately, no one informed the spectators. When the teams switched ends after thirty minutes, the crowd realised the trophy was not at stake. They stopped the game and demanded their money back. The replay, held at Bo’ness, drew 600 people—400 of them neutrals, with most of the rest supporting Armadale. What followed was described as a “most brutal” contest, ending 2–2. Durhamtown played the bulk of the match without their captain Murnin, who suffered a broken leg just five minutes in. Armadale eventually won the second replay 2–0 at Champfleurie.

That same season, Durhamtown made its Scottish Cup debut with an away tie against Hibernian. The Rangers stunned the hosts by taking the lead after fifteen minutes, but Hibernian scored three times in the first twenty minutes of the second half to turn the match around, winning 5–1. Hibernian went on to lift the trophy.

Over the summer, the club changed its name to Erin Rovers after taking over the Bathgate Volunteers side. In the Scottish Cup, they again drew Hibernian, this time in the second round. In the first round, Erin Rovers had beaten Bellstane Birds 5–0 at home, with the visitors subjected to the usual abuse from Bathgate supporters. Hibernian asked the Rovers to scratch, but the club refused. The match went ahead at Bogside, and Hibernian won 6–0.