Beith F.C.

Background

Beith Football Club were initially formed in 1875 and were founder members of the Ayrshire Football Association in 1877, but went into abeyance in 1883 and did not re-emerge fully until 1888. They joined the Ayrshire Football League in 1891 and would later play in the Scottish Football Combination, winning that competition in 1905. The club featured goalkeeper Hugh McDonald, who later had some success at Woolwich Arsenal. They eventually ended up in the Western League, which was incorporated by the Scottish Football League as its new Third Division for the 1923–24 season. Beith lasted the Division's three seasons, finishing 7th, 13th and 12th, but were not retained by the League. The club joined the Scottish Football Alliance, playing against Galston and reserve teams of the Scottish Football League First Division clubs. Beith won the Scottish Qualifying Cup in 1928 and won the Scottish Qualifying Cup South in 1932, 1933 and 1935. When the First Division clubs decided that only their reserve teams could play in their reserve league, Beith were left without a competition to play in. The club decided in 1938 to leave the senior ranks and become Beith Juniors, joining the Western League North Division for 1939–40 season.