Founded in 1867, Queens Park are the oldest football club in Scotland. Historically, they are also perhaps the most important club in Scotland, having had control over early playing rules, the Scottish national team, forming the Scottish FA and instigating the Scottish FA Cup and League Cup in their heyday. Queens Park had a massive input into the first ever international football match in 1872 with every single one of Scotland’s players coming from the club. Scotland played in blue jerseys because that was Queens Park’s colour at the time, and they continue to do so to this day. In addition to these milestones, Queens Park, along with eight other clubs, formed the Scottish Football Association in March 1873. On October 25 that year, the first match took place at Hampden Park when they played Dumbreck in what was also the first Scottish Cup tie, first competitive match for the club and the first time they wore their now famous black and white hooped jerseys. Queens Park won the match 7-0. They went on to win three Scottish Cups in a row, beating Clydesdale, Renton and Third Lanark in the 1873, 74 and 75 finals, claiming the cup again in 1880, 81and 84. Back in the early days of Englands FA Cup, Scottish teams were often invited to enter. Park did so and made the FA Cup final in 1884 and 1885, finishing runners up with defeat to Blackburn Rovers both times. However, this feat means that they are the only Scottish club to ever make an appearance in the FA Cup final. In addition, Park are considered to be one of the pioneers of the “combination game”. Many of their players from this era are fondly remembered today. Campbell won 8 Scottish Cup titles with Queens, Smyth-McColl scored a remarkable amount of goals, Arnott was ever present in the successful sides of the era and Watson was the first black football player in Britain.

Achievements: Scottish Cup – Winners x9
                         FA Cup – Runners up x2
                         Glasgow Cup – Winners x2
                          Charity Cup – Winners x7 Runners up x2

Star player: Charles Campbell – DoB 1854, Coupar Angus, Scotland

 

A former Edinburgh Academy pupil, Campbell joined the club in 1870 and collected 8 Scottish cup winners medals along with 13 Scottish international caps. In addition, he was a member of the famous English side Corinthians and was a member of the Queens Park side that played in the English FA Cup finals.  After his retirement from playing, he spent a lot of time training young players around Glasgow, but he always considered Ireland as his home and regretted that the two nations never met in competition during his playing days. He became an important football administrator, becoming President of Queens Park in 1879 before graduating to President of the Scottish FA ten years later. He worked as a stockbroker until his father died and he inherited the family farm. He then finally returned to Ireland and farmed until his death at 73.