Bellshill Athletic F.C.

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Bellshill Athletic

Full name

Bellshill Athletic Football Club

Nickname(s)

The Hill

Founded

1897

Ground

New Brandon Park,
Bellshill

Capacity

2000

Chairman

Manager

Paul McGrillen

League

Scottish Junior Football Association





Home colours





Away colours

Bellshill Athletic Football Club is a football (soccer) club from Scotland. It plays in the Scottish Junior Football Association, Western Region Superleague and comes from the town of Bellshill in Lanarkshire, not far from Glasgow.

Ex-player and fan favorite Paul McGrillen returned to the club as player/manager in May 2006 after two seasons with Stenhousemuir. He replaced John McCormack.

The history of the club can be traced back as far as 1897 when Bellshill Athletic were founded as a Juvenile club who played at Hawthorn Park. After two successful years as a Juvenile club, Athletic transferred to Junior level. The area had three other clubs at this time - Bellshill Thistle, Mossend Celtic and Mossend Brigade. These clubs are now defunct.

The club's early years had it based at many homes. These included Orbiston Park, Douglas Park and Brigade park. The club's previous ground, Brandon Park, was officially opened in 1903 in a friendly against Blantyre Victoria in the month of August that year. The club's centenary year will be celebrated with the opening of a new stadium (New Brandon Park) being developed in the Hattonrigg area of the town. The development will include a 1000 all seated main stand along with a new social club and all weather training pitches.

As of October 2006 the ground is half finished due to legal matters between the club, contractors and the local council. But planning permission has been applied for to finish the stadium and the surrounding ground/area... with a reduced 492 seater stand. The club is allowed to use the stadium in its unfinished state for home matches until work is complete.

The largest crowd seen in the clubs history was around about 10,000 people who witnessed a Scottish cup sixth round tie against St Rochs. The game ended in a victory for St Roch's.^{[citation needed]}

Bellshill Athletic also have the little known fact of being the first UK side to have a sponsor on their shirt. Original evidence points to Hibernian having this honour but it was Bellshill Athletic who had it in place in 1973/74 season. The photo of the squad with the shirt can be viewed in The Derby Inn (Also the sponsor), a local bar in Bellshill.

Bellshill have played at Junior level since 1899, with an exception of a short spell (1927 - 1931) during which they played in the intermediate league. As Juniors they have played in four different leagues: The Lanarkshire League, The Scottish League, Abercorn League and the present Rockware Super League.


edit	Scottish Junior Football Association
SJFA West Premier League 2006/2007	Arthurlie \| Auchinleck Talbot \| Bellshill Athletic \| Cumnock \| Glenafton Athletic \| Kilsyth Rangers \| Maryhill \| Neilston \| Petershill \| Pollok \| Renfrew \| Shotts Bon Accord