Edinburgh City F.C.
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Edinburgh City Football Club is a semi-professional senior Scottish football team who play in the East of Scotland Football League.
They were founded in 1986 when they changed their name from the previous Postal United Football Club (they having joined the East of Scotland League in 1966). They decided to take this name which had been the name of a previous club, whom the present incarnation claim they are descended from, hence they state they were re-formed in 1986. This previous club had been formed in 1928 and aimed to become the Edinburgh equivalent of the Glasgow club Queen's Park F.C., and similarly joined the Scottish Football League as an amateur club in 1931.
However they were never able to emulate the success of Queen's Park and for most of their time as league members they finished near the bottom of the league table each season.
Their most celebrated victory was beating Hibernian 3-2 away at Easter Road in the First Round of the Scottish Cup on 22 January 1938. Milne missed a penalty with 5 minutes to go for the home side. In the next round they lost 9-2 away to Raith Rovers on 9 February 1938.
They remained a league member until 1949 when financial considerations forced a switch to junior status, and they were wound up in 1955.
As stated, the present club formed themselves in 1986, and since then have been able to establish themselves as one of the leading clubs at their level. They initially elected to play their home fixtures at the Saughton Enclosure, which is now home to Lothian Thistle F.C., before switching to Paties Road, where Edinburgh United F.C. presently play. They then switched to City Park, where the club had played as a Scottish Football League member in the 1930s and 1940s (it is presently used by Spartans F.C.) before moving to the Meadowbank Stadium in 1996. Since moving to this ground they have also managed to pick up the support of a number of former Meadowbank Thistle F.C. fans, who lost their team when the owners of that club decided to reform themselves as Livingston F.C. in 1995.
Since moving to the Meadowbank Stadium the club has qualified five times for the Scottish Cup, the latest being in 2006/07 after progressing past Civil Service Strollers, St. Cuthbert's Wanderers and Hawick Royal Albert in the Scottish Qualifying Cup (South). In season 1997-1998 they played and defeated league club East Stirlingshire F.C. before losing 7-2 to top side Dunfermline Athletic F.C. They have since qualified three times, playing, and losing to Buckie Thistle F.C., Cowdenbeath F.C. and Ayr United F.C.
In 2002 they applied to join the Scottish Football League, after Airdrieonians F.C. had gone bust leaving space for a new league member. However they lost out in the vote to Gretna F.C.
One of the top sides in the area for a number of years they claimed the EoS League title for the first time in season 2005/06. They have won the King Cup (twice) and League Cup though. Club colours are white and black.
Due to them being a senior team they can play in the Scottish Cup.
Edinburgh City also has a women's football team. Edinburgh City Ladies are in the women's semi-professional top flight and are rivals to Hibernian F.C.'s affiliated women's club.
[edit] External links
| edit | Scottish Football Association | |
| East of Scotland Football League 2006/2007 |
Premier Division |
