Clyde Football Club is a Scottish semi-professional football club based in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, who play in . Nicknamed the Bully Wee, the club was formed in 1877 on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow. They currently host their home matches at New Douglas Park in Hamilton, having previously played at Shawfield Stadium from 1898 to 1986 and Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld from 1994 until 2022.
The club has won the Scottish Cup on three occasions: 1939, 1955, and 1958, and reached the final a further three times, all during their long period based at Shawfield in Rutherglen. Clyde have not competed in the top division of Scottish football since 1975.
The club has been managed by Darren Young since October 2024.
History 1877–1898 Clyde Football Club was founded on the banks of the River Clyde at Barrowfield. Records from the SFA and contemporary match reports in the Glasgow press show the club was established in 1877:
Sitting on the edge of Bridgeton, Barrowfield Park lay within a triangle of land enclosed by Carstairs Street, Colvend Street, and the River Clyde. The surrounding area contained chemical, engineering, and textile works with high population density. The ground consisted of a grandstand running north–south, a pavilion and tennis courts at the southern end, and a running and bicycle track surrounding the pitch. Barrowfield was initially shared with a short-lived club named Albatross.
At its inception, Clyde operated as a private members' club with sporting and cultural activities that included rowing alongside football.
The first mention of Clyde appeared in the Evening Times on 17 September 1877:
Clyde entered the first round of the Scottish Cup on 29 September 1877, losing 1–0 to Third Lanark.
On 6 March 1883, the Glasgow Football Association was established, with Clyde being one of the six clubs represented at the initial meeting. The club is one of only three founding member clubs still in existence today, alongside Queen's Park and Rangers.
Clyde joined the Scottish Football League in 1891 for its second season. In their opening league fixture on 15 August 1891, Clyde defeated Vale of Leven 10–3, completing the season in mid-table. Due to growing spectator numbers and drainage issues at Barrowfield, the pitch was relaid with an ash base in 1893 to improve drainage.
During the late 19th century, Clyde won the North Eastern Cup four times and the Graham Cup three times. In their final season at Barrowfield, Clyde finished bottom of Division One with five points, but retained their top-flight status through re-election. The final fixture at Barrowfield was a 3–3 friendly draw against Sunderland on 30 April 1898.Match Details , TheStatCat.co.uk. Accessed 28 January 2023.
1899–1919 In 1898, the club acquired land at Shawfield between the Glasgow neighbourhood of Oatlands and the town of Rutherglen. The purchase was financed through incorporation as "The Clyde Football Club Limited", developing a ground with an initial grandstand seating capacity of 1,500.
The opening match at Shawfield Stadium on 27 August 1898 was a 0–0 draw against Celtic, attended by 10,000 spectators. Clyde finished bottom of the top division in 1899–1900 and were relegated.
They were Division Two champions in 1904–05 and runners-up in 1903–04 and 1905–06, securing promotion following the 1905–06 campaign under the election system in place before automatic promotion was introduced in 1921.
Between 1908 and 1913, Clyde maintained top-half finishes in Division One and reached the Scottish Cup final in 1910 and 1912. The team finished third in the league in 1908–09 and 1911–12, and reached the Scottish Cup semi-finals in 1908–09 and 1912–13.
In the 1910 Scottish Cup final, Clyde led Dundee 2–0 until the 83rd minute, before an own goal and a late equaliser forced a 2–2 draw. Following a 0–0 draw in the replay, Dundee won the second replay 2–1. In the 1912 final, Clyde were defeated 2–0 by Celtic.
International honours were first awarded to an active Clyde player in March 1909, when William Walker represented Scotland against club teammate Jack Kirwan of Ireland at Ibrox. Clyde also won the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup in 1910 and the Glasgow Cup in 1914.
In September 1914, a fire destroyed the Shawfield grandstand and club records. Following the outbreak of World War I, several players enlisted in the armed forces; among those killed in action were Charles Clunas, Tom Cranston, and William Sharp. Wartime restrictions caused player shortages, leading the Scottish League to temporarily contract to a single division.
1920–1945 Division Two was reinstated for the 1921–22 season with automatic promotion and relegation. Relegated in 1923–24, Clyde spent two seasons in Division Two before earning promotion and winning the Glasgow Cup in 1925–26. Between 1926 and 1939, Clyde remained in Division One. Scotland international caps were awarded to Clyde full-back Danny Blair and forward Billy Boyd, who scored 32 league goals in 1932–33.
Facing financial difficulties in 1930, the club leased Shawfield to greyhound racing promoters, leading to the creation of the Shawfield Greyhound Racing Company Ltd, which began racing in 1932 and subsequently purchased the stadium from the football club in 1935.
During the 1938–39 Scottish Cup campaign, Clyde conceded one goal en route to the final, with victories over St Johnstone (2–0), Dundee (0–0, 1–0 replay), and Third Lanark (1–0), and a semi-final win over Hibernian (1–0 at Tynecastle). In the third round, centre-forward Willie Martin scored all four goals in a 4–1 victory against Rangers at Ibrox.
In the final at Hampden on 22 April 1939, Clyde defeated Motherwell 4–0 before 94,000 spectators to win their first Scottish Cup, with goals from Dougie Wallace, Willie Martin (two), and Noble.
The outbreak of World War II led to the suspension of official league football in 1939–40. Clyde participated in the regionalised Southern League, finishing runners-up to Rangers in 1940–41. In 1946, the Scottish League Cup was introduced; Clyde and SFL chairman John McMahon donated the trophy that remains in use today.
1946–1969 In 1947, Clyde completed a 20-match tour of South Africa (recording 16 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats). In 1953, Stanley Matthews appeared for Clyde as a guest player alongside Ernie Taylor in a benefit match against Everton at Celtic Park in Belfast.
Clyde reached the Scottish Cup final in 1948–49, losing 4–1 to Rangers at Hampden before 108,000 spectators, with Peter Galletly scoring Clyde's goal. Relegated from Division A in 1950–51, the club returned immediately as Division B champions in 1951–52, repeating this promotion in 1956–57. Floodlights were installed at Shawfield in March 1954, inaugurated with a friendly against Huddersfield Town.
Clyde won the Scottish Cup in 1954–55 and 1957–58, and were semi-finalists in 1955–56 and 1959–60. In the 1955 final on 23 April, Clyde drew 1–1 with Celtic before 96,000 spectators after Archie Robertson scored directly from a corner kick in the 87th minute; Clyde won the replay 1–0 through a Tommy Ring goal. In the 1958 final on 26 April, a goal from John Coyle secured a 1–0 victory over Hibernian before 94,000 fans. Following the 1957–58 season, three Clyde players—Harry Haddock, Archie Robertson, and John Coyle—were selected in the Scotland squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
In the 1966–67 season, Clyde finished third in the league behind Celtic and Rangers and reached the Scottish Cup semi-finals. However, the club was not entered into the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup due to the tournament's "one city, one club" rule, as second-placed Rangers took Glasgow's allocated spot.
In 1969, Clyde undertook a 10-match tour of Rhodesia, finishing unbeaten with nine wins and one draw.
1970–1993 Following relegation in 1971–72, Clyde won promotion as Division Two champions in 1972–73. They were relegated again in 1974–75, missing qualification for the new ten-team Premier Division introduced for the 1975–76 season.
Clyde finished bottom of the First Division in 1975–76, entering the third tier for the first time. Under manager Craig Brown, appointed in 1977, the team won the Second Division title in 1977–78. In 1979–80, Clyde became the first Scottish club to adopt a shirt sponsor, securing a deal with the British Oxygen Company.
In 1986, the Greyhound Racing Association served notice to quit Shawfield. Clyde played their final match at the stadium on 28 April 1986, defeating Alloa Athletic 4–2. The club ground-shared at Firhill with Partick Thistle from 1986 to 1991, followed by a ground-share with Hamilton Academical at Douglas Park from 1991 to 1994, while plans were developed for a new purpose-built stadium in Cumbernauld.
1994–2022 Clyde moved to Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld in February 1994, hosting their inaugural match on 5 February 1994 against Hamilton Academical before a crowd of 6,000.
Under manager Allan Maitland, Clyde won promotion to the First Division in 1999–2000. In the 2003–04 season, Clyde finished second in the First Division, one place outside the promotion spot to the SPL. In June 2005, the club completed a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) to clear accumulated debts.
On 8 January 2006, Clyde defeated Celtic 2–1 in the third round of the Scottish Cup at Broadwood, with goals from Eddie Malone and Craig Bryson, in a match featuring the Celtic debut of Roy Keane. Later that year, Clyde reached the 2006 Scottish Challenge Cup Final, drawing 1–1 with Ross County before losing 5–4 on penalties.
Following consecutive relegations in 2008–09 and 2009–10, Clyde dropped into the Third Division (fourth tier). Under manager Danny Lennon, Clyde won promotion back to League One at the end of the 2018–19 season after defeating Annan Athletic 2–1 on aggregate in the play-off final.
In April 2022, Clyde confirmed they would leave Broadwood at the end of the 2021–22 season to groundshare at New Douglas Park in Hamilton from the start of the 2022–23 season while exploring long-term stadium options.
Grounds
Barrowfield Clyde's first home ground was Barrowfield Park, located on the banks of the River Clyde between Bridgeton and Dalmarnock, used from 1877 to 1898.
Shawfield
In 1898, the club moved across the river to Shawfield Stadium. The ground's record attendance was set on 28 November 1908 when 52,000 spectators attended a match against Rangers. Due to financial pressures, Clyde sold ownership of the stadium to the Greyhound Racing Association in 1935, remaining as tenants until receiving notice to vacate in 1986.
Broadwood
Clyde moved to the all-seater Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld in February 1994, hosting their inaugural match on 5 February 1994 against Hamilton Academical before a crowd of 6,000. During Clyde's tenancy, Broadwood hosted Scotland U21 fixtures and four Scottish Challenge Cup finals, and served as a temporary venue for Airdrieonians (1994–1998) and Rangers reserves.
In December 2010, Clyde announced their intention to relinquish their lease at Broadwood and explore relocation options. On 20 April 2013, the club's supporter-owners voted in favour of a proposed move to East Kilbride, though the plan was later abandoned. The club also explored a potential ground-sharing redevelopment in Rutherglen with Rutherglen Glencairn. Clyde concluded their 28-year tenancy at Broadwood in April 2022.
Groundshares
During their history, Clyde have engaged in several ground-sharing arrangements: Celtic Park: Utilised temporarily in 1914 after a fire damaged the Shawfield grandstand. Firhill Stadium: Shared with Partick Thistle between 1986 and 1991. Douglas Park: Shared with Hamilton Academical from 1991 to 1994. New Douglas Park: Shared with Hamilton Academical since July 2022.
Supporters Clyde Football Club is 100% owned by its supporters through a Community Interest Company structure.