Clyde

Kit History

1877-1886 b c n

1886-circa1898 c n

1898-1903 n

1903-1913 b n

1913-1915 n

1915-1920 n

1920-1923 n

1923-1924 n

1924-1925 n

1925-1927 n

1927-1928 home n

1928-1929 n

1929-1934 b n

1934-circa 1935 b

1935-1937 d f n

1937-1938 b n

1938-1940 n

Wartime alternative a

1945-Oct 1946 n

Nov 1946-1947 n

1947-Dec 1949 n

Jan-May 1950 n

1953-1954 b

1954-1955 n

1955-1960 n

1960-1962 n

1963-1965 d n

1965-1968 n

1968-1970 j n

1970-1975 b d j

1975-1976 j

1976-1977 h

Umbro

1977-1979 i j

Umbro

1979-1980 j

Barralan

1981-1982 j

Matsudo

1982-1984 j o

Solripe logo adopted mid-season

Matsudo

1984-1986 b j m o

Matsudo

1986-1987 o

1987-1988 m o

Spall

1988-1989 j o

1989-1990 j

Matchwinner

1991-1992 j

Matchwinner

1992-1993 j

Matchwinner

1993-1994 j o

Admiral

1995-1996 j o

Admiral

1996-1998 j o

Xara

1999-2001 h j o

Virma

2001-2002 e h o

Virma

2002-2003 j o

TFG

2003-2004 g o

TFG

2004-2005 g o

TFG

2005-2006 b o

Lotto

2006-2007 f

Lotto

2007-2008 b o

Background

Although there was a club known as Clyde FC formed in 1872, they existed for only a single season. The present club was formed in 1877 and originally played in white and blue. Known as the "Bully Wee" they are one of Glasgow's oldest clubs. (Their nickname means "good little (club)" - bully as in "bully for you".) Originally they played at Barrowfield Park, adjacent to the River Clyde (from which they took their name) in the Bridgeton (pronounced "Brig-ton") area of the city. The club was elected to the Scottish League in 1891 when it was expanded to 12 clubs but in 1893 they finished in last place and went into the new Second Division. They finished third and under the rules of the time they succesfully applied for election to Division One (leaving Hibernian and Cowlairs, who had finished ahead of them, to languish in the lower division). In 1896 they moved into the Shawfield Stadium, their home for the next 90 years.

The club had to seek re-election on four occasions and in 1900 they were relegated back to the Second Division (automatic promotion and relegation was not adopted until after the First World War). They returned to the top level in 1906 and finished in third place three times before the outbreak of war in 1914. In 1915 they won the Glasgow Cup, a competition they would win again in 1926, 1947, 1952 and 1959. In 1924, they were relegated but returned to Division One after only two seasons.

In 1935, facing financial difficulties, Clyde sold their Shawfield ground to their tenants, the Greyhound Racing Association, a decision that would come back to haunt them 50 years later. In 1939 the Bully Wee won the Scottish Cup, beating Motherwell 4-0 in the final.

Clyde's traditional colours are white shirts with red trim and black shorts. According to the unofficial Clyde MAD website, however, they played in khaki shirts immediately after the Second World War. It is well known that clothing rationing forced a number of clubs to adopt unfamiliar outfits at this time but there is no precedent for a team wearing camouflage!

During the 1950s, while unable to compete with the Old Firm clubs, Clyde laid claim to being Glasgow's third team with further Scottish Cup wins in 1955 and 1958. In 1967 they finished third in the league but were denied a place in the Inter-City Fairs Cup (forerunner of the UEFA Cup) because only one club from each city could qualify (Rangers had finished second). This proved to be the club's high water mark and decline followed. They spent 1972-73 in the Second Division and when the Scottish League was restructured in 1975 with the formation of the Premier Division, Clyde went into the new First Division (tier two).

After relegation to Division Two (tier three) in 1976, Clyde bounced backwards and forwards before establishing themselves in the First Division during the 1980s. In 1986 they were evicted from their home at Shawfield Stadium when the owners decided to concentrate on greyhound racing. After years of sharing grounds with Partick Thistle (their arch rivals - a deeply unpopular arrangement) and later Hamilton Academical, Clyde moved to Cumbernauld new town in 1994 where they have struggled to attract spectators. At the end of the 1993-94 season the Scottish League was again restructured and Clyde found themselves in the new ten-team Second Division (third tier).

In 2000 Clyde won promotion back to the First Division and have since made a serious challenge to joining the elite Premier League, finishing as runners-up in 2003 and 2004.

Historical Football Kits

Kit History

Background

Sources