Galston
Formed 1891
Founder member of Scottish Division Three 1923. Resigned 1926.
Kit History
1891-1892 (a,b)
1892-1895 (b)
1895-1897 (b)
1897-1904 (a,b)
1904-1906 (b)
1906-1908 (b)
1908-1910 (a,b)
1910-1913 (b)
1915-1916 (b)
1919-1920 (b)
1923-1924 (a,b)
1924-1927 (a,b)
1927-1930 (b)
1930-1931 (b)
Background
The small town of Galston lies in the Irvine Valley in East Ayrshire, a few miles from Kilmarnock. The football club was formed in 1891 and helped form the Ayrshire League that same year. In 1895 this competition was wound up and Galston joined the rival Ayrshire Combination. In 1897 the Combination also closed when its two strongest clubs, Ayr and Kilmarnock left to join the Scottish League. Galston spent three seasons in limbo before joining the North Ayrshire League in 1900. In 1904 they joined the Scottish Football Combination and then the Scottish Football Union (formed by clubs from the former Union and Scottish Football Alliance). This competition was disbanded when the First World War broke out.
In 1919 Galston joined the Western League, which, in 1923, formed the backbone of the new Scottish Third Division. For the occasion, Galston changed from their traditional red and black hoops to play in light blue. From the outset it became apparent that the small clubs involved would struggle to survive on meagre gate receipts given the travel costs and match fee guarantees required. During the 1925-26 season, Galston resigned after playing 15 matches and their record was expunged. The competition was later wound up with fixtures incomplete.
The club continued as members of the Scottish Junior FA until 1940 when they were disbanded.
Sources
- (a) The Scottish Football League - Past Members III (Norman Nicol 1994)
- (b) Alick Milne