tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-639574494493950971.post1284774592078221434..comments2022-07-20T00:49:07.638-07:00Comments on Friends Of Cathkin Park: Hampden Park 2 - Home Of Queens Park FCFriends Of Cathkin Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752694626195834437noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-639574494493950971.post-57511072039492484002010-08-08T12:57:11.608-07:002010-08-08T12:57:11.608-07:00By the middle of the 1880s Queen's Park could ...By the middle of the 1880s Queen's Park could draw in 10,000 spectators to watch a 'friendly'. <br />Recognising that a purpose built stadium for supporters was the way ahead, plans were soon put in place for a new ground to accommodate the huge interest the public was taking in the round ball game. <br />After leaving the original Hampden, which incidentally had turnstiles at entry gates already in place - the first of its kind at any sporting venue - Queen's Park moved into an all-purpose built stadium near Crosshill in 1884. <br />This new venue retained the original name - Hampden Park - although this was later to become home to Third Lanark and its name was changed to Cathkin Park.<br />As popularity in the game took immense strides, the thoughts of Queen's Park members turned once again towards accommodating a public turning out in great numbers to watch the game. <br />By 1900 plans were put in place, starting with the purchase of 12 acres of farmland at Mount Florida. The intention was to build a brand new stadium that would offer comfortable surroundings in a pleasant environment. This, the present day Hampden Park, was finally completed three years later and officially opened on October 31, 1903. <br /> More innovations followed - a press box in 1906 and, towards the end of the 1920s, crush barriers had been introduced as well as a tannoy system and a car park outside the ground. <br />Other firsts followed including the world's first all-ticket match - a game against the 'Auld Enemy' in 1937. <br />Our magnificent home ground still hosts Scotland internationals, and is still selected by European football's ruling bodies to stage their showpiece games. <br />Contrary to popular myth, Queen's Park still own Hampden, although its day-to-day running is carried out by a separate umbrella body. And, pop concerts and European finals excepting, Queen's still play their home games at the national stadium. <br />The club's plans took another step forward with the next stage of the Lesser Hampden development. The grass was replaced with a state-of-the art astroturf surface, allowing more of our teams to train there, and giving us a better platform to develop our blossoming links with schools football.Friends Of Cathkin Parkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752694626195834437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-639574494493950971.post-58297065400555059212010-08-08T12:29:12.087-07:002010-08-08T12:29:12.087-07:00Towards the end of the 19thcentury, Association fo...Towards the end of the 19thcentury, Association football had become the people's game in Victorian society for both players and spectators. Soon this once recreational activity was to become a profession with high stakes to play for. <br />By 1890 the Scottish Football league was formed, but despite being invited to join, Queen's Park resisted this new league set-up. Remaining true to their amateur ethics, they staunchly repelled the new 'professionalism' creeping into the sport and rejected joining a league that would ultimately involve professional clubs.<br />There was another reason for the 'amateurs' resisting the new league.Queen's felt that rather than nurture the smaller and weaker clubs, the league would ultimately cause their demise. As a club that saw themselves as pioneers of the game, Queen's Park felt they could not be party to such a potentially destructive element.<br />Queen's Park remained outside the Scottish Football League for several years,during which time the club found it increasingly hard to arrange fixtures, especially with those who were members of the new league structure. In effect, Queen's Park had been 'frozen out'. <br />The lure of regular weekly fixtures was too hard to refuse; the club eventually entered the league in 1900. That same year, Queen's Park reached the Scottish Cup final for one more time. The game, played at Ibrox in front of a crowd of 17,000, saw Celtic emerge 4-3 victors after a thrilling match.<br />By the time Queen's Park had been elected into the Scottish League (the First Division no less), the club was already in decline as a major force in Scottish football. The League looked on kindly to amateur stalwarts and granted them special dispensation, preventing them from relegation into the second division. At the end of their first season, the 'amateurs' finished in 8th position (on goal difference) out of a league of eleven teams. In reality however, Queen's Park did not distinguish themselves well in league football, their best season being 1917-18, when the club finished 7th in a league of 18 clubs.<br />Fearing the prospect that its best players could be poached at anytime by other clubs, Queen's Park had asked the League for protection for amateur players. In 1910, the club had made an official complaint against rivals, Clyde, who had made an approach to one of their players, Willie McAndrew. The league ruled that Queen's Park had the right to retain their players until April 30 each year. That ruling is still in force todayFriends Of Cathkin Parkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752694626195834437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-639574494493950971.post-71965059935689600292010-08-08T12:27:31.449-07:002010-08-08T12:27:31.449-07:00THE fact their players don't get paid has neve...THE fact their players don't get paid has never stopped the club from being at the forefront of much of the history of the game in this country.<br />Queen's Park was at the centre of establishing the Scottish Football Association. It organised and administered the first international meeting between Scotland and England under association rules - and indeed it was Queen's Park who supplied the entire Scottish side on that very first meeting on 30th November 1872.<br />The Scottish side wore their club jerseys for that international which was then dark blue in colour, the same dark blue as worn today by the national team. More than 4000 spectators watched the sides play out a 0-0 draw on St Andrew's Day.<br />Queen's Park looked to other competitions too, and when invited to take part in the first ever English F.A Cup in 1872, they took up the challenge, entering at the semi-final stage against the famous public school side, Wanderers. The game ended goalless. Unable to remain for the replay due to financial constraints, Queen's were compelled to scratch. <br />The club finished runners-up in the famous trophy on two occasions - 1884 when the amateurs scored a total of 32 goals with only one conceded, to reach the final. <br />The final itself saw Queen's Park battle it out against Blackburn Rovers at Kensington Oval. The Lancashire side won 2-1 to lift the trophy. The following year, Queen's Park found themselves in the F.A. Cup final once more. Blackburn Rovers were the opponents again and for the second time. it was the Lancashire side who emerged victors, this time by a 2-0 scoreline.<br />A year later, in 1873, the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Cup was instituted, with Queen's Park as founder members. The cup competition got under way on October 18, with Queen's Park entering on 25 October 1873. This was to be an important day for the club as they opened their new ground - Hampden Park - the first of their three grounds to bear the famous name. <br />On that day too, the 'glorious' black and white hooped shirt was introduced for the very first time. Queen's Park won the tie against Dumbreck 7-0 and went on to win the cup for the very first time. <br />Outside the domestic scene, Queen's Park journeyed far and wide to spread the concept of organised football. <br />One such sojourn was to Ireland in 1879 when Queen's played an exhibition match against Caledonians at the Ulster Cricket ground in Ballymafeigh. The game caused so much excitement amongst the local crowd that the first Irish soccer club, Cliftonville, was founded soon after the visit. A year later, the Irish Football Association was formed.<br />As a club, Queen's introduced new concepts into the game such as crossbars, half-time and free-kicks, all of which were later incorporated into the modern game.Friends Of Cathkin Parkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752694626195834437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-639574494493950971.post-90282229261672619262010-08-08T12:21:39.069-07:002010-08-08T12:21:39.069-07:00From the Queens Park FC website:
"A number o...From the Queens Park FC website:<br /><br />"A number of Gentlemen met <br />THE minutes of a meeting held on July 9, 1867 begin with the words: "Tonight at half past eight o'clock a number of gentlemen met at No. 3 Eglinton Terrace for the purpose of forming a football club." <br />That meeting in 3 Eglinton Terrace on the south side of Glasgow saw the formation of Queen’s Park Football Club, and the start of Scottish Football.<br /><br />The game had been played before then, in public schools where they had their own code and their own established rules. But it was Queen’s who really set the ball rolling.<br /><br />The club set about laying down the foundation of the modern game, adopting a passing style of play which employed skilful ball control. The team worked as a unit, utilising team tactics, unlike that of their contemporaries of the day who played an 'individualistic' style of game which used kick-and-rush tactics, 'dribbling' with the ball, hacking and rough play.<br /><br />It also took a decision that its players would not be paid ; adopting the motto: “Ludere causa Ludendi” - to play for the sake of playing.<br /><br />That decision holds good today, with no Queen’s Park player ever having received a wage from the club.<br /><br />That amateur status is just one of the many factors that makes Queen’s Park unique in world of senior football.Friends Of Cathkin Parkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752694626195834437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-639574494493950971.post-6149744068857264642010-08-08T08:35:47.447-07:002010-08-08T08:35:47.447-07:00From QPFC.com website:
THE SECOND HAMPDEN
The cl...From QPFC.com website:<br /><br />THE SECOND HAMPDEN<br /><br />The club had not been completely unprepared for the removal from their first home, as some time earlier a committee had been established to see if there were any suitable places for a more permanent ground. The committee identified an area some five hundred yards to the north east of the club's first home. <br /><br />When it became clear that the club would have to move, an approach was made to the landowner to see if they were willing to let the club have the land. He was willing to rent his land, at a cost to the club £100 per annum with a five year lease, but Queen's were canny negotiators and reduced the rent for the first two years to £80. Not only that, but the railway company who were the cause of their moving would pay for drainage and levelling of Queen's new pitch, while the landlord would pay for the turfing of the pitch. <br /><br />However, this would not be ready until 1884, so the club were forced to look for a temporary home for a season. An agreement was reached with Clydesdale Cricket Club, then based in the Kinning Park area of the city before their move to the Crossmyloof area of the city, to use their ground for one season, at a cost of sixty pounds. <br /><br />The second Hampden Park was opened in October 1884 when the club played out a goalless draw with Dumbarton in an "ordinary" (friendly) match before 7,000 spectators. Two stands had been built, one on the north side of the ground (the Myrtle Park side of the ground) at a cost of forty pounds, while the stand on the south side was built under an agreement with a local builder. This meant that the builder constructed the stand at no cost to the club, but spectators had to pay extra to use it and the proceeds were be split evenly between the builder and Queen's, and after a three year period it was to become Queen's property at no cost. <br />In 1889 Queen's secured a second five year lease, and a further five year extension in 1894, although by now the rent was £150 per annum. Further attempts were made by the club to buy the ground outright, but these were futile and the another search began for a piece of land the club could purchase and own outright. The search was of course successful, but it would be some time before it was ready. <br /><br />Eventually it was time to move on, and the last game at the second Hampden was a 1 - 1 draw with Partick Thistle on 17/10/1903, a fortnight before the new stadium was opened.<br /><br />After Queen's departed the second Hampden Park, the ground was taken over by Third Lanark, who had been playing at a ground about five hundred yards further south on Cathcart Road. Unfortunately no agreement could be reached between Queen's and Third Lanark regarding the pavilion, and it was removed by Queen's.The second Hampden was renamed Cathkin Park, and was used by Thirds until their demise in 1967. There has been virtually no development of the ground since then, and a public football pitch still occupies the ground. Indeed visitors to Cathkin today can still see large sections of terracing complete with barriers that have stood empty for over 35 years.Friends Of Cathkin Parkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752694626195834437noreply@blogger.com