Gala Fairydean Rovers F.C.

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Gala Fairydean Rovers
Galafairydeanroversfc.png
Full nameGala Fairydean Rovers Football Club
Nickname(s)GFR [1] [2]
Founded2013
Ground Netherdale, Galashiels
Capacity4,000 [3]
ChairmanRyan Cass [4]
Manager Martin Scott
League Lowland League
2023–24 Lowland League, 16th of 18
Website Club website

Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club are a Scottish association football club based in the town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. The club competes in the Lowland League, after joining from the East of Scotland Football League in 2013. At the same time the club changed its name to Gala Fairydean Rovers, following a merger between Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers. The club plays its home matches at Netherdale in Galashiels. [5] [6]

Contents

Gala Fairydean won the East of Scotland Football League eight times and finished runners-up on seven occasions. The club reached 15 Scottish Qualifying Cup South finals, winning it 11 times, before the competition was abolished in 2007. Gala Fairydean Rovers qualify automatically for the Scottish Cup as a member of the Scottish Football Association (SFA). The best performance by the club was reaching the third round, done on five occasions. [7] [8] Gala Rovers won the Border Amateur Football League 13 times.

History

Gala Fairydean Rovers was first formed in 1894. In 1907 the club was separated into two teams, known as Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers. [1] The first Gala Rovers was the reserve team of Gala Fairydean. [1] Both clubs ceased operations in 1914 due to the outbreak of the First World War and the consequent loss of male population in Galashiels. [1] Gala Fairydean resumed in 1919, after the war had ended, and was a founder member of the East of Scotland Football League in 1923.

Gala Rovers were only reformed in 1947 and joined the Border Amateur League. Although the two clubs were separate, they were closely linked through operations such as a joint lottery. Although Gala Fairydean were a semi-professional club and needed funds to pay players, Gala Rovers were amateur and could save some of the funds generated. This helped to fund construction of the 1960s main stand at Netherdale. Gala Fairydean applied to join the Scottish Football League in 1966, 1994, 2000 and 2002, but were unsuccessful on each occasion.

The two clubs merged to form Gala Fairydean Rovers in 2013. [9] The club was admitted into the new Lowland Football League in 2013.

Stadium

The main stand at Netherdale, which is a Category A listed building. GalaFairydeanground.jpg
The main stand at Netherdale, which is a Category A listed building.

Gala Fairydean first played its home matches at Eastlands Park in Galashiels between 1909 and 1913, before moving to Mossilee for a spell until the 1920s. The club moved back to Eastlands, and stayed until 1929, when Netherdale was opened. [1] Netherdale has been the club's home since 1929 and is located in the south-east of Galashiels. [5] [6] The ground's main spectator stand was designed by architect Peter Womersley, alongside engineers Ove Arup and built between 1963 and 1965. The stand has a capacity for 750 spectators and the ground as a whole up to 4,000. [3] The cantilevered concrete structure is protected as a Category A listed building. [10] The club bought 300 seats from Newcastle United's St James' Park stadium when it was refurbished, but were replaced in 2006 by wooden benches. [11]

Current squad

As of 7 May 2024 [12] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
— GK Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Jay Cantley
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Aidan Cassidy
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Ben Reilly
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Ciaran Greene
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Calum Ferguson
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Kyle Semple
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Majid Suleyman
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Logan Boyle
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Lwendo Kazoka
— DF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Gareth Rodger(captain)
No.Pos.NationPlayer
— MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Sam Ostle
— MF Flag of South Africa.svg  RSA Keaghan Jacobs
— MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Ethan Dougal
— MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Danny Galbraith
— MF Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Liam Watt
— FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Gospel Ocholi
— FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Jamie Semple
— FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Sam Nicolson
— FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Allan Smith

Season-by-season record

Lowland League

SeasonDiv.Pos.Pld.WDLPts. Scottish Cup
Gala Fairydean Rovers
2013–14 Lowland League 10th22721323 2nd Round, losing to Clyde
2014–15 Lowland League 8th26971034 1st Round, losing to Gretna 2008
2015–16 Lowland League 11th281021632 1st Round, losing to Linlithgow Rose
2016–17 Lowland League 10th301171240 2nd Round, losing to Elgin City
2017–18 Lowland League 13th30871531 1st Round, losing to Keith
2018–19 Lowland League 8th281041434 3rd Round, losing to East Kilbride
2019–20 Lowland League 11th†25761227 2nd Round Replay, losing to Formartine United
2020–21 Lowland League 6th†1271422 3rd Round, losing to Annan Athletic

† Season curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours

League

Cup

Gala Rovers AFC

BAFA honours

  • Winners (13): 1951, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2013

B Division

  • Winners (1): 1995

South Cup

  • Winners (4):1954, 1963, 1964, 2007

Border Cup

  • Winners (6): 1963, 1968, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003

Beveridge Cup

  • Winners (6): 1954, 1967, 1978, 1996, 2003, 2013

Wright Cup

  • Winners (4):1963, 1966, 1985, 1995

Walls Cup

  • Winners (1): 1995

Waddel Cup

  • Winners (3): 1988, 2001, 2003

Dudley Cup

  • Winners (4): 1949, 1950, 1953, 2013

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 All-time Scottish Football Club Directory 1829–2009 – Gala Fairydean Archived 20 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine , Scottish Football Historical Football Archive. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  2. ↑ Gala Fairydean FC, pyramidpassion.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 Netherdale Football Ground, soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  4. ↑ , New chairman takes the helm at Gala FR. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 Information – Gala Fairydean Archived 30 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine , East of Scotland Football Association. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  6. 1 2 Netherdale, footballgroundmap.com. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Football Results Summary for Gala Fairydean, londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  8. ↑ Gala Fairydean, www.fchd.info. Football Club History Database. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "Gala Fairydean Rovers look towards a united future". Southern Reporter. Johnston Publishing. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Gala Fairydean Rovers stand upgraded to A-listed". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Gala Fairydean – Ground Archived 3 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine , Vale of Leithen F.C. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club | FIRST TEAM SQUAD". Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 East of Scotland Football League – Final tables 1923-date Archived 1 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine , Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  14. ↑ Scotland – List of Qualifying Cup Finals, rsssf.com. RSSSF. 15 December 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
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