{"product_id":"kings-park-fc","title":"Kings Park FC","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Park Football Club was established in 1875 in the King’s Park district of Stirling, though the club did not remain long in that precise locality. By 1879–80 they were competing in the Scottish Cup, steadily building a reputation in the regional game.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTheir finest pre-League Scottish Cup run came in 1894–95, when they reached the quarter-finals before losing 4–2 to Hearts — a notable achievement for a provincial side operating outside the national League structure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom Alliance to the League\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Park were founder members of the Scottish Football Alliance in 1891 but left after a single season. Over the next two decades they competed in a succession of regional competitions, most notably the Central Football League, which they joined in 1909 and remained members of until 1921 (aside from a wartime hiatus during the First World War).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen the Scottish Football League reintroduced Division Two in 1921–22, King’s Park were among eleven new clubs admitted. This marked the beginning of their 18-year tenure as a Scottish League club.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeague Years (1921–1939)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough rarely serious promotion contenders, King’s Park were a solid Second Division side. Their finest League campaign came in 1927–28, when they missed promotion by a single point.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwo remarkable individual scoring feats stand out in the club’s history:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1.    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn 2 January 1930, King’s Park defeated Forfar Athletic 12–2. Jim Dyet scored eight goals — on his debut. This remains a British record for goals scored on a debut.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2.    \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn early 1932, Alex Haddow recorded five consecutive league hat-tricks — an extraordinary run of form.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe club also enjoyed success in the Stirlingshire Cup, winning it four times, underlining their strong local standing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne footnote of wider historical interest: on 20 October 1923, King’s Park faced Dundee Hibernian in what proved to be the latter club’s final match under that name — two days later they became Dundee United.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eControversy and Character\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Park were occasionally drawn into controversy. In 1927, amid rumours of financial collapse at Clydebank, they temporarily withheld gate receipts until League intervention resolved the matter. Incidents such as this fuelled debate within Scottish football over the stability of smaller clubs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite operating largely as a middle-ranking Second Division side, King’s Park were emblematic of the proud, community-rooted provincial clubs that sustained the breadth of the Scottish game between the wars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe War and the End\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 proved decisive. Owing to their location, King’s Park withdrew from competitive football but continued to arrange friendlies, even fielding notable guest players such as Andy Black and Bill Shankly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTragedy struck on 20 July 1940, when the Luftwaffe bombed Forthbank Park. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough temporary repairs were undertaken, the damage — coupled with financial strain and allegations concerning wartime guest payments — effectively ended the club’s viability.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Park never resumed senior competitive football. Although they had ceased playing in 1940, the club was not formally wound up until 1953, when compensation for bomb damage was finally settled.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom King’s Park to Stirling Albion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFootball did not vanish from Stirling. In 1945, managing director Tom Fergusson played a leading role in founding Stirling Albion, widely regarded as King’s Park’s spiritual successor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnfield Stadium became the new home of football in the town, and in 1992 Stirling Albion moved to a new Forthbank Stadium situated close to the site of the original ground — a poignant geographical link to their predecessor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eColours and Identity\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Park are most strongly associated with maroon and white stripes, adopted in 1883 (initially maroon jerseys with white knickers). Earlier kits had featured dark blue with red elements. Shorts alternated between black and white over the years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTheir home ground, Forthbank Park, was typical of its era — multi-purpose and financially inventive. It hosted greyhound racing (and even cheetah racing), until the Scottish FA forced removal of the track, concerned that football might become overly reliant on gambling revenue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeague History\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScottish Football Alliance (1891–92; 1905–06)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMidland Football League (1892–1897)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCentral Football Combination (1897–1904)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScottish Football Union (1906–1909)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCentral Football League (1909–1915)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScottish Football League (1921–1939)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLegacy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing’s Park F.C. were neither giants nor serial challengers, but they were an important thread in Scotland’s football tapestry — a durable provincial club that bridged the Victorian amateur age and the structured League era.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTheir demise, hastened by war and bomb damage, and their rebirth in the form of Stirling Albion, encapsulate the resilience of football communities in the face of national upheaval.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProduct details:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou will only pay shipping\/postage for 1 item, no matter how many items you purchase.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDiscounts are given for multiple purchases.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSize: A3, A4, A5\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSingle Sided\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePaper: 400gsm premium art stock\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePrint quality: Museum-grade, high-resolution\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFinish: Unframed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eWatermark shown in images does NOT appear on the final print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarefully packaged for safe delivery\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA striking piece of football history — ideal for collectors, historians, and lovers of our national game.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAny issues please contact me at \u003ca href=\"mailto:paul@worldvintagecolours.com\"\u003epaul@worldvintagecolours.com\u003c\/a\u003e by clicking the hyperlink and I will get back to you ASAP.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Vintage Colours","offers":[{"title":"A3","offer_id":47792223649984,"sku":"Kings Park - A3","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4","offer_id":47792223682752,"sku":"Kings Park - A4","price":7.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A5","offer_id":47792223715520,"sku":"Kings Park - A5","price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/8242\/7840\/files\/A3-KingsParkFC.jpg?v=1773584440","url":"https:\/\/www.worldvintagecolours.com\/products\/kings-park-fc","provider":"World Vintage Colours","version":"1.0","type":"link"}