| Full name | Bonhill Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Toughs [1] | |
| Founded | 1885 | |
| Dissolved | 1888 | |
| Ground | Croft Loan Park | |
| Hon. President | Ellis Jones | |
| President | Archibald Wilson | |
| Match secretary | Martin Moran [2] | |
Bonhill Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Bonhill, in Dunbartonshire.
The club was founded in 1885, and, having quickly leased a ground, entered the Scottish Cup. The club's first match in the competition was a 1–1 draw at Lenzie in the September 1885, [3] but winning 6–0 in the replay. [4] In the second round the club lost 10–0 at Vale of Leven. [5]
The national cup being drawn on a regional basis in the early rounds meant that the club only ever faced local sides; with the county being the strongest for football, that doomed the club to early exits in its remaining entries. In the 1886–87 Scottish Cup the club beat Kirkintilloch Central 8–1 away in the first round, [6] but lost at home to Jamestown in the second, somewhat against expectations, as Bonhill had won 5 out of 6 games thus far in the season, but the club could not turn around a 2–0 half-time deficit. [7]
The club's final Scottish Cup entry, in 1887–88, ended in the first round, with a 6–1 home defeat to Dumbarton Athletic; Bonhill took the lead after six minutes, with Bruce forcing the ball home from a scrimmage, but Bonhill only held the lead for three minutes, went behind in the 38th, and collapsed in the second half. [8]
Bonhill faced a similar problem as it did in the Scottish Cup in the Dumbartonshire Cup, and only ever won one match in the competition (2–1 at Kirkintilloch Athletic in 1887–88). [9] With three of the strongest sides in the world as near neighbours (Vale of Leven, Renton, and Dumbarton), the club was defunct by early 1889, [10] the last recorded game being a defeat at home to Kirkintilloch Central in February 1888. [11]
The club's colours were light blue shirts and white knickerbockers. [12]
The club played at a park which ran alongside Croft Loan, leased from Mr Shanks of Ladyton. [13]
The 1885–86 Scottish Cup was the 13th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Queen's Park won the competition for the eighth time after they beat defending champions Renton 3–1 in the final.
The 1886–87 Scottish Cup was the 14th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Hibernian won the competition for the first time after they beat Dumbarton 2–1 in the final.
Star of Leven Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Alexandria, in the Vale of Leven area of West Dunbartonshire.
Alclutha Football Club was a football club based in Dumbarton, Scotland. From 1883 the club was called Dunbritton Football Club.
Vale of Leven Wanderers Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Alexandria, in the Vale of Leven area of West Dunbartonshire.
Lennox Football Club was a 19th-century football club based in Dumbarton, in Scotland.
Dumbarton Athletic Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Dumbarton, in Scotland.
Jamestown Football Club was an association football club based in the village of Jamestown, in the Vale of Leven area of West Dunbartonshire, which entered the Scottish Cup from 1878 to 1890.
Vale of Leven Hibernians Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Alexandria, in the Vale of Leven area of Dunbartonshire, which entered the Scottish Cup in the 1880s.
Lenzie Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Lenzie, in Dunbartonshire.
The 10th Dumbartonshire Rifle Volunteers Football Club, known as Kirkintilloch Athletic Football Club from 1879 until the club was wound up in 1882, was a 19th-century association football club based in Kirkintilloch in Dumbartonshire.
Kirkintilloch Athletic Football Club was a 19th-century association football club based in Kirkintilloch in Dunbartonshire.
Union Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Dumbarton, in West Dunbartonshire.
Yoker Football Club was an association football club based in the Scottish town of Yoker, now part of Glasgow.
Methlan Park Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Dumbarton, in West Dunbartonshire.
Kirkintilloch Central Football Club was a 19th-century association football club based in Kirkintilloch in Dumbartonshire.
Albion Football Club was an association football club based in the town of Dumbarton, in West Dunbartonshire.
Bowling F.C. was an association football club from the village of Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, active in the 19th century.
Dalmuir Thistle F.C. was a 19th-century association football club from Dalmuir, Clydebank, Dumbartonshire.
Newtown Thistle F.C. was an association football club from Dumbarton in Scotland, active in the 19th century.
