Broxburn Athletic F.C.

Broxburn Athletic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the town of Broxburn in West Lothian. They play their home games at Albyn Park. The team currently competes in the East of Scotland League Premier Division, the sixth tier of Scottish football, having moved from the junior leagues in 2018.[1]

Broxburn Athletic
Full nameBroxburn Athletic Football Club
Nickname(s)The Brox, The Burn, The Badgers
Founded1947
GroundAlbyn Park
Greendykes Road
Broxburn
Capacity2,050
PresidentJimmy Porteous
ManagerChris Townsley
LeagueEast of Scotland League Premier Division
2019–20East of Scotland League Premier Division, 3rd of 16
WebsiteClub website
For the defunct Broxburn Athletic club see Broxburn United F.C., the club into which it was merged

History

Broxburn reached the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final on five occasions, the last time being in 1971 when they lost by a single goal to eventual cup winners Cambuslang Rangers.

The club won the East Region South Division in 2009–10 and then gained promotion to the East Superleague two years later. They spent six seasons in the Superleague, with a best finish of 5th in their final season.

After moving to the senior football pyramid for the 2018-19 season, Broxburn won the East of Scotland League Conference C. However they narrowly missed out on the title and promotion to the Lowland league in the round robin playoff against the winners of the other Conferences, Penicuik Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose.

The club became a full SFA member in 2019 which allowed them to enter the 2019-20 Scottish Cup. They reached the fourth round having won five matches (including victories over higher ranked East Stirlingshire, Cowdenbeath, and Inverurie Loco Works), before going out to Premiership side St. Mirren in Paisley. Broxburn were supported by 1,600 fans who made the trip along the M8, selling out the North Stand at St Mirren Park.[2]

Albyn Park

In 1946, Mr. G. W. Bartaby-Pearson, with the help of local businessmen, started the process of reforming Broxburn and secured Albyn Park from the Earl of Buchan. After help from supporters who made the ground improvements, the stadium opened in 1948 with a Heart of Midlothian v Rangers meeting which attracted a crowd of around 3,500.

Albyn Park was completely redeveloped in 200910 as part of the Broxburn United Sports Club project into a new community facility with a 3G artificial pitch (replaced 2020).[3]

It sits on the original Albion Park used by Broxburn F.C. in 1889. Athletic took over the lease in 1894 until both clubs amalgamated in 1912 and played at the sports park (now the Broxburn Sports Centre). Athletic then moved back in 1921 until going defunct in 1924. West Lothian Council now owns the land and Broxburn has a lease until 2036.

The facility is also used by Broxburn Athletic Colts and other clubs. New changing rooms, a social club and floodlights were also constructed. The ground includes a large enclosure on the same side as the changing rooms. The remainder of the ground consists of grass bankings and covered terracing.

Senior squad

As of 25 November 2020[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK  SCO Connor Wallace
GK  SCO Shaun Donoghue
DF  SCO Ross Hutchison
DF  SCO Andy Grant
DF  SCO Craig Purves
DF  SCO Gordon Donaldson (vice-captain)
DF  SCO Jordan Wright
DF  SCO Luke Murray
DF  SCO Shaun Harrison (captain)
MF  SCO Greg Redmond
DF  SCO Andy Gillen
MF  SCO Craig Turnbull
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  SCO David Greenhill
MF  SCO Liam Ireland
MF  SCO Greg Nicol
MF  SCO Ross Nimmo
MF  SCO Scott Richards
MF  SCO Craig Scott
MF  SCO Jack Beesley
MF  ENG Tom Cowley
MF  SCO Cameron Ross
FW  SCO Conor Kelly
FW  SCO Gary Brass
FW  SCO Greg Binnie

Coaching staff

PositionName
Manager Chris Townsley
Assistant Manager Jack Beesley
Coach Ian McLaren
Coach Mark Fountain
Coach David Donnelly-Kay
Physio John Porteous

Season-by-season record

Senior

Season Division Tier Pos. Pld. W D L GD Pts Scottish Cup
Broxburn Athletic
2018–19East of Scotland League Conference C
6
1st
24
2202+6266
Did Not Participate
2019–20
6
3rd†
19
1153+1138Fourth round, losing to St Mirren

† Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic - Broxburn Athletic finished third, based on the 'points per game' measure.

Honours

Junior

Record attendances

  • 31,085 - 1950-51 Scottish Junior Cup Semi Final vs Irvine Meadow, Hampden Park, Glasgow
  • 11,400 - 1951-52 Scottish Junior Cup vs Kilsyth Rangers, Albyn Park, Broxburn
  • 4,372 - 2019-20 Scottish Cup 4th Round vs St. Mirren, Simple Digital Arena, Paisley

References

  1. McLauchlin, Brian (7 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 25 junior clubs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. Hardie, David. "St Mirren 3-0 Broxburn Athletic: Tough luck as battling Broxburn see their Scottish Cup run come to an end". Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. Broxburn United Sports Club opens its new community facility Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine August 2010
  4. "Squad | Broxburn Athletic - Official Website". www.broxburnathletic.co.uk/. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  5. Honours, Broxburn Athletic FC

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