Bathgate Thistle F.C. Explained

Clubname:	Bathgate Thistle
Fullname:	Bathgate Thistle Football Club
Nickname:	Thistle
Founded:	1937
Ground:	Creamery Park Hardhill Road Bathgate
Capacity:	3,000
Chrtitle:	Honorary President
Manager:	Gordon Wilson
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Bathgate Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club, based in the town of Bathgate, West Lothian. They play in the .

Nicknamed Thistle, they were formed in 1937 and presently play their home games at Creamery Park, which has room for 3,000 spectators. Their home shirts are Nike royal blue with navy sleeves and shorts and socks royal blue. Away Nike kit is all navy.

In 2006, Thistle reached the final of the Scottish Junior Cup, losing 2–1 to Auchinleck Talbot at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, in front of around 7,000 spectators. In 2008, the club reached the final again, this time defeating Cumnock Juniors 2–1.^[1]

The Senior side is managed by Gordon Wilson. The U20's are Bathgate Juniors led by Kevin McDonald and started in 22/23 and play in the Scottish Lowland Development League.There are also various youth teams within the Bathgate Juniors set up and the Club provides the only full pathway to senior football in Bathgate.

Coaching staff

Role	Name
Manager	Gordon Wilson
Coach	George Bonnar
Coach	Ryan Stevenson
Goalkeeping Coach	Jim Smith
Kitman	George Cunningham

Source

Current squad

As of January 2023^[2]

Managerial history

Name Nationality Years William Smith 1965-1966?^[3] Davie Kidd 1974-?^[4] Tam Connor ?-1977^[5] Robin Gibson 1989?^[6] Willie Russell 1990-1992^[7] Willie Hill ?-2009^[8] Paul Jack 2009^[9] Graeme Love 2009-2012^[10] Keith Hogg ^c 2012^[11] Derek Strickland 2012-2013^[12] ^[13] Robert Main 2013-2014^[14] Barrie Malcolm 2014-^[15] Andy Colley 2015-2017^[16] Jim Henderson 2017-2018^[17] Michael Wilson 2018 Kevin McKee 2020^[18] Andy Colley 2020-2021^[19] Stewart Devine 2021-2022^[20] Andy Malone 2022-2023^[21] Gordon Wilson 2023-^[22]

^c Caretaker manager

Honours

• Winners: 2007–08
• Runners-up: 2005–06

Other Honours

• East Region Division Two champions: 1986–87, 1990–91
• East of Scotland Junior Cup winners: 1941–42, 2006–07
• St. Michael Cup winners: 1940–41, 1959–60, 2000–01
• Brown Cup winners: 1941–42
• Thornton Shield winners: 1943–44, 1944–45
• RL Rae Cup winners: 1965–66 – Manager was William Ross Smith (ex-Partick Thistle, Queen of the South and Berwick Rangers)
• Fife and Lothians Cup winners: 2009–10

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. News: Junior Cup Final: Bathgate 2-1 Cumnock. Colin Duncan. Daily Record. 2 June 2008. 27 December 2011.
2. Web site: Bathgate Thistle FC - Squad list. 2020-11-06. www.bathgatethistlejuniorsfc.com.
3. News: JUVENILE NOTES. West Lothian Courier. 25 February 1966.
4. News: Late k.o. for 'Dale. West Lothian Courier. 4 January 1974.
5. News: time unlucky for 'Burn. West Lothian Courier. 25 November 1977.
6. News: 46 COURIER Friday September 1 1989 Courier Sport: Golf Touchline Topics Pool Rugby Gala trophy semi-finals THE ... West Lothian Courier. 1 September 1989.
7. News: 54 COURIER Friday April 24 1992 COURIER SPORT LAST-DITCH WINNER SEES LOGANLEA INTO SEMIS LOGANLEA Amateurs are ... West Lothian Courier. 24 April 1992.
8. News: Willie Hill brings curtain down on his rollercoaster life at Bathgate. Daily Record. 15 January 2009.
9. News: Sacked Bathgate boss Paul Jack targets quick return to dugout. Daily Record. 19 June 2009. 27 December 2011.
10. News: Bathgate Thistle boss booted out of Creamery Park . Kieran . Westbrook . West Lothian Courier . Scottish & Universal Newspapers . 22 March 2012 . 19 September 2012.
11. News: Bathgate Thistle versus Lochee United preview . 29 March 2012.
12. News: Westbrook. Kieran. Bathgate Thistle appoint former Whitburn boss as new gaffer. 25 June 2013. West Lothian Courier. 26 April 2012.
13. News: Gilmour. John. Strickland resigns as Bathgate boss. 25 June 2013. Edinburgh Evening News. 17 June 2013.
14. News: Bathgate Thistle nab Pumpherston boss Robert Main. Daily Record. 4 July 2013.
15. News: New Bathgate Thistle boss ready to take club back to the top of the Junior game. Daily Record. 26 June 2014.
16. News: Andy Colley returns as Bathgate Thistle manager. Daily Record. 7 February 2020.
17. News: Bathgate confirm Jim as manager. Press Reader. 11 May 2017.
18. News: Andy Colley returns as Bathgate Thistle manager. Daily Record. 7 February 2020.
19. News: Andy Colley returns as Bathgate Thistle manager. Daily Record. 7 February 2020.
20. News: Bathgate Thistle boss Stewart Devine says team will be "in a good place" when new era begins. Edinburgh Evening News. 6 July 2021.
21. News: Bathgate Thistle pick up derby win in new manager's debut. Daily Record. 25 April 2022.
22. News: We have appointed Gordon Wilson as manager. Gordon steps up from coach following Andy Malone's decision to take time away. Twitter. 16 January 2023.