Pollok

Early years (1908–1967)

Pollok FC was formed in 1908 as an offshoot of Poloc Cricket Club following a meeting at Pollokshaws Burgh Hall. The club's first President was politician and landowner Sir John Stirling Maxwell, who donated their first ground called Haggs Park within his family's Pollok Estate, which was the club's home until 1926. The new club's first match was a 5-0 defeat away to Bellshill Athletic, and the honour of scoring the first-ever Pollok goal went to Sanny Brown who scored in a 4-1 defeat to Kirkintilloch Harp a week later. It took until their sixth match to secure their first win - a 3-1 Junior League triumph against St Ninian's Thistle in the opening match at Haggs Park in front of about 1000 spectators. That opening season was a tough one with Pollok only winning four matches and going out of three out of four cups in the first round.

In the first half century of their existence, Pollok were one of many average clubs in Junior football in Glasgow, with their success limited to minor cups such as the North Eastern Cup, Kirkwood Shield and Glasgow Consolation Cup. The club moved to their current home at Newlandsfield Park in 1928, but major success remained elusive.

Pollok began to make their mark in major tournaments during the Second World War, lifting a Central League Cup and Glasgow Challenge Cup double in 1942. Their standout season in those early years was 1944–45, as they reached the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final, where they fell to Burnbank Athletic at Shawfield in front of 25,000 fans. The previous round saw a record crowd of over 10,000 pack into Newlandsfield to watch the Lok overcome Fauldhouse United. This season also saw Pollok lift their first ever West of Scotland Junior Cup after a 6–1 replay win against Glasgow Perthshire.

Rise to prominence (1967–2002)

The club eventually rose to prominence upon the demise of Third Lanark in 1967 with many supporters opting to support Pollok, being in close proximity on the south side of Glasgow. Pollok finally lifted a top-flight league title as they topped the Central League in 1978–79. They retained their title in 1981, alongside their first Scottish Junior Cup, with Norrie Fulton scoring the only goal of the game at Hampden Park in front of 13,518 supporters.

Pollok lifted the Junior Cup again in 1985, when they defeated Petershill after a replay in the final with Derek Lea scoring the winning goal. This season also saw them win the second of three Central Premier Division titles in a row to make the 1980s the club's most successful decade in their history. Their hopes of winning back to back Junior Cups were dashed in 1986 however, as they fell to a 3–2 defeat against Auchinleck Talbot in the tournament's centenary year.

The club's success continued into the 1990s, a decade which brought eleven trophies, including three league titles. The pinncacle though was a third Junior Cup success in 1997, as Pollok beat Tayport 3–1 at Fir Park. For the second time however, they were denied back to back cup wins, this time by rivals Arthurlie who triumphed 4–0 in the 1998 final. Manager Jim O'Donnell left, along with much of the squad, being replaced by former player Andy Dailly, who only lasted 37 matches before being replaced himself by long-serving goalkeeper Ronnie Lowrie.

SJFA West Region (2002–2021)

Junior football in the west of Scotland was restructured in 2002, amalgamating the Central and Ayrshire leagues to form the West Region. Prior to this Pollok had been champions of the Central league eight times. The top league of the new set up was the West Premier League which Pollok became the inaugural champions of in 2003 under Ronnie Lowrie, before further triumphs in 2005 and 2007 under Rab Sneddon.

Beginning in the 2007–08 season the SFA began inviting the winners of the four major Junior honours (Scottish Junior Cup, West Premier League, East Super League, & North Premier League) to take part in the Senior Scottish Cup. Pollok were reigning champions of the West Premier League at the time, and took part in the 2007–08 Scottish Cup. In the 1st round 'Lok were drawn away against St Cuthbert Wanderers of the South of Scotland League. The match took place at St. Mary's Park, Kirkcudbright with Pollok winning comfortably by 6 goals to 2. Montrose of the Third Division were to be Pollok's opponents in the second round. Pollok performed admirably against the Scottish League club, achieving a 2–2 draw at Links Park. In the replay at Newlandsfield Pollok were not as successful and lost 1–0.

The end of that campaign again saw Pollok crowned West Premier League Champions, after a long run of rearranged games at the end of the campaign culminated in a 5–4 win against Glenafton to secure the crown. At the start of the following season they were eliminated in the first round of the 2008–09 Scottish Cup by Edinburgh-based East of Scotland team Spartans. At the end of the season Pollok had a chance to once again retain their West Premier League championship but lost the last league game of the season away to Auchinleck Talbot by failing to defend a 1–0 lead in the last eight minutes. Having exited the Scottish Junior Cup at the semi-final stage for the second year in a row, manager Jim Sinnett resigned after the game.

2009–10 did not go well for Pollok with an early exit in the Scottish Junior Cup away to Newtongrange Star. In March 2010 manager Rab Sneddon resigned for work reasons and was succeeded by Willie Irvine.

Season 2010–11 saw Pollok suffer an exit at home to Neilston Juniors in the Scottish Junior Cup. Season 2011–12 saw Pollok lose four of their opening seven league fixtures, prompting Willie Irvine to tender his resignation on Monday, 10 October 2011. His eventual replacement was John Richardson, who kept the club in the top flight after a relegation play-off against Renfrew. Season 2012–13 saw Pollok win both the Central Sectional League Cup and the Central League Cup as well as narrowly avoiding relegation for the second year running. Only three players were retained from the previous season for 2013–14. This season was a disaster for Pollok. The club was embroiled in many off field controversies and had four different managers throughout the season.

Tony McInally was appointed as manager in December 2013 but Pollok were finally relegated on 28 April 2014 with a 3–2 loss to Glenafton Athletic. Under McInally, Pollok were promoted as Champions the following season and won the Evening Times Champions Cup. The club reached the final of the 2015–16 Scottish Junior Cup but lost to Beith Juniors on penalty kicks after a 1–1 draw.