Annan Athletic F.C.

Infobox Football club
clubname = Annan Athletic


fullname = Annan Athletic Football Club
nickname = Black and Golds or Galabankies [ [http://www.annanathleticfc.com/clubinfo.asp Official website] ]
founded = 1942
ground = Galabank
capacity = 3,500 (500 seated)
chairman = flagicon|Scotland Henry McLelland
manager = flagicon|Scotland Harry Cairney
league = Scottish Third Division
season = 2008-09
position = Scottish Third Division, 6th
pattern_la1=_borderonblack|pattern_b1=_blackstripes|pattern_ra1=_borderonblack| pattern_la1=_black_stripes|pattern_b1=_blackstripes|pattern_ra1=_black_stripes
leftarm1=000000|body1=FFBF00|rightarm1=000000|shorts1=000000|socks1=000000| pattern_la2=|pattern_b2= _whitesides|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=0033FF|body2=0033FF|rightarm2=0033FF|shorts2=0033FF|socks2=0033FF

Annan Athletic Football Club are an association football club who compete in the Scottish Third Division. They are based in the town of Annan, Dumfries and Galloway. They play their home games at Galabank, located on North Street, Annan.

History

Upon their formation in 1942, Annan entered the Dumfries and District Youth League, but this competition lasted only throughout the war years, and in 1945 they joined the Dumfries and District Junior League instead. They had a fairly successful time as a junior club, reaching the fifth round of the Scottish Junior Cup on one occasion (losing 2-1 to Perth side Jeanfield Swifts).

In 1950-51 the Dumfries and District Junior League had to be wound up due to lack of officials, and the following season (1951-52) the club had to go into abeyance as the Junior Association would not release them from their membership. For the following season (1952-1953) Annan Athletic joined the Carlisle and District League and the Cumberland Football Association. This proved an astute move when Annan Athletic won every competition they entered bar one in their first season in membership.

Annan remained members of the Carlisle and District League until they moved back to Scottish football in the 1977-78 season when they joined the South of Scotland Football League. This switch, along with some upgrade work to their Galabank ground also allowed the club to compete in the qualifying stages of the Scottish Cup as well.

The club proved very successful in the South League, winning every competition that was available to them. In an attempt to get more competitive football, they joined the East of Scotland Football League in season 1987-88, although they maintained their commitment to the South League by running a reserve side. They won promotion in their first season in the East League, and two years later won the Premier Division. They became one of the league's top sides and qualified for the Scottish Cup's early rounds on various occasions.

cottish Football League

Annan applied to join the Scottish Football League in 2000, when two new clubs were admitted, but lost out to Peterhead and Elgin City. Following the demise of local rivals Gretna in 2008, Annan applied along with four other clubs to replace them in the Third Division. They were the successful candidate, being chosen due to the standard of their facilities. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7487357.stm Annan voted in to SFL's Division 3] , BBC Sport, 3 July 2008.] Their first game in this league was a 4-1 win at Cowdenbeath on 1 August 2008. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7536375.stm |title=Cowdenbeath 1-4 Annan Athletic |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2 August 2008]

Current squad

"As of 1 October 2008."

Managers

Annan Athletic appointed their first manager in 1975; previously, the team was selected by the club's management committee. [cite web |url = http://www.annanathleticfc.com/col.asp?cid=39 |title = Managers |accessdate =2008-07-20 |date=2007-10-10|work = Annan Athletic Football Club website ]

* Sam Wallace (1975–1993)
* Stuart Rome (1993–1994)
* Derek Frye (1994–1997)
* Kevin Hetherington (1997–1998)
* Tony Chilton (1998)
* Davie Irons (1998–2002)
* Billy Sim (2002–2003)
* Harry Cairney (2003–2004)
* Sandy Ross (2004–2005)
* Kenny Brown (2005–2006)
* Harry Cairney (2006–Present)

References

External links

* [http://www.annanathleticfc.com Official website]