 | ||
As well as the Clyde first team competing in the Scottish Third Division, the club also have a reserve team and various youth teams at different age groups.
Contents
'A' Team
It was common from the beginning of reserve football for the majority of club's reserve teams (second XI's) to go by the tag ‘A’ or sometimes ‘B’ or even ‘C’ if a club had more than one reserve side. It wasn’t until after the formation of the new Scottish Reserve League in 1955 that today’s reserve teams go by the actual tag ‘reserves’ and have done since 1957.
During the 1881-82 season Clyde reached the semi finals of the Scottish 2nd XI Cup in the competitions first season. In 1896-97 they reached their first 'major' cup final, the Scottish 2nd XI Cup final eventually losing 4-0 to Hearts. After reaching the semi finals again in 1905-06, they were thwarted by archrivals Partick Thistle this time.
The club first joined the Scottish Reserve League in 1909-10 and found the first few years of competing in the league tough. It wasn't until the 1913-14 season until they really made their mark when they lost 1-0 at Hearts in a league decider for the Reserve League title. It meant that the club missed out on a unique League and Cup double after they captured the Scottish 2nd XI Cup for the first time ever that season. They dispatched of St Mirren in the final over two legs (1-1 away and 3-1 at home). They successfully defended the Scottish 2nd XI Cup the following season when Clyde overcame Falkirk in the final over two legs (2-1 loss away and a 3-1 home win).
Their third and final Scottish 2nd XI Cup triumph came in 1941-42. It would be the team's last 'major' cup success for the next sixty six years. In 1945-46 they reached their last Scottish 2nd XI Cup final losing to Hibs, after a superb 6-2 derby victory over archrivals Partick Thistle in the semi finals.
The Scottish Reserve League merged with the Scottish C Division (third tier) for the 1949–50 season creating two regionalised divisions (South/West and North/East) with Clyde entering a reserve team in the South & West region. The club were crowned champions in 1949–50 and they retained their title in 1950–51. Despite successive titles there was no promotion as only first teams could gain promotion to Division B. As reserve teams were excluded from the Scottish League Cup, the C Division had their own League Cup. Clyde couldn't quite match the success in the cup that they had in the league as they never won the competition. The best they could manage were semi final appearances in 1951-52 and in 1953-54.
League restructuring
After both regional C Divisions were scrapped in June 1955, a new Scottish Reserve League started up. The new Reserve League was an exclusively all First Division league (a mirror image of the senior league) and all Second Division clubs' reserve sides were excluded from joining. There were a number of seasons when not all clubs took part. As for teams who were turned away or excluded from joining, they joined various supplementary leagues over the next few years.
For the first few seasons between 1955 and 1960, Clyde finished regularly quite high up the table or at least in a mid-table position. From then onwards in the seasons they spent in the league, the team were often at the wrong end of the table.
In one of the seasons that Clyde didn't participate in the Reserve League, they joined the Combined Reserve League for a single season in 1961–62. Due to the small number of teams involved, the competition was split into an Autumn Series and Spring Series. The club won the Autumn Series and finished second overall in the Combined Table.
Just like Clyde's first team, whose last spell in the Scottish top flight came in 1974–75, the same fate happened to their reserve team following further league restructure at senior and reserve level. The Reserve League set-up changed again in 1975 after a reorganization of the 'senior' Scottish League into Premier-First-Second Divisions. The new Premier Reserve League was a mirror image of the new Scottish Premier Division in terms of membership. Lower league clubs used varying set-ups such as East-West sections and midweek competitions. In latter competitions, clubs didn't always participate as running a reserve side became expensive.
It wasn't until season 1979–80 when Clyde gained membership to re-enter a reserve team in the Scottish Reserve League. They were placed in the regional West division. Finishing bottom in their first season, it was a further two seasons before they returned. They fared much better during the 1987–88 season when they won the division. It proved to be a one-off though. Season 2000–01 was Clyde's last in the West Reserves League eventually before all reserves leagues were scrapped after season 2007–08.
Reserve League Cup
Clyde put together a reserve team for the SFL's Reserve League Cup competition, which includes a mixture of first team fringe players and youngsters. Being able to field overage players allows the club to be able to give fringe players and those who have just returned from injury some valuable game time. The club won the Reserve League Cup for the first time in May 2008. They defeated Livingston 4-1 on their own ground at Almondvale with Dave McKay getting all the goals for Clyde. It was the team's first piece of silverware at reserve level for twenty years. The following season the club failed to retain the trophy after they were knocked out by Ross County in the semi finals losing 3-0 in Dingwall.
Youth Teams
Clyde have youth teams at Under 19, Under 17, Under 16, Under 15, Under 14 and Under 13 level. In recognition for their part in youth development football and the effort the club put in the club received a full award by the SFA and for also meeting all the criteria required by UEFA Club Licensing during the 2007–08 season.
The u19's reached the semi final of their League Cup in 2006. They eventually went down 4-2 at St Johnstone
The u17's team reached their League Cup final in 2004 at New Douglas Park losing 4-1 on penalties despite scoring in stoppage time of extra time to make it 1-1. They had another decent run reaching the semi finals in 2006.
Graduates
Graduates of the youth team who have gone on to play for the first team since moving to Broadwood Stadium include:
Scottish internationals Pat Nevin, Steve Archibald and Ian Ferguson also came through the Clyde youth system.