Nickname(s) The Braw Lads Ground Capacity 4,000 Manager Steven Noble Founded 2013 | Ground Netherdale, Galashiels Chairman Kevin Temple Arena/Stadium Netherdale | |
Full name Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club | ||
Gala Fairydean Rovers Football Club are a Scottish association football club based in the town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. The club competes in the Lowland League, after joining from the East of Scotland Football League in 2013. At the same time the club changed its name to Gala Fairydean Rovers, following a merger between Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers. Gala Rovers won the Border Amateur Football League 13 times. In 2000 - 2001 Gala Rovers were the first ever side to play a whole domestic season without dropping any points.
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Gala Fairydean won the East of Scotland Football League eight times and finished runners-up on seven occasions. The club reached 15 Scottish Qualifying Cup South finals, winning it 11 times, before the competition was abolished in 2007. Gala Fairydean Rovers qualify automatically for the Scottish Cup as a member of the Scottish Football Association (SFA). The best performance by the club was reaching the third round, done on five occasions. The club plays its home matches at Netherdale in Galashiels.
History
Gala Fairydean Rovers FC was first formed in 1894. In 1907 the club was separated into two teams, known as Gala Fairydean and Gala Rovers. The first Gala Rovers was the reserve team of Gala Fairydean. Both clubs ceased operations in 1914 due to the outbreak of the First World War and the consequent loss of male population in Galashiels. Gala Fairydean resumed in 1919, after the war had ended, and was a founder member of the East of Scotland Football League in 1923.
Gala Rovers were only reformed in 1947 and joined the Border Amateur League. Although the two clubs were separate, they were closely linked through operations such as a joint lottery. Although Gala Fairydean were a semi-professional club and needed funds to pay players, Gala Rovers were amateur and could save some of the funds generated. This helped to fund construction of the 1960s main stand at Netherdale. Gala Fairydean applied to join the Scottish Football League in 1966, 1994, 2000 and 2002, but were unsuccessful on each occasion.
The two clubs merged to form Gala Fairydean Rovers FC in 2013. The club was admitted into the new Lowland Football League in 2013.
Stadium
Gala Fairydean first played its home matches at Eastlands Park in Galashiels between 1909 and 1913, before moving to Mossilee for a spell until the 1920s. The club moved back to Eastlands, and stayed until 1929, when Netherdale was opened. Netherdale has been the club's home since 1929 and is located in the south-east of Galashiels. The ground's main spectator stand was designed by architect Peter Womersley, alongside engineers Ove Arup and built between 1963 and 1965. The stand has a capacity for 750 spectators and the ground as a whole up to 4,000. The cantilevered concrete structure is protected as a Category A listed building. The club bought 300 seats from Newcastle United's St James' Park stadium when it was refurbished, but were replaced in 2006 by wooden benches.
Famous players
Honours
Gala Rovers Afc ·BAFA Honours- League Champions- 1959 1951 1953 1954 1964 1978 1987 1996 2000 2001 2002 2004 2013 B Division- 1995 SOUTH CUP- 1954 1963 1964 2007 BORDER CUP 1963 1968 1996 2000 2002 2003 BEVERIDGE CUP 1954 1967 1978 1996 2003 2013 WRIGHT CUP 1963 1966 1985 1995 WALLS CUP 1995 WADDEL CUP 1988 2001 2003 DUDLEY 1949 1950 1953 2013 DUDLEY CUP 1949 1950 1953 Runners Up 2013 Border Cup ,Beveridge Cup.