Thursday, 25 June 2009

Third Lanark Athletic

Cathkin Park is an absolutely amazing relic! It's a public park in Glasgow, which still has the substantial remains of the old home of the Third Lanark club which went out of existence in 1967. It is now only used for amateur football, but is the home ground for a modern Third Lanark team called Third Lanark Athletic, who play in the lowly Glasgow Amateur League Third Division. So while it is currently-technically- a current ground, to all intents and purposes it is a historic relic.

Certainly when I walked into it I was gobsmacked, and I went 'wow'! as my heart rate increased rapidly! I was expecting a few old steps, not what I found! Well worth a visit to anyone visiting Glasgow.





The old club are commemorated in the path of the park.



A modern typical local recreation ground pavilion.



It could be in any park in any town...



If it were not for the banks of terracing left around the pitch! Still partially existing on three sides of the ground, over four decades since the original club disappeared. I'm not going to 'talk you' round this venue. The pictures will say more than I ever could...enjoy!





































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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous20 January 2010 at 11:21

    In its heyday this ground could hold 220,000 spectators.

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  2. Beano Bob20 January 2010 at 11:22

    It was used as the venue for the 1567 World Cup final between Prussia and Bohemia. Bohemia won 4-12.

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  3. iLL Man31 March 2010 at 19:36

    Try 20,000

    It may also have staged a Scotland v England match at some point in the 19th century.

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  4. Anonymous11 July 2010 at 22:49

    This ground was actually the second Hampden. Queens Park developed the ground when the original (1st) Hampden became too small, QPFC then moved to the third Hampden site (same site as current Hampden) and Third's took over the ground re-naming it New Cathkin Park, in its heyday it held well in excess of 50,000 supporters. There are still many Hi-Hi supporters who have never followed another club since they lost their own.

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  5. Anonymous5 May 2011 at 19:28

    Record attendance, 45,000. Incredible.

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  6. Anonymous9 September 2013 at 14:10

    They finished third in the first (then the top) division only 5 years before folding, just being pipped by Kilmarnock for second place behind Rangers.

    They must be the biggest club to have folded in the 20th century.

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