East Stirlingshire F.C.

East Stirlingshire
Full nameEast Stirlingshire Football Club
Nickname(s)The Shire
Founded1 October 1880; 144 years ago (1880-10-01)
(as Bainsford Britannia)
GroundFalkirk Stadium, Falkirk
Capacity7,937
ChairmanSimon Dickerson
ManagerPat Scullion
LeagueLowland League
2023–24Lowland League, 14th of 18
Websitehttps://www.es-fc.co.uk

East Stirlingshire Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in the town of Falkirk. The club was founded in 1881 and competes in the Lowland League, the fifth tier of the Scottish football league system. The club's origins can be traced to 1880 when a local cricket club formed a football team under the name Bainsford Britannia.[1][2]

The club was elected to the Scottish Football League in 1900–01 and has competed in the league system for most of its existence. East Stirlingshire has won the second tier of Scottish football once and finished runners-up once, earning promotion to the top-flight on both occasions. The club's highest league ranking came during the two solitary seasons it competed in the top flight in 1932–33 and 1963–64. In 2016, East Stirlingshire became the first club ever to be relegated out of the national league system.

East Stirlingshire first entered in the Scottish Cup in 1882, its best result reaching the quarter-finals on three occasions, the last in 1981. The club's best result in a national cup competition was in the 2000–01 season when it reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Challenge Cup, losing to Livingston for a place in the final.[3] In 2008, the club left Firs Park and moved to Ochilview Park to ground-share with local rivals Stenhousemuir.[4][5] Since the start of the 2018–19 season the club have ground-shared with their neighbour club Falkirk at the Falkirk Stadium.[6]

  1. ^ The story of East Stirlingshire FC – founded in 1880., East Stirlingshire F.C. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  2. ^ Shire's fans show mettle Archived 30 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Falkirk Herald. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  3. ^ Livingston 2–1 East Stirlingshire, BBC Sport. 26 September 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  4. ^ Club history – 2000 – present Day Archived 6 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, East Stirlingshire F.C.. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  5. ^ Shire explain Firs Park departure, BBC Sport. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  6. ^ Oliver, David (4 April 2018). "East Stirlingshire are back in town after decade at Stenhousemuir". Falkirk Herald. Johnston Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 5 April 2018.