Hill of Beath Hawthorn F.C.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn Football Club are a Scottish football club from Hill of Beath, near Cowdenbeath, Fife. Formed in 1975, they play their home games at Keir's Park. Their colours are red with white flashes.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn

Full name	Hill of Beath Hawthorn Football Club
Nickname(s)	Haws
Founded	1975
Ground	Keir's Park, Hill of Beath
Capacity	1,080^[1]
Chairman	David Baillie
Manager	Jason Dair
League	East of Scotland League Premier Division
2021–22	East of Scotland League Premier Division, 12th of 18
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours

They currently compete in the East of Scotland League Premier Division, having moved from the SJFA East Super League in 2018.^[2]

History

The club played in the Kirkcaldy and District Amateur league until 1982 when they joined the Fife Junior League. The Haws won the Fife League eight times before becoming founding members of the East Region Super League in 2002. They spent all but one year in the Super League and finished runners-up three times, prior to their move to the East of Scotland League in 2018.^[3] A year later the club become full members of the Scottish Football Association, allowing them to enter the Scottish Cup for the first time in 2019–20, and also joined the Fife FA which enables them to compete in the Fife Cup.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn's greatest honour came in 1990, when they defeated Lesmahagow 1–0 in the final of the Scottish Junior Cup at Kilmarnock's Rugby Park.^[4]

The club were managed by Jock Finlayson from their formation in 1975 until the summer of 2015 when he was succeeded by Bobby Wilson.^[5][6] On 14 May 2017, Bobby Wilson left the club by mutual consent.^[7] On 20 May 2017, Kevin Fotheringham was named the new manager of the club.^[8] Kevin Fotheringham resigned as manager on 23 September 2019 after the Haws were knocked out the Scottish Cup by Gretna 2008.^[9]

Former club captain, John Mitchell, was appointed as manager of the club on 16 October 2019. John Mitchell resigned in September 2021^[10][11]

In September 2021, the club appointed former professional footballer Jason Dair as first-team manager. Dair, who made over 360 senior career appearances at clubs including Raith Rovers, Millwall, Dunfermline, Motherwell and Livingston, was joined by Lee Dair and Darrin Wright, both ex-Hill of Beath players, as first-team coaches, alongside Dave McNeely as goalkeeper coach.^{[citation needed]}

Ground

Keir's Park

View from Hawthorn Crescent
Location	Hawthorn Crescent Hill of Beath Scotland
Capacity	1,080^[1]
Field size	100 x 56 m
Surface	Grass
Tenants
Hill of Beath Hawthorn (1982–) Hearts of Beath (1883–1941)^[12]

Hill of Beath Hawthorn play their home games at Keir's Park, situated on Hawthorn Crescent. The capacity of Keir's Park is 1,080 with the ground featuring covered enclosures of three sides of the pitch.

Rivalries

The Haws share a fierce local rivalry with Scottish League One team Kelty Hearts.

Both clubs were founded the same year in 1975. The rivalry mainly stems from the close proximity of the two clubs and both being very successful "junior" sides within the Fife League. The Haws and Kelty would often exchange Fife league title wins from year to year, and also frequently meet in cup competitions.^[13]

Hill of Beath are currently two leagues below Kelty, competing in the East of Scotland Premier Division. However, they can still face each other in the Scottish Cup.

Current squad

As of 22 March 2022^[14]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK   SCO Stuart Hall — GK   SCO James Donaldson — DF   SCO Lee Wilson — DF   SCO Michael Fleming — DF   SCO Mark Forbes — DF   SCO Lyle Kellichan — MF   SCO Michael Watt — MF   SCO Brandon Luke — MF   SCO Russell Grierson

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF   SCO Shaun Leishman — MF   SCO Lee Reid — MF   SCO Paul Quinn — MF   SCO Scott Gibson — FW   SCO Ryan Connelly — FW   SCO Calum Adamson — FW   SCO Daniel Watt — FW   SCO Ross MacLachlan — FW   SCO Lewis Elder

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF   SCO Jason Finlay (on loan at Rosyth)

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Manager	Jason Dair
First team coaches	Lee Dair, Darrin Wright
Goalkeeping coach	Dave McNeely
Physio	Carolyn Scott
Kit manager	Rory Mutter

Season-by-season record

Senior

Season	Division	Pos.	Pld.	W	D	L	GD	Pts	Scottish Cup
Hill of Beath Hawthorn
2018–19	East of Scotland League Conference A	2nd	24	20	2	2	+82	62	Did Not Participate
2019–20	East of Scotland Premier Division	2nd†	18	10	5	3	+25	37*	First round, losing to Gretna 2008

† Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic - Hill of Beath Hawthorn finished second, based on the 'points per game' measure.

• Hill of Beath Hawthorn were awarded 2 points after Sauchie fielded a suspended player in their match on 27 July 2019.

Honours

Major Honours

Scottish Junior Cup

• Winners: 1989–90

SJFA East Super League

• Runners-up: 2002–03, 2010–11, 2011–12

Other honours

• Fife Junior League winners: 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02
• SJFA Fife District League winners: 2004–05
• East of Scotland Junior Cup: 2014–15
• Fife & Lothians (Heineken) Cup: 1995–96
• Fife & Tayside Cup: 1995–96, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05
• Fife League Cup: 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
• Fife Junior (PSM) Cup: 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2005–06
• Cowdenbeath (Interbrew) Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2002–03
• Kingdom Kegs Cup: 1997–98, 1999–00
• Laidlaw Shield winners: 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90
• Fife Drybrough Cup: 1985–86^[12]

Notable former players

• Tommy McDonald (M) (1948–49) Scotland B international

References

1. "Welfare, Safety & Medical Plan". Retrieved 7 June 2019.
2. McLauchlin, Brian (7 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 25 junior clubs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
3. "HILL OF BEATH HAWTHORN". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
4. "Finals 1957 - Present". Scottish Junior Football Association. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
5. Parks, Gordon (17 September 2003). "Jock's in for the long Haw". Daily Record. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
6. Baillie, David. . www.hillofbeathhawthorn.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
7. "Latest News". Hill of Beath Hawthorn J.F.C.
8. "New Manager and Coaching Staff".
9. "Haws begin search for only their fourth boss". Central Fife Times. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
10. "Mitch appointed as Haws boss". Central Fife Times. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
11. "John Mitchell 2006". Hill of Beath Hawthorn F.C. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
12. Aitken, John. "Towns, Fields & Clubs of Fife" (PDF). Scottish Football Historical Archive.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
13. "Hearts and Haws set for Junior Cup cracker". Dunfermline Press. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
14. "The Squad". Hill of Beath Hawthorn F.C. Retrieved 12 October 2018.

External links

• Official website

Coordinates: 56°05′45″N 3°22′15″W / 56.095899°N 3.370704°W / 56.095899; -3.370704