Gourt Home::Gourt :: Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a semi-professional football club, based in Dumfries, which currently plays in the Scottish Football League. They are currently managed by former Dundee United boss Ian McCall.
Also known as the Doonhamers, Queen of the South were founded in 1919 by an amalgamation of three of the towns clubs - Dumfries F.C., Maxwelltown Volunteers F.C. and (works side) Arrol-Johnston. They have always played at Palmerston Park. They are the sometimes cited as the only league club in the UK to be mentioned in the Bible (under Luke 11:31 "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them").
In 2002 under John Connolly Queens won the Second Division title and the Challenge Cup, the club's first trophies. Over the next three seasons Queens consolidated their place in the First Division, achieving a fourth place finish in 2005.
Plans are currently being made to turn Palmerston Park into a 6,000 all seater stadium to meet SPL regulations.
History
The club's highest ever league finish was fourth place in the old First Division in 1934.
The club's most successful era in recent years came after John Connolly was appointed manager in July 2000. He led the club to the Second Division title in 2002, clinching it after a 3-0 win away to Forfar Athletic. This was just two years after a points deduction for Hamilton saved Queen of the South from relegation to the Third Division.
The following season the club won the Bells Challenge Cup after defeating Brechin City 2-0 in the final at Clyde's Broadwood Stadium. This was the second time the club had reached the final having previously lost 1-0 to Falkirk in 1997.
John Connolly left the club in May 2004 to join St Johnstone, with his former assistant Iain Scott taking over. In his five years at the club he had turned them from a relegation-threatened Second Division side to an established First Division club after a 5th place spot in 2004. In that year Queens became the first part-time club to remain in the new First Division for more than two years.
Queens finished fourth in the First Division in 2005 - their highest post-war finish.
After a terrible start to the 2005/2006 season the manager Iain Scott was sacked after winning just one game and with the club sitting 2nd bottom of the league. Dumfries born Ian McCall was appointed in November 2005 and quickly brought in seven new players in the January transfer 'window' and tried to claw back the 12 point gap to 3rd bottom placed Stranraer. Queens went on an incredible run including losing only once at home since November and collecting a massive 23 points from their last 12 games, and secured their 1st division survival with a 1-1 draw at Brechin on 22nd April.
Famous players
Past players at Queen of the South include their only full Scottish internationalist Billy Houliston, who was capped three times in 1948.
Goalkeeper Alan Ball holds the record for most club appearances (see below).
In recent times, Andy Thomson scored 109 goals in 164 games. In 1993/94 he won Scotland's Second Division Player of the Year Award and was the country's top scorer. He then joined Southend for a fee of £250,000 and later played for Oxford, Gillingham and QPR.
Jamie McAllister started out at Queen of the South before signing for Aberdeen in 1999. He later played for Livingston, and Hearts where he earned a Scotland cap.
Other notable former players include ex-Rangers F.C. and Scotland legend Andy Goram, and former Livingston and Australia captain Stuart Lovell who joined on a free transfer in January 2005.
Club Records
Record victory: 11-1 v. Stranraer, Scottish Cup, 16 January 1932
Record defeat: 2-10 v. Dundee, Scottish First Division, 1 December 1962
Record attendance: 26,552 v. Hearts, Scottish Cup, 23 February 1952
Most league points (2 points for a win system): 55, Scottish Division 2, 1985/86
Most league points (3 points for a win system): 67, Scottish Division 2, 2001/02
Record appearances: Allan Ball (goalkeeper) - 819 games between 1963 and 1982
Record scorer: Jim Patterson - 250 goals in 459 appearances between 1949 and 1963
Record league scorer in a season: Jimmy Gray - 37 goals in season 1927/28
Record scorer (all competitions) in a Season: Jimmy Rutherford - 41 goals in season 1931/32
Record transfer fee received: Andy Thomson - £250,000 to Southend United, 1994
Honours
Scottish League Division Two Champions - 1950/51, 2001/02; Runners Up - 1932/33, 1961/62, 1974/75, 1980/81, 1985/86
Scottish League Division Three Runners Up - 1924/25
Scottish League South/West (Wartime League) Runners Up - 1939/40
Western Football League Champions - 1922/23
League Challenge Cup Winners - 2002/03, Runners-up 1997/98
Scottish Qualifying Cup Winners - 1923/24
Scottish Cup Semi-finalists - 1949-50
Scottish League Cup Semi-finalists - 1950/51, 1960/61
Scottish FA Youth Cup Runners-up - 1985/86
Current squad
Out on loan
External links
"Queen of the South F.C."