Bo'ness United Football Club is a Scottish football club, based in the town of Bo'ness. The team plays in the Lowland League after winning the East of Scotland and gaining SFA membership in 2020.[1][2] They presently play their home games at Newtown Park, which holds 2,500 spectators and has been used as a football ground since the 1880s. They play in blue.

Bo'ness United

Full name	Bo'ness United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The B.U.'s
Founded	1945; 77 years ago (1945)
Ground	Newtown Park, Bo'ness
Capacity	2,500
Manager	Max Christie
League	Lowland League
2021–22	Lowland League, 11th of 18
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Bo'ness like many other clubs moved from the junior leagues in 2018.[3] The club won the Scottish Junior Cup on three occasions, in 1948, 1976 and 1984, and lifted the 2018-19 East of Scotland League Cup defeating Musselburgh Athletic 1–0.[4]

History

Nicknamed the B.U.'s, Bo'ness United were formed in 1945, at the end of the Second World War when Bo'ness, a club that had played in the senior ranks, being a member of the Scottish Football League from 1921 to 1932, merged with the Junior club Bo'ness Cadora.[5]

The club won the Scottish Junior Cup on three occasions, in 1948, 1976 and 1984.[4]

As a result of winning the 2009–10 East Region Super League, United competed in the Scottish Cup for the first time the following season. The club eventually reached the third round, defeating Scottish Football League Third Division side Queen's Park at home in round two.[6][7] They also reached the third round the following year.[8]

United moved to the East of Scotland Football League in 2018, along with many other East Region junior clubs.[3]

Lowland League

The club were promoted to the Lowland League after winning the East of Scotland and gaining SFA membership in 2020.[1][2]

Rivalries

Bo'ness United have a healthy rivalry with Linlithgow Rose,[9] Both clubs are known as two of the most successful and well supported clubs from the days of the East Juniors[10] and both moved from the Juniors to the EoSFL at the same point in 2018.[3]

Bo'ness United are currently in the league above Linlithgow Rose, having been promoted to the Lowland League in 2020. However, they can still face each other in some cup competitions.

Current squad

As of 11 March 2022[11][12]

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  ESP Musa Dibaga — GK  SCO Tony Mitchell — GK  ESP Jorges Torres — DF  SCO Lewis Hawkins — DF  RSA Devon Jacobs — DF  SCO Keir Macauley — DF  SCO Jamie McCormack — DF  SCO Jamie Todd — DF  SCO John Ward — MF  SCO Michael Gemmell (captain) — MF  SCO Tom Grant

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  SCO Jamie Hamilton — MF  SCO Ciaran Heeps — MF  SCO Declan Hughes — MF  SCO Kyle Johnston — MF  SWE Alassan Jones — MF  SCO Nick Locke — FW  SCO Ryan Stevenson — MF  SCO Lennon Walker (on loan from Falkirk) — FW  SCO Zander Miller — FW  SCO Jack Smith — FW  SCO Dan Watt

Season-by-season record

Junior

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Senior

† Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours

East of Scotland Football League Premier Division

• Winners : 2019–20

East of Scotland League Cup

• Winners: 2018-19

Scottish Junior Cup

• Winners: 1947–48, 1975–76, 1983–84
• Runners-up: 1946–47, 1978–79, 1982–83

Junior East Region Super League

• Winners: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14
• Runners-up: 2014–15

Other honours

• Fife & Lothians Cup winners: 1993–94, 1996–97
• Edinburgh & District League winners: 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1957–58
• East Region Division One winners: 1968–69
• Lothians District League Division One winners: 2002–03
• East of Scotland Junior Cup winners: 1951–52, 1954–55, 1984–85, 1998–99, 2015–16
• Brown Cup winners: 1978–79, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2006–07

Notable former players

The following players all went on to be capped for the Scotland national football team after playing for Bo'ness United.[13]

• Paddy Buckley – St Johnstone and Aberdeen. Played in United's 1947–48 Scottish Junior Cup winning team.[14]
• Donald Ford – Hearts and Falkirk.[15]
• Alex Scott – Rangers, Everton, Hibernian and Falkirk.[16]
• Jim Scott – Hibernian, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Falkirk and Hamilton. Also a Junior international cap.[17]

References

External links

• Official website
• Unofficial club website
• Bo'ness United versus Forth Rangers (1949) (archive film from the National Library of Scotland: Scottish Screen Archive)