Queen of the South F.C.

Queen of the South Football Club are a Scottish professional football club formed in March 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish Championship, the second tier of Scottish football. They are traditionally nicknamed The Doonhamers but are more usually referred to as Queens or QoS.[2][3] Their home ground since their formation has been Palmerston Park.

For other uses, see Queen of the South.

Queen of the South
Full nameQueen of the South Football Club
Nickname(s)The Doonhamers, Queens, QoS, The South
FoundedMarch 1919 (1919-03)
GroundPalmerston Park
Dumfries
Capacity8,690[1]
ChairmanBilly Hewitson
ManagerAllan Johnston
LeagueScottish Championship
2019–20Scottish Championship, 9th of 10
WebsiteClub website

The club's national honours include winning the Division B Championship in season 1950–51, the Second Division Championship in season 2001–02 and in season 2012–13, and also the Scottish Challenge Cup in seasons 2002–03 and 2012–13. Queens led Scotland's top division until New Year during the 1953–54 season and the club's highest finish in Scotland's top division was fourth in the 1933–34 season. The club reached their first major cup final in 2008 when they reached the final of the Scottish Cup, where they were runners-up to Rangers. The club's current manager is Allan Johnston, in his second spell in charge on a two-year contract alongside assistant manager Sandy Clark.[4]

History
Main articles: History of Queen of the South F.C. and Queen of the South F.C. League History

Stadium
Main article: Palmerston Park

Club culture

Robbie Neilson, the current manager of Hearts,[5] said about Queens from his loan period at the club in 2002: "It's a well-run club and a real family club with a good spirit about the place."[6]

Marc Horne wrote in The Scotsman following Queens appearance in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final: "In the Palmerston Park club's songbook, it is clear there is no room for songs which feature religion, violent vendettas or centuries-old battles that took place in other lands."[7]

Historic table positions of Queen of the South in the League.

In the 2008 UEFA Cup qualifying trip to Denmark Queen of the South fans were hailed as "a great credit both to their club and to Scotland" by Danish police. About 850 supporters of the Dumfries club travelled to Denmark to watch the UEFA Cup clash with FC Nordsjælland. Even though their team was eliminated, local police said their behaviour was impressive. Insp. Rune Hamann said: "It was a pleasure hosting such a visit by Queen of the South whose supporters were extremely well behaved and a great credit both to their club and to Scotland. Copenhagen was particularly busy in the build up to and after the match with a carnival, party atmosphere being evident. I look forward to welcoming Queen of the South and their terrific supporters back in Denmark in the future."[8]

Ch Insp Mickey Collins from Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said the fans were a "pleasure to work along with". He added: "Despite the huge numbers of supporters who travelled to Denmark there were no arrests, incidents or issues of any concern. Great praise should be passed on to those fortunate enough to be at the match."[8]

Club mascot
Dougie the Doonhamer at Palmerston Park for the celebration of the 2007–08 Queens run to the Scottish Cup Final.

The club mascot is 'Dougie the Doonhamer', a human-sized border collie dog. The character has been played for many years by local supermarket worker Brian Harkness.[9]

On 25 August 2017, Dougie the Doonhamer won the Ladbrokes SPFL mascot race at Hamilton Park, having been runner-up the previous year.[10]

On 31 August 2018, Dougie the Doonhamer won the Ladbrokes SPFL mascot race at Hamilton Park for the second consecutive year.[11]

Biblical references

Queen of the South are often humorously cited as the only league club in the United Kingdom to be mentioned in the Bible. Luke 11:31 states "The Queen of the South shall rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them..."[12] Queen of the South is similarly quoted under Matthew 12:42.[13] In the biblical quote the "Queen of the South" is considered to be the Queen of Sheba. In 2005 the issue was investigated by The Guardian website in their series "The Knowledge", which also found full references to Arsenal, Bury and Reading as well as partial references to "hearts", "wolves", "forest", "hammer", "spurs" and "man's field".[14]

Club anthem

Club anthem "The Only Team in the Bible" song by composer Neil Grant is always played at Palmerston Park before the teams appear from the tunnel. During August 2019, in an edition of the BBC's popular Off the Ball (radio series), Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan challenged the songwriter to recreate the song and has since become a huge hit with the club's supporters.

Honours

National League Competitions

Highest Finish in Top Division – 4th; Division 1; 1933–34

Division 2 – Champions 1950–51, 2001–02, 2012–13; Runners-up 1932–33, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1980–81, 1985–86

Division 3 – Runners-up 1924–25

National Cup Competitions

Scottish League Challenge Cup – Winners 2002–03, 2012–13; Runners-up 1997–98, 2010–11; Semi-finalists 1991–92

Scottish Qualifying Cup – Winners 1923–24

Scottish Cup – Runners-up 2007–08; Semi-finalists 1949–50

Scottish League Cup – Semi-finalists 1950–51, 1960–61[15]

B.P. Youth Cup – Runners-up 1985–86

Invitational Tournaments

1936 Algiers Invitational Tournament – Winners

Border Cup – Winners 1991–92, 1992–93

Scottish Brewers Cup – Winners 2000–01, 2001–02, 2006–07

Regional League Competitions

Scottish League South and West (Wartime League) – Runners-up 1939–40

Western League – Champions 1922–23

Southern Counties League – Winners 1996–97

Regional Cup Competitions (Competed for and won by the reserve team)

Southern Counties Charity Cup – Winners 1920–24, 1926, 1930–32, 1934, 1937

Southern Counties Cup – Winners 1921, 1924, 1935, 1936, 1962, 1966, 1972, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1997, 2003, 2004

Southern Counties League Cup – Winners 1996–97

Southern Counties Consolation Cup – Winners 1922

Potts Cup – Winners 1921, 1960, 1961

Individual Awards

PFA Scotland Manager of the Year Award – Allan Johnston 2012–13[16]

PFA Second Division Player of the Year Award – Jimmy Robertson 1980–81, Andy Thomson 1991–92, 1993–94, John O'Neill 2001–02, Nicky Clark 2012–13[16]

Bell's SFL Fan of the Season Award – Ian Black 2003–04

SFL Phenomenal Achievement Awards

Recognition of Queens' remarkable Scottish Cup run – Gordon Chisholm 2007–08[17]

Second Division Player of the Year Award – Nicky Clark 2012–13[18]

SFL Goalkeeper of the Season Award – Lee Robinson 2012–13[18]

SFL Second Division Manager of the Year Award – John Connolly 2001–02, Allan Johnston 2012–13[18]

Ginger Boot Award – Nicky Clark 2012–13[18]

Bell's SFL Angels Award – 2003–04[19]

SFL Team of the Season Award – 2012–13[18]

Club records
One of Palmerston's record-breaking floodlights

Record victory: 11–1 versus Stranraer; Scottish Cup; 16 January 1932[20]

Record defeat: 10-2 versus Dundee at Dens Park; Scottish First Division; 1 December 1962. Queens played for 78 minutes with 10 men after goalkeeper George Farm was injured in the 12th minute and was carried off. Dundee's Alan Gilzean scored 7 of the goals. Dundee were the reigning Division One Champions and would make the European Cup semi-finals that season where they lost to the eventual winners AC Milan.[21]

Record home attendance: 26,552 versus Heart of Midlothian; Scottish Cup 3rd Round; 23 February 1952; Queens 1 Hearts 3[22]

Record home league attendance: 21,142 versus Rangers; 6 October 1962; Queens 0 Rangers 4

Record attendance (any venue): 58,975; 5 April 1950; Hampden Park; 3–0 Scottish Cup semi-final replay defeat to Rangers; 52,924 watched the 1–1 draw with Rangers four days earlier, also at Hampden Park.[23]

Most league points (2 points for a win system): 55; Scottish Division 2; 1985–86

Most league points (3 points for a win system): 92; Scottish Division 2; 2012–13

First ever Scottish League Match under floodlights: Rangers versus Queen of the South; Ibrox Park; 7 March 1956; Rangers 8 Queens 0; Rangers player Don Kitchenbrand scored five goals in this match.[24]

Highest free standing floodlights in Scottish football: Queens floodlights were first used on 29 October 1958 and at 85 feet (26 m) high they are the tallest in Scotland. To mark the occasion Preston North End sent a team north for a friendly match.[20]

Highest terrace in Scottish football: Following the trend towards all seater stadia, the height differential between the lowest and highest step on the Portland Drive terrace, records this as the highest remaining terrace in Scottish football.

Individuals
  • As of 23 January 2021

Longest serving player: Iain McChesney – 1960 to 1981 (615 appearances and scored 79 goals)[25]

Record league scorer in a season: Alexander "Jimmy" Gray – 37 goals in the 1927-28 season

Record scorer (all competitions) in a season: Stephen Dobbie - 43 goals in the 2018-19 season

Most capped player: Billy Houliston (3 caps; 1948–49 season; 3–2 v Northern Ireland at Hampden (scoring two goals on his debut in the 30th & 89th minute), 3–1 v England at Wembley and 2–0 v France at Hampden.[23]

Andy Aitken

First Queens players to earn four senior Scottish football medals while playing for the club: Jim Thomson and Andy Aitken (winners of the 2001–02 Second Division and 2002–03 Scottish Challenge Cup; runners up in the 1997–98 Scottish Challenge Cup and 2007–08 Scottish Cup).[20]

Most decorated Queens player with four winners medals: Derek Lyle (2001–02 & 2012–13 Second Division; 2002–03 & 2012–13 Scottish Challenge Cup)[26]

Record transfer fee received: Andy Thomson; £250,000; Southend United; 1994[27]

Fastest hat-trick: Tommy Bryce; 1 minute 46 seconds Guinness World Records in the 6–0 win versus Arbroath on 18 December 1993. Bryce's hat-trick was recorded in the 8th, 9th & 10th minutes by the match referee Louis Thow. Bryce also scored a fourth goal in this match.[28]

Longest distance goal by an outfield player: Ryan McCann – 84 yards (77 m) in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final 2–0 win versus Dundee on 8 March 2008.[20]

First player to collect the complete set of four senior Scottish football winners medals: Andy Goram when he played in the 2002–03 Scottish Challenge Cup Final 2–0 win for Queens versus Brechin City, to add to his medals haul gathered elsewhere.[20]

Oldest player to play for the club: Ally MacLeod versus St Mirren in the Reserve League West in April 1992. With Queens short of players the manager named himself as a trialist and played the whole 90 minutes. During the second half Queens were awarded a penalty and the former Scotland manager converted the spot kick. The final score was 7–1 to St Mirren and MacLeod received a standing ovation from the small crowd at the end of the game. MacLeod was 61 years old at the time.

European record

UEFA Cup/Europa League:[20][29]

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
2008–09 UEFA Cup Second Qualifying Round FC Nordsjælland 1–2 1–2 2–4

Players

Current squad
As of 1 February 2021[30]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  SCO Jack Leighfield
2 DF  GHA Nortei Nortey
3 DF  SCO James Maxwell (on loan from Rangers)
4 DF  SCO Gregor Buchanan
5 DF  ENG Ayo Obileye
6 MF  SCO Joe McKee
7 MF  SCO Aidan Fitzpatrick (on loan from Norwich City)
8 MF  ENG Dan Pybus
9 FW  ENG Tommy Goss
10 FW  SCO Connor Shields
11 FW  SCO Stephen Dobbie (captain)
12 MF  SCO Rhys McCabe
13 GK  ENG Daniel Armstrong
15 MF  SCO Calvin McGrory
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 FW  SCO Euan East
17 FW  SCO Niyah Joseph
18 MF  SCO Kieran McKechnie
19 DF  SCO Rhys Breen (on loan from Rangers)
20 GK  SCO Rohan Ferguson
21 MF  SCO Dom McMahon
22 DF  GUI Disté Sylla
23 DF  SCO Cameron Crooks
24 DF  SCO Liam Douglas
25 MF  ENG Isaiah Jones (on loan from Middlesbrough)
29 FW  SCO Dapo Mebude (on loan from Rangers)
30 GK  SCO Charlie Cowie
31 GK  SCO Josh Rae (on loan from Peterhead)
33 MF  SCO Willie Gibson

Notable players
  • For all former Queen of the South players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:Queen of the South F.C. players.

The following players were inducted into Queen of the South's Hall of Fame on 29 October 2011, 19 January 2013 and 24 October 2015 respectively.[31]

The following players will be inducted into Queen of the South's Hall of Fame on 23 March 2019.[32][33]

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  ENG Allan Ball
— FW  SCO Bobby Black
— MF  SCO Tommy Bryce
— MF  SCO Paul Burns
— MF  SCO Jocky Dempster
— FW  SCO Stephen Dobbie
— GK  SCO Roy Henderson
— FW  SCO Billy Houliston
— DF  SCO Jim Kerr
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW  SCO Derek Lyle
— DF  SCO Iain McChesney
— DF  SCO Billy McLaren
— FW  SCO Jackie Oakes
— FW  SCO Jim Patterson
— FW  SCO Jimmy Robertson
— FW  SCO Andy Thomson
— DF  SCO Jim Thomson

The following players are listed on the club's official website as 'Queens Legends':[34]

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 Andy Aitken
— GK  ENG Allan Ball
— DF  SCO Jimmy Binning
— FW  SCO Bobby Black
— DF  SCO Crawford Boyd
— FW  ENG Ivor Broadis
— MF  SCO Tommy Bryce
— DF  SCO Nobby Clark
— MF  SCO George Cloy
— GK  SCO Alan Davidson
— FW  SCO Jocky Dempster
— FW  SCO Ian Dickson
— GK  SCO George Farm
— MF  SCO Willie Ferguson
— FW  SCO Hughie Gallacher
— FW  SCO Dave Halliday
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW  SCO George Hamilton
— GK  SCO Roy Henderson
— FW  SCO Billy Houliston
— DF  SCO Jim Kerr
— FW  SCO Lex Law
— FW  SCO Neil Martin
— DF  SCO Iain McChesney
— FW  SCO Ted McMinn
— FW  SCO Jackie Oakes
— FW  SCO Jim Patterson
— FW  SCO Jimmy Robertson
— DF  SCO Willie Savage
— DF  SCO Dougie Sharpe
— FW  SCO Andy Thomson
— DF  SCO Jim Thomson

Managers

P/C = Player-Coach P/M = Player-Manager

2 Second Spell

Club staff

Board of directors
  • Chairman: Billy Hewitson
  • Vice-Chairman/Secretary: Craig Paterson
  • Director: Mark Blount
  • Honorary Directors: Norman Blount and Davie Rae

Coaching staff
  • Manager: Allan Johnston
  • Assistant Manager: Sandy Clark
  • First Team Goalkeeping Coach: Ross Ballantyne
  • First Team Coach: George Paterson
  • Community Development Coach: Daniel Armstrong
  • Club Doctor: Dr Guy Beaumont
  • Physiotherapist: Gavin Lee
  • Groundsman: Kevin McCormick
  • Kitmen: Graeme Dalgleish, Kevin McCormick
  • Reserve Team Manager: Willie Gibson
  • Head of Youth: Andy Irving
  • Youth Goalkeeping Coach: David Byers
  • Youth Coaches: Stuart Douglas, Darren Malin, Davie Mathieson, Neil Murray, Ross Newlands

References
  1. "Queen of the South Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  2. "QosFC: Burnsy". Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  3. "QosFC: Eva Mendes – the latest Queen of the South".
  4. http://www.qosfc.com/news-4541
  5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42763390
  6. Young stars should take step back to go forward – Scotsman.com Sport
  7. Horne, Marc (25 May 2008). "Scottish Cup Final: 'Result is irrelevant, we are here to party'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
  8. "Fans 'credit' to club and country". BBC News. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  9. Border News and Lookaround, 2008
  10. http://www.qosfc.com/news-3686
  11. http://www.qosfc.com/news-4108
  12. "Luke 11:31; Luke 11:32 (English Standard Version)", BibleGateway.com. Retrieved 15 April 2008
  13. "Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 12:42 – English Standard Version".
  14. Dart, James (21 December 2005). "Which football teams appear in the bible?". The Guardian.
  15. "QosFC: League Cup Doonhamers".
  16. "QosFC: Queens Duo Scoop Another Double at PFA Awards". Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  17. "Dumfries & Galloway Sport – Daily Record".
  18. "QosFC: Irn Bru Phenomenal End of Season Awards".
  19. "Official Queen of the South Site".
  20. "QosFC: Club History".
  21. "QosFC: Legends – George Farm".
  22. "QosFC: Legends – Jackie Oakes".
  23. "QosFC: Legends – Billy Houliston". Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  24. "Live: QotS v Rangers – Rangers Football Club, Official Website". 9 May 2015.
  25. "QosFC: Legends – Iain McChesney".
  26. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/queen-south-striker-derek-lyle-6284826
  27. "QosFC: Legends – Andy Thomson".
  28. "QosFC: Legends – Tommy Bryce".
  29. "Congratulations FC Nordsjælland". qosfc.com. Queen of the South. 27 May 2012. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  30. "Players". Queen of the South FC. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  31. "QosFC: Hall of Fame Review".
  32. http://www.qosfc.com/news-4232
  33. http://www.qosfc.com/news-4342
  34. "QosFC: Queens Legends".
  35. "Queen of the South: Gavin Skelton exits as manager after six months". BBC Sport. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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