Dalmuir Thistle F.C. was a 19th-century association football club from Dalmuir, Clydebank, Dumbartonshire.
The club was reputed to have been founded in 1877, but the first recorded matches for the club do not appear until 1884, the earliest being a 6âÂÂ2 defeat to Vale of Leven Wanderers in October, just before the club's first appearance in the Dumbartonshire Cup (an 8âÂÂ0 defeat to Union). The club was made up mostly of workers at the Singer foundry in Kilbowie, and many did "double duty" by playing for the foundry in works competitions.
On 10 October 1885, the Thistle was hosting Glen Rangers in a friendly. One of the Thistle's players, Thomas Anderson, who worked at Singer, was kneed in the abdomen by M'Aulay of the Rangers, and collapsed to the ground; he did not receive immediate treatment because those present thought he was faking an injury. He died of his injuries the following day. The club therefore dissolved, but was revived in time for the 1886âÂÂ87 season.
The Thistle's only win in the Dumbartonshire Cup in the 1880s came in the Consolation Cup in 1887âÂÂ88, against the obscure Duntocher Union, and the club's status as second-tier was confirmed by a 7âÂÂ0 defeat to Vale of Leven in the next round.
Despite this lack of success, the Thistle joined the Scottish Football Association in August 1890, just in time to play in the 1890âÂÂ91 Scottish Cup, the last year in which all entrants started in the first round proper. The club won 6âÂÂ1 at Tillicoultry in the first round, and in the second lost 7âÂÂ5 at home to Cowdenbeath in "boisterous" weather; Cowdenbeath took the lead inside three minutes and was quickly 2âÂÂ0 up, and 5âÂÂ4 up at half-time. Thistle brought the score level but the much heavier Cowdenbeath showed more stamina to win through.
Dalmuir at least won in the main rounds of the Dumbartonshire Cup for the first time, 8âÂÂ1 at Bowling, that season, but, the following season, the Scottish Football Association brought in qualifying rounds, and the Thistle never won through to the first round proper of the national competition again. In 1891âÂÂ92 the club was drawn at home to the original Aberdeen in the fourth and final preliminary stage, but sold home advantage. The decision proved costly as Thistle lost 2âÂÂ1, having been ahead at half-time.
The club's best run in the county competition was in 1893âÂÂ94, and that was only because of the decimation of clubs in the area due to the introduction of the Scottish League and professionalism; it gained a bye and beat Kirkintilloch Athletic 2âÂÂ1, putting it into the semi-final, which ended with defeat to Duntocher Harp.
The Thistle was forced to close up shop in August 1895, "showing the effect professionalism has had in the provinces". By this time Dumbartonshire was only down to three senior clubs which were not in the Scottish League.
The club originally played in dark blue. In 1892 it changed to black and white vertically striped shirts, blue knickers
The club's home ground was Castle Park, notable for having a hedge and tree along its touchlines. After the club's demise the ground was taken over by Clydebank United.