Civil Service Strollers F.C.

Civil Service Strollers
Full nameCivil Service Strollers Football Club
Nickname(s)Strollers
Founded1908
GroundChristie Gillies Park, Edinburgh
Capacity1,569 (100 seated)
ManagerGary Jardine
LeagueLowland League
2023–24Lowland League, 7th of 18
Websitehttp://www.csstrollers.com/
Main Entrance to Christie Gillies Park

Civil Service Strollers Football Club are a senior non-league football team from Edinburgh, Scotland currently playing in the Lowland League.[1] The Strollers play their home games at Christie Gillies Park. Their home strip colours are red, with white shorts and red socks. The team is currently managed by Gary Jardine.[2]

History

Founded in 1908 under the name Edinburgh Civil Service Football Club, their first ground was the Stenhouse Stadium, which later became a venue for greyhound racing, before moving to Pinkhill Stadium in the 1920s. They moved to the Edinburgh Area Civil Service Sports Association in Muirhouse in 1957, where they continue to play their home games, the ground is commonly known as Christie Gillies Park.

In 2000–01, the club entered into a partnership with Talloaks to develop youth football, with the Talloaks youth teams taking on the name 'CS Strollers'. At the start of the 2001–02 season, the partnership was extended to cover all other ages of organised football. 2001–02 saw the Strollers having, for the first time, a fully incorporated women's team.

Ahead of the 2016–17 season, they were elected to fill one of two vacancies in the Lowland Football League.

Their former management team was Alex Cunningham and Ricky Clapperton until Gary Jardine took over for the 2018–19 season.[3]

Ground

Main Stand

Strollers play their home games at Christie Gillies Park, which is located just off Marine Drive in Muirhouse, Edinburgh. The ground has one small stand along the North side with the dugouts on the South side. The ground has a capacity of 1,596 with around 100 of that being seated. The pitch was once part of a large playing field but work was carried out in 2015 to provide cover for spectators and enclose the ground. Floodlights were added in 2019 to meet SFA licensing criteria.[4]

Current squad

As of 19 August 2024[5]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Scotland SCO Freddie Owens (on loan from Hibernian)
— GK Scotland SCO Harris Spratt
— GK Scotland SCO Kirk Wilkinson
— DF Scotland SCO Arran Bone
— DF Guinea GUI Diste Sylla
— DF Scotland SCO Josh Laing (on loan from The Spartans)
— DF Scotland SCO Josh McCulloch
— DF Scotland SCO Lwendo Kazoka
— DF Scotland SCO Ross Clarke
— DF Scotland SCO Matthew Shaw
— DF Scotland SCO Marco Vata
— DF Scotland SCO Callum Yates
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Scotland SCO Ewan McLeod (on loan from Dunfermline Athletic)
— MF Scotland SCO Gwong-Rwad Peter
— MF Scotland SCO Matthew Cunningham
— MF Scotland SCO Tom Findlay
— MF Scotland SCO Marc Laird
— MF Scotland SCO Lewis Bushnell (out on loan to Tynecastle)
— MF Scotland SCO Luca Vata
— MF Scotland SCO Euan Valentine
— FW Scotland SCO Alfie Smith
— FW The Gambia GAM Alieu Faye
— FW Scotland SCO Mackenzie Scott (on loan from Spartans)
— FW Scotland SCO Ross Guthrie
— FW Scotland SCO Sonny Aluko

Season-by-season record

Lowland League

Season Division Position Played Wins Draws Losses GD Points Scottish Cup
Civil Service Strollers
2016–17 Lowland League 12th 30 10 7 13 -9 37 First round replay, losing to Hawick Royal Albert
2017–18 Lowland League 7th 30 11 7 12 +3 40 Second round, losing to Brora Rangers
2018–19 Lowland League 5th 28 15 4 9 +13 49 Second round, losing to Edinburgh City
2019–20 Lowland League 6th† 23 12 3 8 +2 39 First round, losing to Buckie Thistle
2020–21 Lowland League 11th† 14 4 5 5 -2 17 First round, losing to Elgin City

† Season curtailed due to coronavirus pandemic.

Honours

  • East of Scotland Football League
    • Winners (3): 1925–26, 1926–27, 1972–73
    • Runners-up (4): 1927–28, 1980–81, 1988–89, 1989–90
  • East of Scotland Football League First Division
    • Winners: 1992–93
    • Runners-up (3): 1996–97, 2002–03, 2008–09
  • SFA South Region Challenge Cup
    • Winners: 2017–18[6]
  • East of Scotland Qualifying Cup
    • Winners (4): 1921–22; 1929–30; 1979–80; 1988–89
  • King Cup
    • Winners (4): 1921–22; 1925–26; 1927–28; 1990–91
  • East of Scotland Consolation Cup: 1920–21
  • Scottish Amateur Cup: 1910–11; 1920–21
  • East of Scotland League Cup: 2000–01
  • East of Scotland Trophy: 2001–02

References

  1. ^ "Civil Service Strollers – Scottish Lowland League". Scottish Lowland League. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Strollers Appoint Gary Jardine as Manager". The Edinburgh Reporter. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Football | Edinburgh News".
  4. ^ "Non League Scotland". nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Squad". Civil service strollers f.c. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Civil Service Strollers win the South Challenge Cup". North Edinburgh Community News. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.

55°58′38″N 3°15′31″W / 55.97723°N 3.258508°W / 55.97723; -3.258508