The Story So Far....
06 Oct 2009

In 1976 a group of like minded footballing villagers decided to form a football club to play organised football in the Paisley & District League (P&D) at amateur level.

Kilbarchan Thistle (KT) was the chosen name and Alan Gordon and Ian Lauder became the first KT management team. Under their management, KT progressed quickly through all six divisions of the P&D League, in consecutive years and were soon established as one of the major amateur football clubs in the area.

After competing for several years in the top division of the P&D League, the forward thinking management team of Gordon and Lauder were of the opinion that the P&D League was in decline and in 1989 decided to become one of the founding member clubs of the Greater Glasgow Premier League (GGPL).

The club was then to embark on what is probably an unprecedented domestic trophy haul in amateur football, in three different associations, from 1990 to the present day.

Strangely enough, the first silverware collected by KT was out with these shores in the annual Isle of Man Tournament in Easter 1990. In winning the tournament, KT played against teams from all over the British Isles, many of whom were operating at a professional level.

KT returned from their victorious sojourn to the Isle of Man and added to their trophy cabinet by completing a league and cup double in the inaugural season of the GGPL.

The management team again quickly realised that the potential of the team could greatly exceed the opposition on offer in the GGPL, at that time, and their growing reputation attracted an offer from the Scottish Amateur Football League (SAFL) to join one of the most reputable associations at this level.

After promotion in their first season of joining the SAFL, KT then went on to win the SAFL Premier league title in season 91/92 outclassing and inflicting some of the biggest defeats to this day, on several of the most powerful clubs in the amateur game.

Meanwhile, KT introduced a second XI at this time continuing the club's good work in the GGPL, providing further league and cup success over the next couple of seasons.

The first team, after picking up further honours in successive years in the SAFL, then decided to up the ante again and join the Central Scottish League (CSL) which is, arguably, the strongest league operating in amateur football.

In 94/95 KT were CSL Division 1 Section winners with the excellent achievement of going through the whole league campaign undefeated.

Around this period, the management team of Gordon & Lauder decided to call time on their superb stewardship of the club over nearly twenty years.

George McLelland, who had been assisting Alan Gordon latterly, took the KT reigns and made the decision to revert to operating one team and returned to the Greater Glasgow Premier League in 96/97.

Division 3 and Division 2, consecutive titles, were immediately added to the club honours in the 96/97 and 97/98 seasons followed by runners up places in 98/99 and 99/00 in the first division, losing out by the smallest of margins on both occasions.

Further domestic cup success continued the clubs trophy haul at the start of the Millennium by lifting the Challenge Cup.

The following season, 00/01, saw the start of a decline for KT with a seventh placed finish in the league. The decline continued in 01/02 which brought relegation to the second division. KT adapted to life out of the top division in 02/03 and managed a return to the top flight by finishing third in the league.

Bruce Reid replaced George McLelland as manager at the start of 03/04 and began the KT revival finishing a creditable fourth in his first season in charge. Following a further year of transition, Bruce changed the clubs playing staff and whilst only managing a mid table finish in the league, KT lifted the Challenge Cup. After a good pre season, Bruce took KT back to the top of the division and added another GGPL league title in 05/06.

The following season, 06/07, was to become KT's last in the top flight with another mediocre mid table finish of sixth. The club called it a day and folded at the end of that season.

Kilbarchan Thistle is probably the most decorated club in the history of the Greater Glasgow Premier League.

Hundreds of players have graced the club over the past 33 years, many of which have been locals to the village and surrounding areas. Two players that are worthy of picking out of the club history are Kenny Thomson and Duncy Graham.

Kenny was plucked as a fresh faced 14 year old and played for over 25 years for KT that resulted in him ultimately receiving international recognition at amateur level.

Duncy was a precocious goal scoring talent who could easily have operated at the top level of Scottish football but remained another loyal servant to the club scoring an unprecedented 500 goals for KT during his career. Duncy was also honoured as the Central Scottish Player of the Year in the 94/95 season in recognition of his unique goal scoring feats that season.

In season 09/10, after a two year absence from the amateur game, KT returned to the Greater Glasgow Premier League in division 3B under the stewardship of Billy Ballantyne & Gav Crawford. The new management team brought a young and enthusiastic group of players to the club, most of whom had played for the under 19's and under 21's. After a difficult start to the season it was clear the squad needed more quality and most of all experience, to help the re-establishing of the club and overcome the initial difficulties of reforming a previously successful club. Heavy defeats in both the Scottish and West Cups looked to have sealed the folding of the club but with determination and resolve and the addition of one or two players, the club survived and stumbled to the end of the season finishing third from bottom.

Season 2010/2011 started in a much more positive frame of mind with new players being added to the squad and a good pre season saw excellent unbeaten runs of 15 consecutive games and an unbeaten league run of 14 games. A creditable fourth round achievement in the Scottish and a third place finish in the league was a fantastic performance. Better was to come with an extra place becoming available in the second division and KT winning the play off game to secure promotion after only 2 seasons back.

Roll of Honour

1989/90
Isle of Man Tournament Winners
Greater Glasgow Premier League Champions
Greater Glasgow League Cup Winners

1990/91
St Mungo's 7-a-side winners
Greater Glasgow Challenge Cup Winners

1991/92
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Champions
Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Cup Winners

1992/93
Scottish Amateur Football League Centenary Cup Winners
Greater Glasgow Premier League Champions

1994/95
Central Scottish League Division 1 Section Winners

1995/1996
Greater Glasgow Division 3 Champions

1996/1997
Greater Glasgow Division 2 Champions

1999/2000
Greater Glasgow Challenge Cup Winners

2004/05
Greater Glasgow Challenge Cup Winners

2005/06
Greater Glasgow Premier League Champions