Association football club in Scotland
Football club
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 League 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 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 League and gaining SFA membership in 2020.[1] [2]
Rivalries
Bo'ness United have a healthy rivalry with Linlithgow Rose – the towns are about 3 miles (4.8 km) apart;[9] they were among the most successful and well-supported clubs from the days of the East Juniors [10] and both moved to the EoSFL at the same point in 2018.[3]
Bo'ness Athletic joined the Junior leagues in 2019 as an informal partner to Bo'ness United, but switched to the East of Scotland leagues as a separate club two years later, causing concerns over there being a new competitor (with similar names, badges and kit) within the same system and community.[11]
Current squad
As of 21 May 2024[12] [13]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Season-by-season record
Junior
This list is incomplete ; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources .
Season
Division
Tier
Pos.
Pld.
W
D
L
GD
Pts
Scottish Junior Cup
1945–46
Junior Edinburgh & District League
Junior 1
2nd
22
19
4
5
+30
30
Second round
1946–47
Junior Edinburgh & District League
Junior 1
1st
34
27
4
3
+96
58
Runners-up
1947–48
Junior Edinburgh & District League
Junior 1
1st
42
28
6
8
+77
62
Winners
1948–49
Junior Edinburgh & District League
Junior 1
1st
44
32
5
7
+73
69
Fourth round
1949–50
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
Fifth round
1950–51
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1951–52
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1952–53
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1953–54
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1st
Junior East Play-off
Runners-up
1954–55
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1st
Junior East Play-off
Runners-up
1955–56
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1956–57
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1957–58
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1|
1st
Junior East Play-off
Winners
1958–59
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1st
Junior East Play-off
Runners-up
1959–60
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1960–61
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1961–62
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1962–63
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1963–64
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1964–65
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1965–66
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1966–67
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1967–68
Junior Edinburgh & District West Division
Junior 1
1968–69
Junior East West Division
Junior 1
1st
Junior East Play-off
Winners
1969–70
Junior East West Division
Junior 1
1970–71
Junior East West Division
Junior 1
1971–72
Junior East West Division
Junior 1
1972–73
Junior East West Division
Junior 1
1973–74
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
12th
24
6
7
11
−3
19
1974–75
Junior East Division B
Junior 2
4th
22
10
7
5
27
1975–76
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
5th
24
9
8
7
+5
26
Winners
1976–77
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
1977–78
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
9th
24
11
2
11
24
1978–79
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
9th
22
10
1
11
21
Runners-up
1979–80
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
4th
22
10
7
5
26
1980–81
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
6th
22
6
11
5
-4
23
1981–82
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
3rd
22
12
3
7
+20
27
1982–83
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
5th
22
9
6
7
+3
24
Runners-up
1983–84
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
4th
22
12
2
8
+9
26
Winners
1984–85
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
5th
22
8
8
6
+15
24
1985–86
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
5th
22
9
7
6
+10
25
1986–87
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
8th
26
7
9
10
-7
23
1987–88
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
9th
26
7
8
11
−15
22
1988–89
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
8th
26
8
7
11
−9
23
1989–90
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
2nd
22
9
8
5
+7
26
1990–91
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
6th
22
8
8
6
+8
2
1991–92
Junior East Division A
Junior 1
2nd
22
10
8
4
+7
28
1992–93
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
5th
22
10
6
6
+6
26
1993–94
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
9th
22
5
6
11
−6
16
1994–95
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
5th
22
8
8
6
+2
24
1995–96
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
8th
22
7
4
11
−1
25
1996–97
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
3rd
22
11
5
6
+14
38
1997–98
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
4th
22
12
3
7
+12
34
1998–99
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
9th
22
6
6
10
−8
24
1999–2000
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
4th
22
12
3
7
+15
39
2000–01
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
5th
22
10
6
6
+1
36
2001–02
Junior East Division 1
Junior 1
7th
22
9
3
10
−3
30
2002–03
Junior East Lothian Division 1
Junior 2
1st
18
10
5
4
+16
35
2003–04
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
6th
22
8
8
6
+5
32
2004–05
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
5th
22
10
5
7
+2
35
2005–06
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
6th
22
8
8
6
+7
32
2006–07
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
11th
22
6
3
13
−13
21
2007–08
Junior East Premier League
Junior 2
1st
22
15
3
4
+20
48
2008–09
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
10th
22
8
4
10
−12
24
2009–10
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
1st
22
14
6
2
+30
48
2010–11
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
1st
22
12
6
4
+12
64
Semi-final
2011–12
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
4th
20
7
6
7
−1
27
Quarter-final
2012–13
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
4th
22
11
5
6
+12
38
Quarter-final
2013–14
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
1st
30
22
3
5
+47
69
Quarter-final
2014–15
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
2nd
28
18
5
5
+34
59
Fourth round
2015–16
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
4th
30
17
5
8
+24
56
Third round
2016–17
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
3rd
30
17
4
9
+39
55
Third round
2017–18
Junior East Super League
Junior 1
8th
30
12
5
13
+4
41
Quarter-final
Senior
† Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Honours
East of Scotland Football League Premier Division
East of Scotland League Cup
Scottish Junior Cup
Winners: 1947–48, 1975–76, 1983–84
Runners-up: 1946–47, 1978–79, 1982–83
Junior East Region Super League
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.[14]
A match at Newtown Park in 2004
References
External links
Current teams (Midlands League) Leagues Cups Seasons Former Leagues Former teams