The earliest recorded match for the club is a 2–0 win over the Campbeltown Rangers at Kinloch Park in May 1885.[1]
The club made an impact by winning the Campbeltown Charity Cup in 1887, and beating Morton 6–4 in a home friendly,[2] although Morton won the return friendly 10–1.[3] It dipped its toe into senior football by joining the Scottish Football Association in August 1888,[4] but scratched from its first round Scottish Cup tie with Oban,[5] and left the Scottish FA the following season.[6]
It did however take part in the two editions of the Argyllshire Cup, losing to 1st A.R.V. in both competitions. In 1889–90, the clubs met in the semi-final at the Showfield, the game ending 3–3;[7] Campbeltown protested about the "vacillation of an incompetent referee" who was "a round man in a square hole when acting as a referee", albeit in vain,[8] and the Volunteers won the replay 3–2, with a goal in the last three minutes.[9]
In 1890–91, the clubs met in the final. There were however very few entrants in the two tournaments; the Athletics' only other tie was a 5–0 win in 1890–91 over a Kintyre side reduced to 8 men by the end of the match.[10] The Athletics' problem in the final was getting a team together; while the Volunteers could rely on military orders, the Athletics' side was made up of fishermen and sailors who had more pressing duties. Goalkeeper Mathieson - a crew member on a smack - had to sail through a storm from Lamlash in order to get to the final, held at Cappielow Park, so it was a distinctly second-choice Athletic which lost 5–0.[11] Perhaps because of the difficulties in raising a side, no more is heard of the team after the end of the season.
Colours
The club wore royal blue jerseys and dark blue knickers.[12]
Ground
The club's ground was the Showfield,[13] on Castleacres.[14]
References
^"Football match". Campbeltown Courier: 2. 9 May 1885.
^"Football match". Campbeltown Courier: 3. 9 July 1887.
^"Campbeltown Athletics v Morton". Greenock Telegraph: 4. 13 February 1888.
^Scottish FA Minutes 1887–90. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 21 August 1888. p. 55.
^Scottish FA Minutes 1887–90. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 11 September 1888. p. 72.
^Scottish FA Minutes 1887–90. Glasgow: Scottish Football Association. 20 August 1889. p. 170.
^"Argyllshire County Cup - Semi-Final Tie". Campbeltown Courier: 3. 1 February 1890.
^"Football notes". Campbeltown Courier: 3. 8 February 1890.
^"The County Cup semi-final". Campbeltown Courier: 3. 15 February 1890.
^"Football". Campbeltown Courier: 3. 1 November 1890.
^"Athletic v 1st A.R.V. Dunoon". Oban Telegraph: 5. 13 March 1891.
^M'Dowall, John (1889). Scottish Football Annual 1889–90. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 78.
^"Football match". Campbeltown Courier: 3. 1 September 1888.
^M'Dowall, John (1889). Scottish Football Annual 1889–90. Glasgow: Hay Nisbet. p. 78.