Help wanted to mark football club’s centenary

An appeal has been made to help celebrate a Scottish football club’s centenary.

Dumfries Museum is pitching in with a range of partners to bring together a display of memorabilia that will celebrate the 100th birthday of Queen of the South Football Club.

Dumfries libraries, football historian Iain McLachlan and the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden are all lending items for the exhibition.

The exhibition, Queen of the South – The First 100 Years, will open at Dumfries Museum on Friday 8 February.

A Dumfries and Galloway Council spokesman said: ‘Our museum would like to add the stories of the club’s fans and players to the exhibition. Have you been a fan for life? Were you at a specific game that lives long in the memory?

‘We would like to hear from people that could lend an object that tells a story about the club’s history – its highs and lows, the commemorative and friendly matches that have taken place over the years and what it means to you to be a Queen of the South fan.

‘The museum is particularly interested in material from the earlier times in the clubs history. We are also looking for a match football from a Queens game, match tickets, old photographs and any items that belonged to players of yesteryear.’

Anyone with an object and a story to contribute to the exhibition should contact Dumfries Museum during the week of 14 January, either by popping into the facility or by calling to discuss on 01387 253374.

Visiting Dumfries Museum to discuss the exhibition Billy Hewitson, chairman of Queen of the South FC, said: ‘I am delighted that the Museum would host an exhibition for the club’s fans. The club has a number of events planned to mark the centenary year.’

Councillor Andy Ferguson, who is chairman of the council’s communities committee, was also present and commented on how important the club has been in the life of the town: ‘The club’s nick name, “The Doonhamers”, is also the nickname for anyone form Dumfries. We have fewer and fewer sporting clubs in our community and it is important to value and support out local team.’

Councillor John Martin (vice chair of the communities committee) added: ‘Queen of the South Football Club began in 1919 when Dumfries, along with the rest of the country, was trying to recover from the effects of World War One. The opportunity for the community to gather together and socialise at a Saturday football game must have been a cause for celebration.’