Stenhousemuir Football Club is a Scottish football club located in Stenhousemuir, Falkirk. They are a member of the Scottish Professional Football League and currently play in the .
Through much of its history, the team has competed in the lower leagues of Scottish football.
In September 2009, Stenhousemuir Football Club, Ltd. was re-registered as a Community Interest Company.
History
1884–1989
The club claim to have been founded in 1884 following a breakaway from a local team called Heather Rangers. However this cannot be substantiated through contemporary accounts, for instance it appears Heather Rangers did not exist until much later. There was a Stenhousemuir FC in existence between 1881 and 1885 with the current club not being reported in the press until 1886.
Stenhousemuir Thistle Cricket Club was in existence c.1881. A reference to a "2nd Stenhousemuir (Windsor)", i.e. a reserve XI, match is made on 18 May 1882. A "Stenhousemuir (Larbert)" away match to Alloa Athletic is listed on 9 September 1882, with Vale of Bannock v Stenhousemuir Thistle on 16 September 1882.
The team line ups for these two matches (one week apart) support Stenhousemuir and Stenhousemuir Thistle as being separate clubs. Stenhousemuir were admitted to the SFA on 21 August 1883 before being struck off from the SFA on 16 August 1885 for non-payment of subscription. This club played in the Scottish Cup in 1883–84 and 1884–85. There is further reference to a Stenhousemuir "junior" team on 13 March 1884. The club were likely not formed as a breakaway from Heather Rangers as they did not exist in 1884 but more likely c.1890.
In 1890, the Warriors moved to Ochilview Park following spells at Tryst Park and Goschen Park.
In 1928, the wooden grandstand at Ochilview Park burnt down in a fire, On 7 November 1951, the first floodlit game between two Scottish senior teams occurred at Ochilview Park, a friendly match between Stenhousemuir and Hibernian. The floodlights had been paid for three years earlier by Tommy Douglas, a butcher in King Street, Stenhousemuir.
In the middle of 1964, Rangers revealed a plan to The Scottish Football League to remove the Warriors from the league, along with four other clubs, on the basis that they were poorest-supported clubs over the previous three seasons. Stenhousemuir, along with Albion Rovers, Berwick Rangers, Brechin City and Stranraer, with support from a number of clubs, including Celtic, Hamilton Academical and Airdrieonians, defeated the plan.
In 1972–73, the Warriors defeated Rangers 2–1 at Ibrox Stadium in Second Round 2nd leg of the Scottish League Cup. Notably, Rangers were the holders of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup at the time. Rangers progressed 6–2 on aggregate having previously won the 1st leg 5–0 at Ochilview.
1990–present
In 1992–93, the Club allowed their rivals Stirling Albion to groundshare at Ochilview Park. In the 1993–94 season, the Warriors were moved out of the bottom league for the first time, due to the formation of the Scottish Third Division. The mid-1990s would go on to be one of the club's most successful periods in its history.
In 1994–95 they defeated St Johnstone 4–0 and Aberdeen 2–0, both higher league opposition, en route to the Scottish Cup quarter finals. In the 1995–96 season, Stenhousemuir won the Scottish Challenge Cup, defeating Dundee United 5–4 on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes and extra time.
Assistant manager Brown Ferguson took temporary charge for the second time, and the club announced on 2 April 2015 that 'Bomber' Brown would take over as manager on a full-time basis for the 2015–16 season.
After a poor season in 2016–17, the club found itself relegated to Scottish League Two. However, the club came straight back up the following season despite finishing in fourth spot, winning promotion through the play-offs after beating Queen's Park in the play-off semi-finals and then Peterhead in the final. 2018–19 saw the club relegated back to League Two after defeat to Annan Athletic in the play-offs.
After five seasons in Scottish League Two Stenhousemuir won the first league championship in their 140 year history, winning the title on 6 April 2024 after a 0–0 draw with East Fife.
Supporters and rivalries
Stenhousemuir Supporters' Trust is the official supporters' club of Stenhousemuir FC.
The club also draws much international support: the Norwegian Supporters' Club is a small supporters' organisation based in Oslo, Norway. The Supporters Club was founded on New Year's Eve 1992 by Rolf Erik Wulff, Christian Wulff and Kjell Jarslett. In 1996 it was given one share of Stenhousemuir F.C. as a recognition of their support and promotion of the club. The fan club has approximately 30 members.
Stenhousemuir Supporters Trust, also known as The 'Warriors Supports Trust' is registered with the Financial Services Agency as a not-for-profit Industrial and Provident Society. It was established in 2003. It works with the Board of the football club and the Supporters Club to develop a more successful football club. The current chairman of the Stenhousemuir Supporters Trust is Graeme Wallace, who is also the stadium announcer at Ochilview.
Notable fans include The Wire actor Isiah Whitlock and Monty Python star Michael Palin.
The biggest rivals are East Stirlingshire with whom they share a fierce local rivalry, as they are both from the Falkirk area and have frequently played in the same division as well as sharing the same stadium for a period.
There is a smaller rivalry with Falkirk.
Current squad and staff
First-team squad
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Club staff
Board of directors
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
|-
|Chairman
|Dan Wharton
|-
|Director
|James Alexander
|-
|Director
|Gary Russell
|-
|Director
|Gordon Thompson
|-
|Supporters club representative
|Andy McPhate
|}
Source:
Achievements
- Scottish League One (third tier):
- Promoted: 2025–26 (via play-offs)
- Scottish Third Division/Scottish League Two (fourth tier):
- Winners: 2023–24
- Runners-up: 1998–99
- Promoted: 2008–09, 2017–18 (via play-offs)
- Scottish Challenge Cup:
- Winners: 1995–96
- Scottish Qualifying Cup:
- Winners (2): 1900–01, 1901–02
- Stirlingshire Cup:
- Winners (11): 1899–1900, 1901–02, 1921–22, 1932–33, 1936–37, 1962–63, 1970–71, 1975–76, 1986–87, 2001–02, 2014–15
- Central Combination:
- Winners (3): 1898–99, 1900–01, 1901–02
- Midland League:
- Winners: 1895–96
Records
- Biggest league victory: 9–2 v Dundee United, 16 April 1937. (Scottish League – Division Two)
- Biggest league defeat: 2–11 v Dunfermline Athletic, 27 September 1930. (Scottish League – Division Two)
- Biggest home attendance: 12,525 v East Fife, 11 March 1950. (Scottish Cup Quarter-Final)