Thornton Hibs JFC | History/Honours

	Thornton Hibs J.F.C.

Sponsors
Thornton Parish Church Main Street, Thornton



SD Electrics 10 Beechwood Park, Glenrothes tel: 01592 742177/07786985702



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Honours

Scottish Junior Cup Semi-Finalists
1959/60, 2007/08
Fife and Lothians Cup Finalists
2008/09
Fife League Championship
1937/38(East), 1952/53, 1958/59, 1968/69, 1988/89(Div. 2), 2003/04
Fife Cup
1935/36, 1958/59, 1974/75, 1996/97*, 1998/99*
Cowdenbeath Cup
1938/39, 1959/60, 1962/63
East Fife Cup
1937/38, 1967/68, 1968/69
West Fife Cup
1951/52, 1959/60
League Cup
1951/52, 1972/73
Mitchell Cup
1958/59, 1963/64
Drybrough Cup
1977/78
Montrave Cup
1937/38, 1984/85, 1995/96, 1997/98#, 1998/99, 2001/02
Ladbrokes Fair Play Trophy Award
2002/03, 2003/04

*Sponsored by Peddie, Smith, Maloco
#Shared with Hill of Beath Hawthorn

Club History

Thornton Hibs were formed as a juvenile side in 1913 and won every honour at that level with the exception of the Scottish Cup although they did reach the final in 1931 but lost to Blairhall following a replay at East End Park, Dunfermline.

In 1935 they stepped up to the junior ranks and by the end of the first season they had the Fife Cup in their possession. By winning this competition, the Hibs became Fife’s representative’s in a national competition called the Jubilee Shield. 3164 people witnessed them defeat Strathclyde 4-1 at Stark’s Park, Kirkcaldy but in the semi-final at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Glenafton Athletic won by two goals to nil.

Before the outbreak of war in 1939, they added to their honours list by winning the Fife League (East) and the East Fife Cup in 1937/38 and the Cowdenbeath Cup the following season.

Despite being successful on the field in 1951/52 (The West Fife and League Cups were won), chairman George Sharp revealed at a special meeting that because of insufficient numbers on the committee, the club was in danger of folding. Thankfully after some discussion, eight of the audience agreed to serve on the committee.

They were rewarded the following season when the Hibs tied up the League Championship with a 7-2 trouncing of Kelty Rangers.

In 1957/58 no trophies were won but the nucleus of a fine side was there. Under the guidance of trainer-coach George Johnstone, the former Raith Rovers and Aberdeen goalkeeper, they reached the fifth round of the Scottish Junior Cup before being knocked out by Pumpherston following a replay.

The next season ended with the Hibs hailed as the League Champions and just for good measure they also landed the Mitchell and Fife Cups.

During 1959/60, The Hibs reached the semi-final for the first time in their history. To get there they’d seen off Camelon, Dunbar United, Tranent, Loanhead Mayflower, Parkhead and Blantyre Celtic. And so on April 16th 1960 Thornton Hibs and St Andrews United clashed at Stark’s Park in front of 15,411 spectators. The game finished 1-1, Jackie Campbell being the Hibs’ scorer but Saints won the replay 2-1 the following Saturday before going on to beat Greenock in the final. A few weeks later the Hibs had an opportunity to exact revenge on St Andrews in the Fife Cup-Final but lost 3-0.

They didn’t finish the season empty handed but the Cowdenbeath and West Fife Cups were poor consolation for what might have been. Newburgh and Lochore Welfare defeated the Hibs in the finals of the 1960/61 Cowdenbeath and Fife Cups respectively as they set about rebuilding their team following the deparure of a number of players to senior clubs.

Their last Cowdenbeath Cup victory came in 1962/63 and similarly their last Mitchell Cup triumph came the following year.

A few trophyless seasons followed before Lochore Welfare were defeated 2-1 in the 1967/68 East Fife Cup-Final. They retained this trophy the following season after a stunning 9-2 defeat of Newburgh at Dovecot Park, Glenrothes. This came a week after they had steamrollered Clackmannan 9-1 to clinch the league championship.

In 1972/73 the Hibs defeated Glenrothes in the final of the League Cup and at the end of that season a new player of the year trophy was presented to the club by Eric Mitchell of the Ship Tavern with Willie Fyall having the honour of being the first man to get his name on it.

In 1974/75, Ronnie Purves captained the side to a 6-1 victory over Kirkcaldy YMCA in the Fife Cup Final then in 1977/78 it was the turn of John Hay (who only resigned from the committee in 2006 after a 30 year association with the club) to skipper the side to victory in the Fife Drybrough Cup as they defeated Halbeath 5-2.

It was 1988/89 before the polish was required again when the second division was secured under the guidance of manager, Bill Mercer.

Archie Wyse was appointed manager of the club in 1994 and he set about rebuilding the club after a few years in the doldrums. By October 1996 he’d landed the Peddie, Smith, Maloco sponsored Fife Cup after Rosyth Recreation were defeated 3-0 and two seasons later he again guided the team to success in this competition, with Hill of Beath Hawthorn on the receiving end of a 2-0 defeat.

After knocking at the door a couple of times, the league championship was won in 2003/04 allowing the club to compete in the Superleague in 2004/05 for the only time as relegation came along at the first time of asking. This led to Wyse resigning from the club along with his assistant John McAndrew.

Stuart Elder succeeded Willie Syme as team boss in 2007 and performed miracles with his backroom staff and players to achieve what many thought would never happen again – a place in the semi-final of the Scottish Junior Cup in April 2008. To get to that stage of the competition, the Hibs defeated Petershill, Lochee Harp, Maud, Maybole and Glenafton Athletic.

They were denied a place in the final when the referee awarded Cumnock an 89th minute penalty kick and sent off the goalkeeper, Stuart Hall. To say that the Hibs were stunned by this very controversial decision would be an understatement. Outfielder, Russell Taylor, took over in goals and amazingly saved the spot kick to send the tie into extra-time. Cumnock went on to win 3-0, all of the goals being ones that Hall would’ve saved wearing a blindfold.

History was made when the Hibs reached the final of the Fife and Lothians Cup for the first time in 08/09 with Craig Gilbert as their manager (he had swapped positions with Stuart Elder at the beginning of that campaign). Broxburn Athletic, Oakley United, Tranent, Musselburgh Athletic and Hill of Beath Hawthorn were beaten but they fell at the final hurdle as Linlithgow Rose won 1-0 at Keir's Park, Hill of Beath.

Club History By Season
History Summary For Season 2005/6 History Summary For Season 2004/5 History Summary For Season 2003/4 History Summary For Season 2002/3 History Summary For Season 2001/2 History Summary For Season 2000/1 History Summary For Season 1999/0