The club was formed out of the 4th Renfrewshire Rifle Volunteers, a company in the Volunteer movement of the British Army. The Volunteers included sporting activities within their purview and newspapers often carried reports of such activities. The growth of football in Scotland, especially thanks to Queen's Park F.C., and the success of army teams in England such as the Royal Engineers A.F.C., encouraged regiments to form football clubs as part of the physical regimen.
The 4th R.R.V. was formed in 1874,[1] in the vanguard of other Volunteer regimental sides. It was playing matches against external sides at least by the 1875–76 season,[2] by which time it was running two XIs.[3]
The club entered the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1876–77. The club was drawn to play West End in Cowlairs and lost to two first-half goals, "play on both sides being very fast and good".[4]
The Volunteers entered a second time in 1877–78, losing 1–0 to Telegraphists in the first round.[5]
The club entered in the following two years, but scratched before its first round ties, and the entry to the Cup in 1879–80 is the final record for the club.
Colours
The club originally wore blue jerseys and knickers, with blue and white hose.[6] In 1877 it changed the knickers to white.[7]
Grounds
The club played on the Renfrew Road until 1876, and Shawholm Park afterwards.[8]
References
^"Club Directory". Scottish Football Historical Results Archive. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
^"Local football fixtures". North British Daily Mail: 7. 21 December 1875.
^"Local football fixtures". North British Daily Mail: 7. 6 January 1876.
^"West-End v 4th R.R.V.". North British Daily Mail: 6. 2 October 1876.
^"Telegraphers v 4th L.R.V.". North British Daily Mail: 6. 1 October 1877.
^Dick, William (1876). Scottish Football Annual 1876–77. Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 62.
^Dick, William (1877). Scottish Football Annual 1877–78. Cranstonhill: Mackay & Kirkwood. p. 86.
