CLUB
PROFILE
ALBION
Boys Club F.C.
Formation
Albion Boys Club was formed in 1999,
having existed in various guises from
1989 onwards. Originally Seafield
Swifts, the name changed to Sunnybank Juveniles and then Albion
Rangers in 1995, before a new committee was set up in 1999, setting out
a new vision for the club. The club has
since grown to its current state, with
nine teams at ages from under 10s to
under 16s.
2000-2011
Since it’s rebranding, the club has
gone from strength to strength, and is
now one of the North-East’s biggest
and most successful juvenile clubs.
Albion describe their ethos as striving
for football excellence and developing
young players to fulfil their potential
at whatever level that maybe. This
ambitious motto certainly seems to
have paid dividends, as the club have
reached twelve Scottish Cup finals in
their fourteen year history, winning
seven of those finals. In 2010 the club
made a deal with Banks O’ Dee F.C.;
a link which will allow players to continue their careers beyond the Boys
Club and into junior football. In 2011
the two clubs teamed up to fund an
all-weather Astroturf surface at Spain
Park, where Albion now play the majority of their home matches.
34 | YFS Magazine | Issue #1
Youth Development
The new facility will help in finding
and developing the kind of young
talent that has been the trademark of
the club since their inception. The club
often hold trialling days for children
from local schools, in an effort to
secure the best young regional
players. Albion have produced a
number of professionals since it’s
formation, including Aaron TaylorSinclair of Partick Thistle, Floriant
Valot of AS Monaco and Wigan’s
Shaun Maloney.
Recent Successes
Last year was one of superb success
for Albion, as three of five teams won
their leagues, with the under 14s
coming second in their Soccerworld
League A, despite only failing to win
twice all season. The under 17 and
13’s successes were more remarkable, as both teams had undefeated
records. Also last year, Albion’s under
14’s reached the final of the Scottish
Cup, only to be beaten by a last minute goal, losing 1-0. In 2011/12, the
team experienced yet more success,
as both the 16’s and 17’s came top of
their respective leagues.
by Neil Matheson