Club History
The Civil Service Strollers were formed at a meeting in the Local Government Board offices in George Street, Edinburgh in January 1909. The team which became the Strollers was more or less the reserve team of the Edinburgh Civil Service Football Club. Most of the reserve team were unhappy with a lack of opportunity and decided to form a separate team.
The Edinburgh Civil Service club was founded in 1901 and joined the Scottish Amateur League in
1903. A reserve team was formed in 1902 but only seem to have played friendlies. The catalyst for the breakaway seems to have been the formation of the Lothian Amateur League in late December 1908.
Home Grounds
The Strollers have played at numerous different grounds both on a regular basis and for one-off
matches. Regular home grounds were Hawkhill Leith , Drum Park Gilmerton, Pinkhill Corstorphine, The Royal Gymnasium Ground Canonmills, Stenhouse Mills Gorgie, Wood’s Park Portobello, Stoneyhill Musselburgh, Maybury Road Barnton, Fernieside Little France, The Inch Liberton, Braehead Liberton, The Civil Service Sports Ground Muirhouse and Christie Gillies Park Muirhouse (part of the former Civil Service Sports Ground).In additional the Strollers have played one-off or a small number of games at Goldenacre Inverleith, Factor’s Park, Gorgie, Damhead Park, Western Terrace, Tynecastle, Redford Barracks Colinton and Peffermill. Pre season and friendly games have also been played at City Park and Ainslie Park.
The fact that the Strollers played at Stenhouse Mills has led to some confusion with the
Stenhouse Stadium which was built on the site. The Stenhouse Stadium was never a Strollers’
home ground.
Homeless Three Times
The Strollers were homeless throughout the 1931/32 season and at the start of the 1934/35
season. The club were homeless for a third time after the completion of the 1946/47 season
because the sale of the Niddrie Marischal estate was being negotiated and the ground at Little France was no available. An application by the Strollers for the exclusive use of New
Meadowbank until they found a new home was rejected by the Edinburgh General Purposes
Committee on 24 June 1947 but the council did find a new home for the Strollers at The Inch,
Gilmerton prior to the 1947/48 season.
Leagues
The Strollers have played at Amateur, Junior and Senior level as can be seen in the following
summary
1908/09-1911/12 Lothian Amateur League
1912/13-1913/14 Scottish Amateur League
1914/15-1915/16 Friendlies and cup ties
1916/17-1917/18 Lothian Junior League
1918/19 East of Scotland Junior League
1919/20- 1920/21 Scottish Amateur League
1921/22 Scottish Amateur League and Eastern League
1922/23 Border Senior League
1923/24- 1929-30 East of Scotland League
1930/31-1933/34 Edinburgh and District League
1934/35- 1946/47 Lothian Amateur League 1947/48- 2015/16 East of Scotland League
2016/17 to date Lowland League
1910 1958
season 1972/73
1980s 1990s
2010 2018
Honours
- East of Scotland Football League
- Winners:1925-26, 1926-27, 1972–73
- Runners-up (3):1980–81, 1988–89, 1989–90
- East of Scotland Football League First Division
- Winners:1992–93
- Runners-up (3):1996–97, 2002–03, 2008–09
- SFA South Region Challenge Cup
- Winners:2017–18, (runners up 2014/15)
- East of Scotland Qualifying Cup
- Winners (3):1920–21; 1978–79; 1988–89
- King Cup
- Winners (4):1921–22; 1925–26; 1927–28; 1990–91
- East of Scotland Consolation Cup: 1920–21
- Scottish Amateur Cup: 1910–11; 1920–21
- East of Scotland League Cup: 2000–01
- East of Scotland Trophy: 2001–02
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Participated in the Scottish Cup 1924-25, 1925-26, 1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1954-55, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1968-69, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1998-99, 2007-08—present.
Second Round (1930-31, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1998-99, 2009-10, 2012/13, 2022/23,2023/24 3rd Round 2021/22
