ARDROSSAN SNOWFLAKE MINSTRELS FOOTBALL CLUB

The Ardrossan Amateur Snowflake Minstrels was an entertainment group first reported on in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald of 11 December 1896.

ARDROSSAN SNOWFLAKE AMATEUR MINSTRELS
On Friday evening last (4 December 1896), the above combination made their first appearance in the Assembly Hall, Ardrossan.
This is the opening sentence of a longer report.

A football team called Ardrossan Snowflake Minstrels played its first reported game on 23 January 1897.

ARDROSSAN CASTLEHILL ATHLETIC 2 - ARDROSSAN SNOWFLAKE MINSTRELS 4
Another defeat has to be chronicled against the Ardrossan Castlehill Athletic, the Snowflake Minstrels beating them last Saturday (23 January 1897) by four goals to two. At one time, it was expected that the Saltcoats Brewery Eleven would have been the guests of the Athletic but owing to the Breweryites having a cup-tie to play at Largs, they cried off. A good number of spectators turned out to see the game, though one or two of these would have been much better outside the field, as the language they used to some of the players was not of the choicest description. The game started briskly on the hard ground, the Minstrel boys showing their opponents clean heels and ere the game was long in progress, they captured the Athletic's citadel being the first goal of the match. Shortly after this success on a high drooping shot being sent in, another point fell to the visitors, the Athletic custodian being under the impression that the sphere would go safely over the horizontal bar. The Athletics were now two goals in arrears but in the succeeding play, they managed to lessen the gap which separated the teams and before half-time was announced, they cried quits with their opponents, two goals each. After the usual breather, the game was resumed with the Athletics bombarding the Minstrels' goal for a short time but the visitors' keeper proved a big obstacle in the way of success and, do as they liked, the Athletics could not find an opening. Beaten back empty-handed, the Minstrels instituted a combined run on the part of their right wing and capped the effort with a third goal to which they added a fourth immediately afterwards. From this to the finish, the game was very evenly contested and no further scoring occurred and the Athletics found themselves defeated by four goals to two. The game was contested on most friendly terms and the Athletics expressed the hope that it won't be long till the Snowflake Minstrels again appear at Montfod. We understand the Athletics will try conclusions with the Kilwinning Abbeygate on Saturday first (30 January 1897) at Montfod and as the Abbies are a pretty fair lot of juniors, the Athletics may depend on getting hard trot.
           Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 29 January 1897

The Snowflake Minstrels' last reported game was on 22 October 1898.

ARDROSSAN CASTLEHILL ATHLETIC 7 - ARDROSSAN SNOWFLAKE MINSTRELS 1
On Saturday last (22 October 1898), before a good turnout of spectators, Castlehill Athletic engaged in a friendly game with the Ardrossan Snowflake Minstrels at Montfod Park. The Minstrels won the toss and played downhill with a strong breeze in their favour holding their own for a while but latterly the Athletic broke away and Mackay succeeded in registering the initial goal of the game. From the play which followed, it was evident that the Athletic were the superior lot for shortly after their first success, they added two more goals to their total, one of those resulting from a fine shot from G Robertson. The second half commenced with the Athletic three goals in the lead and throughoutthis half, the Snowflakes' custodian had his work cut out for him. Two more goals followed and a splendid shot from midfield by J Greene brought the score up to six-nil in favour of the Athletic. It was not until a seventh goal had been notched that the 'burnt cork' men managed to make any show. About two minutes before time, they succeeded in putting the sphere through. A one-sided game ended Castlehill 7 Snowflake Minstrels 1. The Athletic journey to Crookedholm tomorrow where they play a return match with that team in the second round of the Irvine Herald Cup. Should they play up to Saturday's form, Crookedholm will have a hard run for it.
            Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 28 October 1898

The strong similarity of names and closeness of dates suggest a link between the entertainment group which appears to have performed between March 1897 and December 1899 and the football team which existed between 23 January 1897 and 22 October 1898.