representatives should conduct themselves". 1894–95: King Cup triumph 1894–95 proved to be the club's best season. It reached the Shield semi-final for the third time, albeit at the start of the season the Edinburgh clubs in the Scottish League withdrew from the East of Scotland FA, and did not take part in the competition again. In the semi-final the club lost 1–0 to Adventurers of Edinburgh. The club however gained consolation by winning the King Cup for the only time, beating Raith Rovers 2–1 in the final at Bonnyrigg; one consequence of the triumph was the club had to withdraw from the Shield's Consolation Cup. The club also reached the first round proper of the 1894–95 Scottish Cup, beating Falkirk F.C. 8–2 in the qualifying stages. The first round draw sent the Vale to Ayr Parkhouse F.C., where the home side won 5–3 in a "not specially interesting" game. 1895–96: double runners-up The club came close to retaining the King Cup, reaching the final, but losing to Mossend Swifts by 4 goals to 1 in front of 2,000 spectators at Bathgate. The Vale protested, but, because the protest was served on the Swifts too late, the East of Scotland FA dismissed it. The Vale also reached the final of the Shield - now called the East of Scotland Shield - for the only time, and faced Mossend Swifts again, this time at Tynecastle Park but in front of only 1,000. It looked as if the Vale had gained revenge over the Swifts with a 2–1 win, thanks to goals from Nangle and Amos. However the Swifts protested that Vale's left-back Oag and inside-right Phillips for "professional irregularities". The protest was upheld and the Swifts won the replayed tie at Easter Road by another 4–1 scoreline. For 1895–96, the Scottish Football Association introduced the Scottish Qualifying Cup, which acted both as a tournament in its own right and as an eliminator for the Scottish Cup. By reaching the fifth round of the Qualifying Cup (losing to Arbroath F.C.), the Vale was entitled to enter the Scottish Cup proper, and was drawn at home to Clyde F.C. in the first round, but lost 3–0. Decline The Vale would never have a similar run of success again. A sign of desperation was when appealing its defeat by Dunfermline Athletic F.C. in the Qualifying Cup in 1895–96, on the basis that one Walls was