Whitletts Victoria Football Club are a Scottish football club, historically based in the Whitletts area of Ayr, South Ayrshire. The club currently play in the West of Scotland League Second Division.
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| Full name | Whitletts Victoria Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Vics | ||
| Founded | 1944 | ||
| Ground | New Voluntary Park, Ayr | ||
| Capacity | TBC | ||
| Chairman | Stuart Jackson | ||
| Manager | Michael McCann | ||
| League | West of Scotland League Second Division | ||
| 2023–24 | West of Scotland League First Division, 15th of 16 (relegated) | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Nicknamed The Vics, the club were formed in 1944 and currently play at New Voluntary Park, Whitletts, near Ayr town centre.[1] In February 2011, the club were forced to leave their traditional home of Voluntary Park in Whitletts, which doubled up as a greyhound racing track,[2] after the local council closed the stadium. The stadium has since been demolished and is now the site of a new social housing complex named Victoria Crescent, after the club. Since then, the club has returned home to Whitletts to their new purpose built stadium at New Voluntary Park.
Current squad
edit- As of 05 August 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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History
editOn the park, the greatest era in the club's history was the mid- to late 1950s. In 1956 the club played in front of 20,100 people at Shawfield Stadium in the semi-final of the Scottish Junior Cup, only to lose 3–2 to eventual winners Petershill. However, in 1957-58 the Club won the Western League (South) Championship, losing out to North Champions Irvine Meadow in the play-off to determine the destination of the league championship itself.
In recent years, developments on and off the park have placed the club on a strong foundation. In 2017–18 the Club won promotion to the newly formed West Region Championship and in 2018 formed its own charity, Vics in the Community, providing free coaching to local youngsters and starting the development of a youth player pathway.[3]
In 2020, the club took the decision after 75 years of membership of the SJFA, to join the pyramid system in Scottish football as one of the inaugural members of the West of Scotland Football League.[4]
On 10 October 2020, the club announced they would not be participating in the inaugural season of the West of Scotland League due to concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6][7]
Non-playing staff
editCommittee
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | Stuart Jackson |
| Vice chair | - |
| Secretary | Mark Porter |
| Treasurer | Marna Fergusson |
| Commercial Manager | - |
| Committee member | Ed Hanna |
Management
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Michael McCann |
| First Team Coach | Graham McCall |
| First Team Coach | Chris Flannagan |
| Sports First Aider | Charlene Dalton |
Honours
edit- Western League (South): Champions 1957–58
- Ayrshire Second Division: Winners 1979–80, 1981–82, 1985–86
- Kyle & Carrick Cup: Winners 1988–89, 1989–90
References
edit- ^ "History - Whitletts Victoria Football Club". www.whitlettsvictoria.com. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "OS Plan 1959". old-maps.co.uk.
- ^ "Vics in the Community - Whitletts Victoria Football Club". www.whitlettsvictoria.com. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Pirie, Mark (4 May 2020). "West of Scotland League unveil full division list ahead of non-league overhaul". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "Whitletts Victoria Football Club". www.whitlettsvictoria.com. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "Club Ballot Results – West of Scotland Football League". Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Pirie, Mark (10 October 2020). "BREAKING: West of Scotland League chaos as 14 clubs pull out ahead of kick off". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 October 2020.