Whitletts Victoria F.C.
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 First 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 | Blair Monaghan | ||
| Manager | Ryan Caddis | ||
| League | West of Scotland League First Division | ||
| 2022–23 | West of Scotland League First Division, 13th of 16 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Nicknamed The Vics, the club were formed in 1944 and currently play at Dam Park Stadium, near Ayr town centre.[1] The club were forced to leave their traditional home of Voluntary Park in Whitletts, which doubled up as a greyhound racing track,[2] in February 2011, after actions by the leaseholder raised major health and safety concerns, forcing the local council to close the stadium. The stadium has since been demolished and is now the site of a new social housing complex called Victoria Crescent, after the club.
Current squad
- As of 05 August 2023
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
On 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.
Since then the club has had, in the main, a troubled time, with its very existence called into question on a number of occasions. However, in recent years, developments on and off the park have placed the club on a more secure 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
Committee
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chair | George Jaconelli |
| Vice chair | Andy McKissock |
| Secretary | Jim Shields |
| Treasurer | Andrew Downie |
| Commercial Manager | John Dalton |
| Committee member | George Rae |
Management
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Gordon Pope |
| Asst. Manager | Eoin Waite |
| First team Coach | Gordon Pope |
| Goalkeeper coach | Gary Clarke |
| Sports First Aider | Charlene Dalton |
| Chaplain | Ian Gall |
Honours
- Western League (South) champions 1957–58
- Ayrshire Second Division winners: 1979–80, 1981–82, 1985–86
- Kyle & Carrick Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90
References
- "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.