Blantyre Victoria F.C.

Updated on Dec 27, 2023

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Nickname(s) The Vics Manager John Gibson Grounds Castle Park, Blantyre		Ground Capacity 6,000 Founded 1890
Full name Blantyre Victoria Football Club League West of Scotland Super League First Division 2015–16 West of Scotland Super League First Division, 5th

Blantyre Victoria Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Blantyre, South Lanarkshire. Nicknamed the Vics, they were formed in 1890 and play at Castle Park where their record attendance is 6,000. They currently compete in the West Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association.

They shared a healthy rivalry with Blantyre Celtic before the Celtics were dissolved as a club in 1992

The team are managed since June 2016 by former Alloa and Stirling Albion midfielder John Gibson.

Scottish Junior Cup

Winners: 1949–50, 1969–70, 1981–82

Runners-up: 1943–44

Central League Division 1

Winners: 1995–96

Winners: 2014–15

Central League Division 2

Winners: 2013–2014

Other Honours

West of Scotland Cup winners: 1943–44

Lanarkshire League winners: 1892–93, 1905–06, 1910–11, 1916–17, 1919–20, 1926–27

Central League champions: 1935–36, 1979–80

Central League B Division winners: 1980–81

Central League C Division winners: 1979–80

Central League Division Two winners: 2008–09

Lanarkshire Junior Cup: 1903–04, 1913–14, 1915–16, 1923–24, 1939–40, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1948–49, 1967–68

Lanarkshire Hozier Cup: 1965–66

Central League Cup: 1976–77

Central (Beatons Coaches) Sectional League Cup: 1995–96

Famous Players

Some famous players to have started their careers at Blantyre Vics include:

Billy McNeil (later captain and manager of Celtic)

Joe Jordan (later of Leeds United, Manchester United and A.C. Milan)

Jock Stein (later legendary Celtic Manager)

Charlie Johnstone of Motherwell, Dunfermline, Mansfield, Doncaster, Queen of the South and Rangers

Both the grandfathers of Scotland internationals Jonathan Gould (Coventry, Celtic, Preston North End) and Stuart McCall (Everton, Rangers, Bradford City, Sheffield United) also played for the Vics

Gordon McLean was also a great player for the "Vics" back in the 1950s and was regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the Scottish game and even played three times for Motherwell until a knee injury forced him to retire at an early age despite interest from East Stirlingshire and Newcastle United.