Football
Football
Whitletts Victoria FC are a long-established football club. Formed in 1944, the Club initially played junior football but in 2020 they became founding members of the West of Scotland Football League. On the park, the most successful period in the Clubs’ history came in the 1950’s when they played in front of 20,100 supporters at Shawfield Stadium in the semi-final of the Scottish Junior Cup. Sadly, they lost out on that occasion, narrowly losing 3-2 to the eventual winners Petershill but success did come their way when they became the Western League (South) Champions in 1957-8, only to lose out to the North champions, Irvine Meadow XI in a title decider.
The 1980’s were also a positive time on the park as the Club won two Ayrshire Second Division titles and the Kyle & Carrick Cup as well as reaching latter stages of both national and local cup competitions. Five players also received international recognition and were ‘capped’ by the Scotland junior national team.The Clubs’ first home was at the Recreation Ground. Its’ first ever match, a 2-2 draw with Ayr Newton Rovers was played there on 12th August 1944 but this only lasted for one season as the ground had been earmarked for the development of social housing after the Second World War. A spell at King George V Playing Fields followed whilst the Club redeveloped a piece of ground in Braehead which was to become the Clubs’ new home, Voluntary Park. The first match at this new ground resulted in a 3-1 win over Annbank United on 10th August 1949.
On 6th August 1983, Voluntary Park also became the Ayr Greyhound Stadium, with a dog called Dingle winning the first ever race at the venue. The Council leased the facility but promised improvements to the stadium by the leaseholders failed to materialise and on 11th February 2011 the ground was closed due to safety concerns. Since then, the Club have played their home matches at Dam Park Stadium. The Club has always harboured a desire to return to Whitletts. Discussions took place with council officials regarding the Club returning to the now vacant Voluntary Park site. However, the site had been earmarked for social housing and the homes at Victoria Crescent bear the name of the Club. During that planning process, the then open but rarely used football park behind the Whitletts Activity Centre was highlighted as a possible home for the Club. This pitch was unsuitable for football and was later closed in 2018 due to safety concerns. During this time, the Club continued to develop. It established a new charity, Vics in the Community, recognised by the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). Formally launched on 1st July 2018, VIC has been the vehicle for all the Club’s charitable and community activities and will also be responsible for the day-to-day activity at the new stadium. Opened in 1992, Whitletts Activity Centre is a well-established sports centre in North Ayr, but the football pitch had been unsuitable for many years. Its’ playing surface was never replaced by South Ayrshire Council. However, now that the new pitch is laid, there is now the opportunity to change that and to re-develop the facility into a Community Hub where many activities take place as well as being a new home for the Club. The pitch is now replaced. The Club is Ayr’s only non-league football club within the football pyramid and has ambitions to play at the highest possible level it can within the West of Scotland Football League and beyond. Once certain stadium criteria are met we will be eligible to apply for our National Club License from the Scottish FA which would allow us entry to play in the Scottish Cup with the potential to bring some of the country’s top clubs to the town – and give the local community a Club to be proud of.