Club History
 

Arbroath Victoria (The Vic`s) are one of the oldest junior clubs in Scotland having been formed in 1882. The club gained their first honour in April of that year by beating a team called Sunrise 3 – 0 on the common.

On the 1st of November 1890 the Vics met Burnside Athletic another local side on the common and according to the local paper of the time, it was a miserable one sided game with the Vics winning by 15 goals to nil. To our knowledge this is our biggest ever win. That year the Vics went on to win the coveted Forfar and District Junior Cup.

 

Arbroath Victoria Junior F.C. 1890 / 91
 Holders of the Forfar and District Junior Cup

Back Row:

A. Cowie (Treasurer),  A. Sutherland (Captain),  J. Tough (Patron),  A. Napier,  J. Collie
C. Rayne (Secretary).

Middle Row: W. Livingstone,  J. Alexander,  S. Meston,  A. Watt,  D. Esplin.
Front Row: J. McIver,  R. Doig  and  A. Speirs.




Arbroath Victoria Team Photo 1913
Back Row:

R. Kidd,  J. Milne,  A. Smith,  F. Robb,  J. Lawson,  J. Bouick (Trainer).

Middle Row: N. Patterson,  W. Scott,  W. Hovell (President),  A. Lisk,  R. Riddell,  N. Ogilvie.
Front Row: P. Beattie,  F. Kidd.




Arbroath Victoria Forfarshire Cup Winners 1933 - 34
Back Row: J. Centles,  C. Donaldson,  J. Vannet,  A. Burnett,  J. Parker,  W. Smith,  A. Herron,  J. Wilkie,   J. Hunter.
Front Row: G. Potter,  W. Centles,  R. Clark,  R. Hogg,  D. Centles,  A. McCullock  and  S. Kennedy.

Like many other junior teams of era the Vics played on local public playing fields but during the 2nd World War the Vics played at Gayfield (The home of Arbroath F.C.) as senior football had ceased for the duration of the war, but when Arbroath F.C. required their ground back, the committee began to look for their own ground the club secretary of the time Jimmy Smith was instrumental in securing a piece of waste land in the Cairnie area of the town and the committee set about transforming this piece of waste ground into a football pitch, the park was officially opened in 1951 and named Ogilvy Park in honour of Lord Ogilvy who owned the land in the Cairnie area. The park certainly inspired the team of the day as the Vics were unbeaten at home from 25th October 1952 to 4th June 1955 a remarkable record by any standards. The Vics went on to become the Angus League Champions four times in the seasons between 1952 and 1956.



Arbroath Victoria Winners of the Forfarshire Cup 1953 - 54
Angus Junior Shield and the Arbroath and District Cup
Back Row: J. Millar,  J. Smith (Secretary),  S. Kennedy,  J.Craik,  D. Findlay.
Middle Row: W. Millar (Trainer),  J. Brown,  P. Mercer,  J. Angus,  J. Mowatt,  H. Cant,  I. Grant.
Front Row: J. Parker (Vice-President),  J. Cook,  W. Allan,  A. Annett,  W. Anderson (President),  J. Stewart,  D. Nicoll,  J. Watson,  G. Potter (Treasurer).
 
In 1971 the Vic`s reached the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Junior Cup but were eventually beaten by Cambuslang Rangers. To date this is their best achievement so far in this prestigious event. Many players have joined the senior ranks over the years and in the 1980`s three players, Brian Goodall, Eric Martin and Gus Malone were selected to play for the Scottish Junior Team.
 

Arbroath Victoria Team Photo 1981
with Brian Goodall in his Scotland Strip

Back Row: Alex Spink,  Alex Dalglish,  Dave Reid,  Davie Johnstone,  Brian Goodall,  Dave Swankie, Andy Sommerville,  Iain Harrison,  John Lee.
Front Row: Mattie Hamilton,  Gavin Hamilton,  Stewart Hunter,  Jimmy Hunter.
 
The Vic`s celebrated their Centenary on 8th August 1982 when George Best the former Manchester United, Northern Ireland Internationalist and former European Footballer of the Year turned out as a guest for them, scoring twice in a 4 – 3 win against Arbroath F. C.

Up until the 1990`s the Vic`s were one of the top teams in the region, winning almost every honour open to them, they have won the Angus League no fewer than 12 times. Recent seasons however have not been kind, and in 1999, the club came close to folding, but with a new committee and management team they appeared to have turned the corner, despite not having the best of results to begin with.
 

Vics at the start of the Season 2000/01
Back Row:

Paul Gersok (President),  Ryan Beattie,  Ralph Thomson,  Mark McWalter,  Colin Hancox,  Craig  Smith,  Mark Lowe,  Grant Taylor,  Allan Begg,  Derek Fleming and Norrie Wylie (Co-Managers).
Front Row: Drew Gillespie,  Tony Dickson,  Bobby Bell,  Dusty Miller,  Derek Lawson
Stuart Gersok,  Ryan Thomson,  Marc Smith.
 
At the start of the 2002/2003 season the Junior regions were re-structured, and the Vics won promotion into the Tayside Premier Division for the first time in 10 years. And with Tayside's top two teams, Carnoustie and Tayport ending their domination of the league by electing to play in the new East Region Super League the Vics stood a good chance of remaining in the Premier Division, but alas this was not to be and although the Vics started the season well they tailed off towards the end and they now back in the first Division.
 

Arbroath Vics - Season 2006/07
 Standing:
  Left to Right		 Russell Ruxton (President), Steve Traynor (Coach), Paul Guthrie, Neil Hardie (Treasurer),
Greg Duncan, Bryan Cranston (Manager), Garry Thomson, Alan Thomson, Scott McDowell,
Steve Martin, Kevin Smith, Kevin Dall, Bobby Bell, Ryan Haldane, Martin McGinnis, Kris McLaren, Lesley-Ann Holmes (Physio), Duncan Reid (Committee) and Kenny Simpson (Vice-President).
 Sitting:
  Left to Right 		Scott Munro, Craig Matthews, Beverly Smith (Main Sponsor), Chris Hutchison,
Allan McLeod (Main Sponsor), Sean Reilly, Lee Crosby and Liam Bell (Club Mascot).
 


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