Swindon Victoria Football Club was a football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England.
| Full name | Swindon Victoria Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Vics[1] | |
| Founded | 1884 | |
| Dissolved | 1975 | |
| Ground | Duke of Edinburgh Ground | |
|
| ||
History edit
Swindon Victoria, formed out of the Swindon Victoria Cricket Club,[2] is recorded as both an association football[3] and rugby football[4] in 1884, but by November 1889 was exclusively playing association.[5]
It was a founder member of the Swindon and District League in 1894, and was the first winner of the Swindon & District Knockout Cup.[6] The club briefly resigned from the Wiltshire League in 1900 in protest at a censure for refusing to finish a Wiltshire Cup tie against Chippenham.[7]
The club's finest season was 1920–21, in which it won the Wiltshire Senior Cup and Wiltshire League, and also reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup for the only time, having played through the tournament from the qualifying rounds.[8] The club was unlucky in that opponents Bishop Auckland not only had significant final experience, being the Cup holders, but also had a short journey to Ayresome Park for the final, while Swindon had a 500-mile round trip. Although the club lost 4–2 (having conceded four in the first half), it had the benefit of sharing in the receipts from a 20,000 gate; the club's average match takings beforehand had been £6.[9]
The most prominent league in which the club played was the Western League from 1924 to 1926. The Vics' best FA Cup run was to the fourth and final qualifying round in 1930–31, but it lost 3–0 at Trowbridge Town.[10]
In 1975, because the club's ground no longer met the level of facilities required by the Wiltshire Football Association,[11] the club merged with Malmesbury United, to form a new club, Malmesbury Victoria, playing in Malmesbury. The new club took Swindon Victoria's place in Division One of the Wiltshire Combination.[12]
Colours edit
The club wore red and white striped shirts, black or white shorts, and black socks, with a white change kit.[13]
Ground edit
The club played at the Duke of Edinburgh Ground at Gorse Hill.[14][15]
External links edit
References edit
- ^ "Swindon Victoria F.C.". North Wilts Herald: 2. 13 August 1937.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria C.C. v St Mark's Young Men's Friendly Society". Swindon Advertiser: 8. 2 May 1885.
- ^ "Wiltshire v Oxfordshire". Sportsman: 8. 29 November 1884.
- ^ "Cirencester v Swindon Victoria". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: 3. 29 November 1884.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria v Kingswood (Bristol)". Swindon Advertiser: 8. 30 November 1889.
- ^ "The Beginning of The Swindon & District Football League". Swindon & District Football League. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria resign from the Wiltshire League". The Star: 2. 7 April 1900.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria and the Amateur Cup". Somerset Standard: 2. 18 March 1921.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria help to draw a £1,500 gate". Daily News (London): 7. 18 April 1921.
- ^ "Trowbridge v Swindon Victoria". Wells Journal: 6. 19 December 1930.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria move out". Western Daily Press: 12. 18 June 1975.
- ^ "History of Malmesbury Victoria Football Club". Malmesbury Vics. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ "Amateur Cup". Wiltshire Times: 11. 5 October 1929.
- ^ "Swindon Victoria v Southbroom". Swindon Advertiser: 3. 28 March 1896.
- ^ "English Cup competition". North Wilts Herald: 3. 2 October 1914.