Vale of Leven F.C.

Original club

In the early days of Scottish football, Vale of Leven (based in Alexandria) and their neighbours Renton were real powers in the land, thanks to significant backing from local factories; Vale was backed by Archibald Orr-Ewing's dye works, which meant that Vale could recruit players as factory workers but allow them the time and facilities to play football. One early controversy over this veiled professionalism came in the 1874–75 Scottish Cup. The club was drawn against Clydesdale F.C. in the first round; the Glaswegian club protested the presence in the Vale side of John Ferguson, who, as a former professional athlete, was barred from playing in the competition at the time, even though Ferguson was described as an amateur who "usually wrought in the Vale of Leven from year to year, and no objection was made to him in the international match"; the tie was played under protest, and, after a goalless draw, Vale withdrew rather than re-play. The rule was changed for the next season and Vale promptly reached the semi-final, and then won the Cup three times in succession (1877, 1878 and 1879). In 1878 they travelled down to England and beat the FA Cup winners, The Wanderers, 3–1 at Kennington Oval. The Wanderers had the advantage that the game was played under the English throw-in rule, but the Vale's Scottish passing game proved superior to the English game of individual dribbling. The club also won the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup in shinty in 1879. Vale of…

Senior

Scottish Cup Winners (3): 1876-1877, 1877-1878, 1878-1879 Runners-up (4): 1882-1883, 1883-1884, 1884-1885, 1889-1890 Scottish Qualifying Cup Winners (2): 1909, 1937 Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup Winners (1): 1882 Dumbartonshire Cup Winners (11)

Junior

Scottish Junior Cup Winners (1): 1952-1953 Central Junior Football League A Division winners (1): 1946–1947 B Division winners / overall champions (1): 1969–1970 C Division winners (1): 1978–1979 Central District Third Division Winners (1): 2007–2008 Evening Times Cup Winners Cup Winners (2): 1947, 1970 Kirkwood Shield Winners (4): 1951, 1954, 1958, 1965 Dunbartonshire Junior Cup Winners (2): 1940, 1965 Dunbartonshire Junior Charity Cup Winners (5): 1943, 1946, 1947, 1953, 1954 Erskine Hospital Charity Cup Winners (1): 1970

Shinty

Celtic Society Cup (shinty) Winners (1): 1879