Darvel F.C.

Darvel

Full name	Darvel Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Vale
Founded	1889
Ground	Recreation Park, Darvel
Capacity	2,200 (65 seated)
Manager	Michael Oliver
League	West of Scotland League Premier Division
2023–24	West of Scotland League Premier Division, 7th of 16
Website	https://www.darvelfc.co.uk/
Home colours Away colours

Darvel Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Darvel, Ayrshire. Nicknamed "The Vale" and formed in 1889, the club play at Recreation Park, and currently compete in the West of Scotland League Premier Division.

History

The club reached the final of the 1975–76 Scottish Junior Cup, but were beaten 3–0 by Bo'ness United. ^[1]

Darvel won the Ayrshire District League title in 2016–17 to gain promotion to the West Super League First Division (renamed as the West Championship), the second tier of the SJFA West Region league structure.

The team was managed from June 2013 to November 2017 by Scott Clelland. ^[2] On 14 February 2019, Darvel announced that Mick Kennedy would be the new manager for the season 2019–20.

The club and Blantyre Victoria were declared joint-winners of the West Region Championship in 2019–20 after the season was prematurely halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[3]

Darvel joined the West of Scotland Football League in 2020–21 along with all other West Region junior clubs, and were promoted to the Premier Division for the inaugural season. In the first full season, they won the Premier Division in 2021–22.

On 23 January 2023, Darvel pulled off one of the biggest shocks in Scottish Cup history, as they beat Premiership side Aberdeen 1–0 in the fourth round at Recreation Park. ^[4]

Players

Current squad

As of 5 January 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   SCO Andrew Wilson 2 DF   SCO Ross Barbour 3 DF   SCO Nicky Docherty 5 DF   SCO Jack Duncan 6 DF   SCO Scott Walker 7 MF   SCO Leon Murphy 8 MF   SCO Ross McKenzie 9 FW   SCO Declan McDonald 10 MF   SCO Reegan Aitken 12 MF   SCO Keir Ronney 14 MF   SCO Ally Love 15 MF   SCO Aidan Quinn

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 MF   SCO Jonny Black 17 MF   SCO Aidan Callaghan 20 DF   SCO Scott Paterson 19 FW   SCO Aaron Brown 20 DF   SCO Cammy Williamson(on loan from Johnstone Burgh) 21 GK   SCO Jack Howie 22 DF   SCO Conner McGlinchey (on loan from Johnstone Burgh) 23 DF   SCO Jordan Allan — DF   SCO Robbie Cairns — DF   SCO Archie Graham(on loan from Queen's Park) — DF   SCO Jason Naismith (on loan from Johnstone Burgh) — FW   SCO Steven Boyd

Coaching Staff

As of 11 June 2024

Position	Name
Manager	Michael Oliver
Assistant manager	Jamie Broadfoot
Goalkeeping Coach	Cammy Gordon
Sports Therapist	Andrew O’Donnell

Honours

Senior
West of Scotland League Premier Division

• Champions: 2021–22

West of Scotland LeagueCup

• Winners: 2023–24

Junior
Scottish Junior Cup

• Winners: 2023–24
• Runners-up: 1975–76

West Region Championship

• Joint-winners: 2019–20

Ayrshire District League

• Winners: 2016–17

References

1. "Scottish Junior Cup Finals 1970-1979". Scottish Junior FA.
2. Wren, David (3 July 2014). "Darvel Juniors boss Scott Clelland optimistic ahead of new season". Daily Record . Retrieved 5 January 2015.
3. Thomson, Paul (22 May 2020). "Ex Hamilton Accies secretary and UEFA delegate to lead Junior title probe". Daily Record.
4. Murray, Keir (23 January 2023). "Darvel 1-0 Aberdeen: Sixth-tier hosts secure famous upset". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2023.

External links

• Darvel F.C. on Facebook
• Darvel F.C. on Twitter

55°36′32″N4°16′41″W / 55.60877°N 4.27799°W / 55.60877; -4.27799