Vale of Leven FC are a Scottish non-league football club based in the former light industrial town of Alexandria, which is located around four miles from Dumbarton and a few miles to the south of Loch Lomond.
The current club were formed in 1939, becoming members of the Scottish Junior FA, after the original Vale of Leven who were formed in 1872 were a victim of the Great Depression and going bust in 1929.
The original Vale had a rich pedigree in the game in its early years as they lifted the Scottish FA Cup three years in succession. In 1876-77 the club defeated Rangers 3-2 in a second replay. The following season saw Third Lanark beaten 1-0 at the original Hampden Park as John McDougall scored the winning goal.
The hat trick in 1878-79 was completed in strange circumstances. After drawing 1-1 with Rangers the Gers refused to appear in the replay in protest at a disallowed goal in the first game, so Vale were awarded the cup.
Following the 1878 win, Vale had travelled south to take on the English FA Cup winners Wanderers at Kennington Oval. Leven’s passing game was too much for the dribbling style of their opponents as they ran out 3-1 winners.
The 1880’s saw Vale appear in three more successive Scottish Cup Finals, but this time they lost all three; after a 2-1 replay to Dumbarton in 1882-83, by conceding the game against Queen’s Park the following season as remarkably they couldn’t raise enough players for the game, while in 1885 Vale went down 3-1 to local rivals Renton after a replay.
In 1890 Vale became founder members of the Scottish League, but by then they were being eclipsed by the major Glasgow clubs and Dumbarton. However, in their debut season they were once again runners up in the Cup following a 2-1 replay defeat at the original Ibrox Park against Queen’s Park.
Following a terrible second season in the League, Vale decided to step down to the Scottish Alliance for just one campaign. After this Vale played only friendly and cup fixtures before joining the Scottish Football Combination in 1902.
Three years later the club rejoined the extended Scottish League Second Division. The team fared well and ended runners up in 1906-07 and 1908-09, but at the time there was no automatic promotion and Vale didn’t receive enough votes to rejoin the top flight.
After a few seasons of struggle Vale joined the Western League as the Second Division was suspended. Following World War One Leven joined the Scottish League for the third time. However, in their second season they were relegated to Division Three. It soon became obvious that the division was not sustainable for its member clubs so it was scrapped in 1926.
After a season in the Scottish Alliance, Leven turned to local competition before folding in 1929. The SFA struck off Vale from its roll of clubs. A new club Vale of Leven Old Church Old Boys Association, or Vale OCOBA as they were also known, moved into Milburn Park. It was said that the club were a flag of convenience to their predecessors.
OCOBA were invited to join the Scottish Football Association in 1939, which they did as Vale of Leven FC. However, after the suspension of the league owing to the outbreak of World War Two, Vale left the SFA which they had helped to form to join the ranks of the Scottish Junior FA and becoming members of the Central League.
The current club are generally accepted as being a continuation as they won the Scottish Junior Cup in 1952-53 with a 1-0 win over Annbank United at Hampden Park. Vale won various Central League titles in 1946-47, 1969-70 and 1978-79.
The team climbed into the Central League Premier Division at the end of the 1987-88 campaign, but they went back down in 1991-92.
The successful 1995-96 season saw Vale get back their Premier Division status, but it only lasted for one campaign. A further demotion followed in 2006-07 to Division Two. However, Vale regrouped and won promotion at the first attempt. At the turn of the new decade Vale went down once more.
The team remained at SJFA Central District Division Two until the end of the 2019-20 when like the majority of West Junior Clubs they took up the option to join the SFA set up and become members of the new West of Scotland League where they initially placed in Conference C.
Vale of Leven FC will play in the West of Scotland League Conference C in the 2020-21 season.
My visit
Monday 30th September 2013
Through research over the years I had already read about Vale of Leven’s early exploits, so when I was groundhopping from my Glasgow base for a couple of days, a visit to Alexandria was high on my list of priorities.
The train timetable offered me a forty minute window to visit the club before the service returned for the ride back towards Glasgow. After a walk down the ramp from the platform and negotiating the large roundabout I walked down Leven Street to the ground.
Although I couldn’t gain access inside Milburn Park, the wire gates gave me plenty of opportunity for ample photos. The ground was showing its age, but still had an impressive standing cover at the far side. Open terracing and grass surrounded the cinder track, which formed the familiar shape of most major Scottish grounds of that vintage.
The near side had more open standing accommodation, as well as the club and player facilities. The arena quite rightly gave the impression of having staged some big days in the past.
Alexandria looked a pretty town with the River Leven running close to Milburn Park. Sadly I had little spare time in my itinerary so I caught my intended train rather than taking an extended stay. I was very pleased that I had made the effort.
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