Largs Thistle F.C.
Full name | Largs Thistle Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Theesel | ||
Founded | 1889 | ||
Ground | Barrfields Park Brisbane Road Largs | ||
Capacity | 4,500 | ||
President | David Blackwood | ||
Manager | Stuart Davidson | ||
League | West of Scotland League Premier Division | ||
2023–24 | West of Scotland League Premier Division, 5th of 16 | ||
Website | http://www.largsthistle.org.uk/ | ||
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Largs Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club, based in the town of Largs, North Ayrshire. Nicknamed The Theesel, they were formed in 1889 and play at Barrfields Park. Currently playing in the West of Scotland League Premier Division, they wear gold and black strips. Their main rivals are Beith Juniors and Kilbirnie Ladeside.
The team are managed since October 2016 by Stuart Davidson, who stepped up from his assistants role following the resignation of previous manager Bryan Slavin.[1]
History
In the 1993–94 season, Largs Thistle lifted the Scottish Junior Cup beating Glenafton Athletic 1–0 in the final at Ibrox Stadium on 15 May 1994. Largs won the match in front of 8,000 spectators and claimed their first Scottish Junior Cup.
In the 2009–10 season, Largs again reached the final of the Scottish Junior Cup, however this time losing 1–0 to Linlithgow Rose at Rugby Park on 23 May 2010. The following season Largs achieved their highest position in the West Premier Division by finishing fifth place. Largs' third appearance in the Scottish Junior Cup final came in 2018-19, when they lost 0-2 to Auchinleck Talbot at New Douglas Park on 2 June 2019.
Recent seasons
Season | League | Scottish Junior Cup | West of Scotland Cup | Ayrshire Cup | Sectional League Cup | Top scorer | |||||||||
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Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | |||||||
2010–11 | SJFA West Super League Premier Division | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 5th | R2 | R3 | R2 | R1 | Andy Monaghan | 13 |
2011–12 | SJFA West Super League Premier Division | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 44 | 17 | 11th | SF | R2 | R2 | SF | Euan Lindsay | 13 |
2012–13 | SJFA West Super League First Division | 26 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 59 | 39 | 45 | 3rd | R2 | QF | W | R1 | Andy Monaghan | 15 |
2013–14 | SJFA West Super League Premier Division | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 27 | 48 | 19 | 12th | R4 | R2 | QF | R1 | Euan Lindsay | 10 |
2014–15 | SJFA West Super League First Division | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 37 | 36 | 33 | 9th | R3 | R2 | R1 | SF | James Marks | 15 |
2015–16 | SJFA West Super League First Division | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 47 | 26 | 54 | 2nd | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | James Marks | 15 |
2016–17 | SJFA West Super League Premier Division | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 50 | 19 | SF | R1 | R3 | R1 | R1 | James Marks | 11 |
2017–18 | SJFA West Super League First Division | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 42 | 27 | 50 | 3rd | R2 | R2 | F | QF | Scott Adam | 23 |
2018–19 | SJFA West Super League Premiership | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 69 | 41 | 46 | 7th | F | R1 | R1 | Scott Adam | 20 | |
2019–20 | SJFA West Super League Premiership | 25 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 41 | 44 | 1.23PPG | 12th | R3 | R3 | R2 | Scott Adam | 18 |
Stadium
Barrfields Park has been the home of Largs Thistle F.C. since 1930. The stadium first opened on 21 July 1930, with crowds of over 9,000 attending the first scheduled events. The surface was upgraded to an all-weather 3G pitch in August 2012.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Non-playing staff
Name | Role |
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David Blackwood | President |
Stuart Davidson | Manager |
Martin Crawford | Assistant Manager |
Liam McVey | Coach |
Andy Scott | Coach |
Iain Buchan | Goalkeeping Coach |
Valentina Giorgetti | Physio |
Ally Burns, Iain McShane, Stephen Huthwaite | Largs Thistle Amateurs Coaches |
Ian Nixon, Mark McMillan | Under-20s Coaches |
Notable former players
- Gordon McQueen - Scotland, Leeds United, Manchester United, St Mirren
- Tommy Turner - St Mirren, Partick Thistle, St Johnstone, Greenock Morton, Gretna
- Jimmy Frizzell - Greenock Morton, Oldham Athletic
- Phil Bonnyman - Rangers, Hamilton Academical, Carlisle United, Chesterfield, Grimsby Town
- Crawford Boyd - Queen of the South, Hearts
- Derek Grierson - Queen's Park, Rangers, Falkirk, Arbroath
- Tommy Halliday - Dumbarton, Cardiff City, Stranraer
- William Kinniburgh - Motherwell, Ayr United, Partick Thistle, Clyde
- Phil Cannie - Greenock Morton, Clyde
- Davie Elliott - Ayr United, Dumbarton, East Fife
- Jackie Rafferty - Dumbarton, Partick Thistle
- Dougie McCracken - Ayr United, Dumbarton, East Fife
- Johnny McIntyre - Clydebank
- Ryan McWilliams - Greenock Morton, East Stirlingshire
- Steve Morrison - Dunfermline Athletic, Dumbarton, Clyde, Alloa Athletic, Clydebank, East Stirling
- Rashid Sarwar - Kilmarnock
- Kenny Meechan - Dumbarton
- Andrew Kean
- Craig Brown - Greenock Morton, Port Glasgow
- Joe Knowles - Perth Glory
- Joel Kasubandi - Greenock Morton
Notable former managers and coaches
- Phil Bonnyman - Rangers, Hamilton Academical, Carlisle United, Chesterfield, Grimsby Town
- Erik Sørensen - Denmark, Rangers, Greenock Morton
- Jim George - Dumbarton, St Johnstone, East Fife
- Bobby Lawrie - Partick Thistle, Stranraer
- David McKellar - Derby County, Carlisle United, Hamilton Academical, Rangers
- Bryan Slavin - Greenock Morton
- Stephen Swift - Cowdenbeath, Linlithgow Rose, Stranraer, Irvine Meadow, BSC Glasgow
- Tom Spence - Stirling Albion, East Fife, Albion Rovers
Honours
- Winners: 1993–94
- Runners-up: 2009–10, 2018–19
SJFA West Super League First Division
- Winners: 2008–09
- Runners-up: 2015–16
- Winners: 2004–05
- Winners: 1990–91
Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup
- Winners: 2012–13
Other Honours
- Ayrshire Second Division winners: 1983–84, 1993–94, 2001–02
- North Ayrshire Cup: 2005–06
- Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Cup: 1922–23, 1956–57, 1958–59
- Western League North Division: 1955–56
- Ayrshire League (Kerr & Smith) Cup: 1924–25, 1957–58
- Ayrshire District (Irvine Times) Cup: 1895–96, 1956–57
References
- ^ "Thistle's new boss praises Bryan's impact at Barrfields". Largs & Millport Weekly News. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.