Viking Greenford F.C.
| Full name | Viking Greenford Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1945 |
| Dissolved | 2003 |
| Ground | Avenue Park, Greenford |
| 2002–03 | Combined Counties League, 24th |
Viking Greenford Football Club were a football club based in Greenford, London, England. They played at Avenue Park.
History
The club was founded by Roy Bartlett in 1945 as Viking, growing out of a works team at the Aero Engine Controls factory in Southall.[1] Their first match was played at Ravenor Park in Greenford against 342 Squadron Air Training Corps and resulted in a 13–0 defeat.[1] They subsequently joined the Ealing Youth League before progressing through five divisions of the Dauntless League.[1] They then joined the Amateur Football Alliance and were admitted to the Nemean League, by which time they had become Viking Sports after gaining affiliated teams from different sports.[1] After finishing as runners-up in Division Two in 1963–64, they were promoted to Division One.[2] Their first season in Division One saw them finish as runners-up, and in 1965–66 they were league champions.[2] In 1966 they moved to Avenue Park.[1]
In 1969 the club joined the Premier Division of the Middlesex League.[3] They finished as runners-up in 1978–79, and after a sixth-place finish the following season,[3] the club joined Division One of the Hellenic League.[4] In 1985–86 they won Division One, earning promotion to the Premier Division. However, they were relegated back to Division One after finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 1988–89.[4]
In 1991 the club transferred to the Combined Counties League, and in 1999 were renamed Viking Greenford.[4] After finishing bottom of the league in 2002–03, the club folded.[5]
During their history the club played friendly matches against European clubs on a regular basis, with a total of 92 matches at home and abroad.[1] Their first was against Belgian club S.K. Furness in 1948.[1] A tour of the Soviet Union in 1965 included a match against FC Desna Chernihiv at their Yuri Gagarin Stadium, which they lost 10–1.[1] One match against Stade Portelois drew a crowd of 3,000 to Griffin Park.[1]
Honours
- Hellenic League
- Division One champions 1985–86
- Nemean League
- Division One champions 1965–66
Records
- Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 1993–94
- Best FA Vase performance: Second round, 1991–92
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i The Vikings In Bed with Maradona
- ^ a b Nemean Amateur League 1963-1970 Non-League Matters
- ^ a b Middlesex League 1966-1984 Non-League Matters
- ^ a b c Viking Sports at the Football Club History Database
- ^ Viking Greenford at the Football Club History Database