Vale of Leithen FC Information

Vale of Leithen Football Club were formed in May 1891, making them one of the oldest football clubs in the Scottish Borders. Selkirk Football Club had been formed in 1880, and Berwick Rangers and Duns the following year. The brothers R and W Hume, originally from Selkirk, were the main protagonists in the founding of the club. The club became full members of the Scottish Football Association in 1897 and have remained so ever since, apart from a brief spell in Junior Football in the 1920's. They are members of the East of Scotland Football Association and in 2013 joined the Scottish Lowland League, the level directly below the Scottish Football League, and each year participate in the Scottish FA Cup. The club are based in Innerleithen, 6 miles east of Peebles and 12 miles west of Galashiels. With a population of around 2,500 it is the eighth largest settlement in the Borders, and is situated at the junction of the Leithen Water and the River Tweed in the eastern part of Tweeddale formerly known as Peeblesshire. The club found a home at Caddon Park, opposite the old slaughterhouse and played their first two games as 'Leithen Vale', but thereafter changed their name to 'Vale of Leithen Football Club.' The reason why the club opted for this choice of name is obscure, but 'Vale' means valley and Leithen Valley has long been referred to as the Vale of Leithen in local publications. In 1922 Vale moved to their present home at Victoria Park, Hall Street. In August 1974 the old pavilion, which was situated at the east end of the ground, was completely destroyed by fire and in the process the club, as well as losing equipment, sadly lost irreplaceable club records. Vale of Leithen play in the colours of navy blue and white, the reason for which is again obscure. The civic colours of Innerleithen are light blue and white and in old pictures from the 1890's Vale players appear to be wearing light blue shirts, but by the 1900's they were clad in the now familiar navy blue. A third colour, red, has also featured ...