Largs Thistle F.C.

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.

Largs Thistle

Full name	Largs Thistle Football Club
Nickname	The Theesel
Founded	1889
Ground	Barrfields Park, Largs
Capacity	4,500
Chair	Alistair McMaster
Manager	Stuart Davidson
League	West of Scotland League Premier Division
2024–25	West of Scotland League Premier Division, 8th of 16
Website	http://largsthistle.info
Home colours Away colours

The team are managed since October 2016 by Stuart Davidson, who stepped up from his co-management role following the resignation of 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.

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; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  SCO George O'Connor — DF  SCO Conor Bradley — DF  SCO Creag Little — DF  SCO Kieran Brady — DF  SCO Laurie McMaster — DF  SCO Cory Hughes — DF  SCO John Cumming — MF  SCO Sean McLeod — MF  SCO Liam Lapsley

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  SCO Blair Devine — MF  SCO Lewis Davidson — MF  SCO Liam McVey — MF  SCO David McGrath — FW  SCO David Ramsay — FW  SCO Logan O'Boy — FW  SCO Jamie Martin — FW  SCO Travis Stracey — FW  SCO William Sewell

Non-playing staff

Name	Role
Alistair McMaster	Chair
Kenneth Smailes	Club Secretary
Stuart Davidson	Manager
Andy Scott	Coach
Kevin Struthers	Coach

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

• Scottish Junior Cup
  • Winners: 1993–94
  • Runners-up: 2009–10, 2018–19
• SJFA West Super League First Division
  • Winners: 2008–09
  • Runners-up: 2015–16
• West Region Ayrshire League
  • Winners: 2004–05
• West of Scotland Cup
  • 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