History of the club 1980 - 2024

It all started with a lunchtime conversation in the Our Lady’s High School PE staff base, involving Jim Knighton, Maureen Boyle and Philip McGhee. The rest, as they say, is history – and a long history at that! With the aim of retaining the talented 5th year volleyball squad, with notably the boys as previous winners of the Lanarkshire Under 16 Cup, a let was booked in Our Lady’s starting in August 1980.

What’s in a name?

As the youngest of the above named trio, McGhee was delegated the duty of club administrator and booking the let. At that time a Motherwell Volleyball Club already existed and along with Dalziel VC both used OLHS. This not only made it difficult to find a convenient time for a let –eventually having to settle for a Sunday afternoon, but choosing a suitable name. Without any discussion and inspired by the Clyde Valley phone book, which had been used to source the number for community education,  the palindromic moniker CVVC was created in the space of a phone call.

Ironically, it was almost the first and last time the name was referred to. The club immediately embarked on a long succession of sponsors, adopting a series of company names which provided the club with a profile and volleyball history beyond its modest level of district league competition.

Thistle Sports

The first sponsor arrived within four months of the club’s formation. The town’s sports shop provided us with a subsidised set of strips (and personal discount). Not a bad deal for the shop whose name found it’s way into local and national papers as a distinguished first season saw the team win the second division title and finish 3rd in the national Motherwell Trophy. Not a great deal for us, though,  as the pale blue strips (with extremely tight and revealing shorts!) faded badly. They did, however, outlive Thistle Sports.

In what was to become a sinister pattern for the club’s sponsors, the sports shop went burst and we went looking for another sponsor.

Alethia Travel

This is probably the name most synonymous with the club. Indeed, most former players and opponents still refer to the club by that name. This is perhaps due to the fact that it was the longest association with one sponsor and undoubtedly our most successful years.

It also coincided with the largest number in terms of membership and teams resulting in the club being based in Taylor HS from 1983.

As every player possessed a plethora of sports gear in the bright

yellow colours ofthe sponsor,  the club caught the eye on volleyball

courts across the country and on some occasions  even brightened

up a dull Motherwell town centre.

Sadly, in the week that the club celebrated its tenth anniversary,

Alethia Travel journeyed into oblivion, leaving the club looking

for another sponsor.

Whatco

Step forward national house builders Whatco! An inspired link up between the McGhee brothers provided the club with their best backing financially. Which was just as well as the corporate coloured and logo laden tops were the most

expensive purchase in the history of the club.

Highlights of a three year association (before Whatco went bust) were

undoubtedly winning the league with the smallest pool of players and

an appearance on national TV.

In August 1992 the club returned to its spiritual home and with the

demise of the original Motherwell Volleyball Club (and just about

every other volleyball club of that era) the club rightfully adopted the

town’s name.

Redline

Another sponsor and a not so novel strip to reflect the company name. Notably not only did this sponsor beat the dreaded liquidation curse but its name survived. Despite having an increased size of squad (boosted by the last batch of Our Lady’s pupils) the club finally relinquished league participation  in 1998 – having effortlessly

won it for three consecutive seasons.

However, the club continued to play competitive matches and out of habit

(and with a second set of strips) retained the sponsor’s name until 2002.

Most notably during this time the club (with a couple of guest players)

peaked by winning the title of Scottish District Champions in 2001.

Motherwell VC

Now known simply as Motherwell VC, the team devoid of a sponsor and only boosted by a sequence of short term members, was restricted to friendly matches and the occasional tournament.

As the club headed into its 30th year, though, the old nucleus of six players meant that even committing to friendly matches was a bit haphazard.

But just as old age, battle worn injuries and work commitments looked like taking its toll with club heading the way of its first three sponsors, the club was boosted with the arrival of a posse of players which put the club back on a healthy footing – and looking forward to another 30 years!

'Well beyond Lanarkshire

Although the club’s foundation was largely built on the pupils of Our Lady’s HS and then Taylor HS, the club can proudly boast an eclectic combination of former pupils from across Lanarkshire schools. With representation from no fewer than a dozen schools at some stage turning out in the blue/yellow/green/red strips

of the club, the addition of players from Poland provided a whole new

dimension to the inclusive nature of the club.

To celebrate the extended club membership and with the prospect of

restoring 6 v 6 matches, a new set of strips and an original colour

scheme was sought.

Limited by colour and expanding chest sizes a bright orange was

agreed  upon to signal, hopefully, a bright future.

2023 New era - new sponsor

                                                    As the recruitment of new, and especially experienced members continued to rise, the club attracted                                                          the attention of a new sponsor.

                                                    The finacial input from Paintline, led to the creation of new strips, a new colour scheme and a new era                  for the club.

Some Notable Performers

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