Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts are a registered charity and an SFA quality-marked community football club based in the port town of Inverkeithing in Fife, on the north bank of the River Forth. Swifts play in the East of Scotland Premier Division, which is Tier 6 of the Scottish Football Pyramid. Their home ground is Ballast Bank in the town.
The club was originally formed by chairman Eddie Spence as a youth team in 1996, and after a couple of name changes, became Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts in 2000. The community club currently has over 400 youth members across various age groups. The adult side was formed in 2018, and under current chairman Craig Reid, successfully applied for membership of the East of Scotland League in April 2018. On 28 July 2018, they played their first competitive game against local side Hill of Beath Hawthorn in front of more than 200 fans at Ballast Bank. Their first win came just four days later, a 5-3 League Cup victory over The University of Stirling.
Club colours are blue and yellow, and the home jersey is blue with yellow trim on the shoulders and sleeves. Shorts are blue, with classic yellow trim on the sides and socks are all blue. The traditionalists amongst you will be happy to know that the change strip is the reverse of the home – all yellow with blue trim. There is also a third kit available, in black & white vertical stripes, a nod to near neighbours Dunfermline Athletic.
The club crest is embroidered on the left breast of the shirt and the right leg of the shorts. It is a simple circular design, in club colours, and features the silhouette of the bird that they take their name from in flight over a traditional black & white ball. The club name and year of foundation are in arced text around the circumference.
The first team shirt features the name and logo of club sponsors EATS Rosyth, a local charity project which grows and distributes fruit and veg in the community. The red tomato logo looks a little at odds with the shirt design but is small enough not to take too much away from the overall look of the strip.
The numbers of the back are in the same contrasting colour as the trim, in a modern looking curved design, with a central pin-stripe vaguely reminiscent of the classic Italian World Cup kits of the 1970s & 80s. A miniature version of the club crest also features in the lower half of the shirt numbers. This is one more feature that’s sure to please the traditionalist – the first team currently play in shirt numbers 1 to 11 rather than squad numbers.
The current kit manufacturer is Joma and replica kits are available in kids and adult sizes, with long or short sleeve options, from the club shop https://www.thefootballnation.co.uk/hillfield-swifts-club-shop
Swifts are a young club, their first competitive fixture came in season 2018-19, but they are learning quickly. They were promoted to the current East of Scotland Premier Division after finishing runners up in the First Division Conference B at the end of last season – only their second season in existence.
Inverkeithing is located just off Junction 1 of the M90, 10 miles north of Edinburgh and 5 miles south of Dunfermline. Ballast Bank is located in the centre of the town, just a short walk from train station, which sits on the east coast mainline.
Written by Kevin Marshall
All images copyright Kayem Photography
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