Iain Vigurs

Iain Angus Vigurs (born 7 May 1988) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder and captains Scottish Premiership side Ross County. He has previously played for Elgin City, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Motherwell.

Iain Vigurs
Personal information
Full name Iain Angus Vigurs
Date of birth (1988-05-07) 7 May 1988[1]
Place of birth Aberdeen, Scotland[1]
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Ross County
Number 11
Youth career
Aberdeen
Celtic
Albion B.C.
– Elgin City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2006 Elgin City 11 (1)
2006–2009 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 21 (1)
2009–2013 Ross County 133 (17)
2013–2015 Motherwell 47 (6)
2015 Inverurie Loco Works
2015–2018 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 92 (15)
2018– Ross County 53 (5)
National team
2007 Scotland U19 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:19, 23 January 2021 (UTC)

Early life

Born in Aberdeen, Vigurs attended Mackie Academy in Stonehaven, where he lived before his footballing career began.[2]

Club career

Early career

Vigurs played for Stonehaven Youth under 9s, scoring over 50 goals in his only season. Vigurs started his playing career in the youth team of Aberdeen and then was signed by Celtic. However, Vigurs left Celtic when he was fourteen. He quoted: "When I left Celtic I felt like I had failed a little bit."[3][4]

Vigurs played for Elgin City in the Third Division, playing over 20 times since making his debut at age 15. Since joining, Vigurs quoted "I played for a boys club for a season then went to Elgin when I was 15. I loved every minute and gained some good experience playing in the Third Division."[3]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

He then signed for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where he was given a twelve-month professional contract[5] and then signed a one-year contract extension with Caley Thistle in May 2008.[6]

He made his home debut for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in May 2008 in a 6–1 win over Gretna. He assisted Ross Tokely's goal and then a minute later scored a goal with a volley.[7] In the 2008–09 season, Vigurs first team opportunities were limited under managers Craig Brewster and Terry Butcher; which saw Inverness relegated to Scottish Division One. He did however manage to score twice, with goals against Arbroath in the League Cup[8] and Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup.[9] In December 2008, the club offered him a new contract following his breakthrough into the first team,[10] however at the end of the season, it was announced he was among seven players to leave the club.[11] While at Inverness, Vigurs was "criticised for his laid back approach".[12]

Ross County

Following his release from Inverness, Vigurs joined Highland rivals Ross County on a one-year contract.[13][14]

Vigurs made his debut in the opening game of the season, in a 2–1 win over Airdrie United.[15] Vigurs scored a back heel against his old club (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) in his first Highland Derby which Ross County won 3–1.[16] Because of his good performances, he was named SFL Young Player of the Month for August 2009.[17] Vigurs would add two more goals against Dunfermline Athletic in two different matches. In the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against Hibernian, Vigurs provided an assist for Scott Boyd to score a last minute goal in a 2–1 win.[18] Ross County went on to reach the final, however they lost 3–0 to Dundee United.

In the 2010–11 season, Vigurs began the season on the substitutes bench. He scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw against Queen of the South and he scored again in a 2–0 win against the same opponents in the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup, Vigurs scored the second goal in the match.[19] Then in the 2011–12 season, Vigurs made thirty five appearances and scored five times as Ross County won the First Division title and we're promoted to the Scottish Premier League for the first time in the club's history. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Vigurs signed a new one-year contract with the club.[20]

Vigurs played his first Scottish Premier League match in three years, as Ross County drew 0–0 against Motherwell in the opening game of the season.[21] Vigurs would score in three straights matches between 29 September 2012 and 20 October 2012 against St Mirren, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hibernian. Following his first goal of the 2012–13 season against St Mirren, Vigurs described the match as "It was just a freak match. It ended up turning into a basketball game."[22] Vigurs continuously established himself in the first team at Ross County and would add nine goals to his tally in thirty nine appearance in all competitions. He scored with a free-kick in a 1–1 draw against Celtic on 5 May 2013.[23]

At the end of the 2012–13 season, with his contract about to expire, Vigurs was linked with St Johnstone[24] and Hibernian.[25] During his career, Vigurs referred to himself as "Ross County's Mario Balotelli", due to his training-ground eruptions and occasional crazy behavior.[26]

Motherwell

After a move to English League One side Oldham Athletic collapsed,[27] Vigurs signed a two-year deal with fellow SPL club Motherwell, on 12 June 2013.[28]

Vigurs made his Motherwell debut in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the Europa League, in a 2–0 loss against Kuban Krasnodar.[29] Motherwell would be eliminated after Kuban Krasnodar proved to be too strong and failed to win either leg losing 2–0 and 1–0 respectively. Vigurs made his league debut in the opening game of the season, in a 1–0 win over Hibernian.[30] Vigurs contributed plenty of assists to the club, but was unable to score his first goal,[3] that was until 1 January 2014 where Motherwell won 4–0 against St Johnstone.[31] Vigurs' second goal came on 1 March 2014, in a 4–1 win over Hearts.[32] Vigurs then scored two goals in two matches against Kilmarnock[33] and Inverness Caledonian Thistle[34] In his first season at Motherwell, Vigurs made thirty-seven appearances and scored four times in all competitions, as he helped the club finish in second place.

In his second season at Motherwell, Vigurs started his season well when he set up one of Josh Law's goal, in the Europa League second qualifying round 1st leg match against Stjarnan at Fir Park.[35] He then scored his first goal of the season on 13 September 2014, in a 2–1 win over Ross County.[36] Two months later on 7 November 2014, Vigurs scored his second goal of the season, in a 1–0 win over Dundee United.[37] However, Vigurs ended his season with fifteen appearances, scoring twice in all competitions after suffering from a sciatic problem that kept him out for the remainder of the season.[38]

On 2 June 2015, Motherwell announced that Vigurs was amongst the players leaving the club, with his contract having expired.[39]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (second spell)

Following his release by Motherwell, Vigurs went on trial at Barnsley.[40] He then played twice as a trialist for Inverurie Loco Works in the Highland Football League.[41][42]

On 12 August 2015, Vigurs signed for Inverness Caledonian Thistle a second time, agreeing a one-year contract.[43] He made his second debut the same day, as a substitute in a 0–0 draw at home against Partick Thistle.[44]

Ross County (second spell)

On 15 May 2018, Vigurs agreed to sign for Ross County again ahead of the 2018–19 season.[45]

International career

Vigurs has represented Scotland at under-19 level.

Personal life

In June 2009, Vigurs, along with his brother Patrick, was charged "with initiating an alleged racially aggravated street attack".[46] In August 2010, the pair were cleared of committing a racial attack in the incident which took place outside an Aberdeen nightclub.[47]

In May 2013, Vigurs became a first-time father, which was the reason his move to Oldham broke down.[48][49]

In the early hours of 3 February 2019, Vigurs was arrested and charged following a violent incident outside Johnny Foxes, a popular pub in Inverness.[50]

Career statistics
As of match played 23 January 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Elgin City 2003–04 Scottish Third Division
2004–05
2005–06
Total 111200010141
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2007–08[51] Scottish Premier League 410000—41
2008–09[52] 1701131—212
Total 211113100253
Ross County 2009–10[53] Scottish First Division 35350304[lower-alpha 1]0473
2010–11[54] 312303141414
2011–12[55] 30532101[lower-alpha 1]0357
2012–13[56] Scottish Premier League 3772200–399
Total 13317134719116223
Motherwell 2013–14[57] Scottish Premiership 36400001[lower-alpha 2]0374
2014–15[58] 11210102[lower-alpha 2]0152
Total 476101030526
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2015–16[59] Scottish Premiership 306521000368
2016–17[60] 3212054—395
2017–18[61] Scottish Championship 30820405[lower-alpha 1]0418
Total 9215921045011622
Ross County 2018–19[62] Scottish Championship 15200301[lower-alpha 1]0192
2019–20[63] Scottish Premiership 1621050—222
2020–21 2210040—261
Total 5351012010675
Career total 3574527734618143657
  1. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearances in the Europa League

Honours

Club
Ross County
Inverness CT

Individual

References
  1. "Iain Vigurs profile". Official Motherwell FC Site. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. "Ross County star Iain Vigurs hopes for Scottish Cup glory to complete family hat trick". Daily Record. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  3. "Motherwell midfielder Iain Vigurs is desperate to score his first goal for the Steelmen so his teammates will cut him some slack". Daily Record. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  4. "Motherwell star Iain Vigurs: Aberdeen can take the plaudits, we'll settle for second spot". Daily Record. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  5. "Charlie signs starlets". Highland News. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  6. "Young trio stay on at Inverness". BBC Sport. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  7. "Inverness CT 6–1 Gretna". BBC. 3 May 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  8. "Arbroath 2–2 Inverness (2-4pens)". BBC. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  9. "Inverness CT 3–0 Partick Thistle". BBC. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  10. "Transfer talk – December 3: Celtic eye Hanstveit move, new deal for Vigurs, SPL2". Daily Record. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
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