AWAY MATCH v INVERURIE LOCO WORKS FC
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
HARLAW PARK, INVERURIE AB51 6AN
SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY KO – 2pm
Well, it’s off down the A95 and A96 and the sixty three miles to Inverurie for this weeks Breedon Highland League match kick off 3pm at Harlaw Park.
Inverurie have a had a wee dip in form recently with some up and down performances and results after a relatively good start to the season – but they are still in sixth place in the league so they’ve obviously doing something right.
In our home match in September the score was 2-2 so hopefully we’ll be coming back up the road with at least one point, especially after The Jags drawing against Nairn County last week.
REMEMBER THIS IS A 2pm KICK OFF
Speaking of last week’s game at Seafield Park in front of a healthy attendance, The Jags had one of their best performances for a long time.
Everyone played their part in what turned into a fiesty competitive match. With James Kendall making a very impressive debut in goals, The Jags took the lead with Daniel Whitehorn scoring from the edge of the penalty box early in the second half and this led to a nervous half hour from the Jags fans. It could have been two but Ross Logan was denied a penalty when he was brought down by the Nairn keeper – well Jags fans thought so – and a much debated corner led to Nairn scrambling an equaliser in the 87th minute.
Nairn had the bulk of the pressure in the second half so a draw was probably just about right…..but the home fans were very pleased with their team’s performance and the hope is that this is the beginning of more consistent and hard working performances.
ROBERT MACCORMACK
Taking his place in the home team’s dug out for the first time was our new Assistant Manager Robert MacCormack. robert, who had a very impressive time as manager of Alness United in the North Caledonian League, was delighted with the performance although as is always he says improvements will made…. More from Robert in the coming weeks.
NEW SIGNINGS
Also making this debut on Saturday was James Kendall, who put in a very good and steady performance but, due to committments made before signing, he’ll not be available for a couple of weeks. So, with Michael MacCallum still working away, we welcome back Olly Kelly between the posts, who’s loan deal from Elgin City was interrupted by having to return to his parent club for cover after one of the Elgin keepers were injured.
We have also recruited from interim manager Brian Ritchie’s Strathspey Thistle in Community team striker/forward Rory McKinnon so we welcome them all and wish them all the best.
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS
We welcome Alan McKenzie and Rob Clark to the committee.
Alan arrived in Grantown last April with his wife, daughter and grand-daughter after many years in the the south of England running a successful property business. He quickly became a fixture at our home games and has been helping us out with pitch repairs after every home game – so Alan will be a great asset to the club.
Rob needs no introduction as his role as Club Historian has been mentioned a few times and as a stalwart of the local branch of the Royal British Legion for many years. Rob is giving an eagerly anticipated talk on the history of Grantown football and it’s place in world football a week Friday (17 February) at the Grant Arms Hotel, here in Grantown…see you all there!
THIS WEEK’S STRATHY
We sent a letter to our local and very supportive newspaper this week outlining the strife that comes with a small local professional football team based in the north-east Scottish Highlands.
It reads……
Dear Sir
May I take this opportunity through the “Strathy” to thank everyone who continues to help in the running of Strathspey Thistle – from loyal fans to our main sponsors. We’d also like to thank the Strathy for it’s continued support.
As anyone who is interested in the Highland League will know we have not had the best of seasons so far, but big changes have taken place and there is a more positive outlook.
There was a feeling last summer amongst the committee that we would like to try and encourage more local involvement, especially on the playing side, and the appointment of Brian Ritchie as Head of Football Development has been instrumental in moving this forward – with Brian’s ‘Strathspey Thistle in the Community’ football team supplying seven signed players who are in the squad this year – four were involved in last Saturday’s excellent draw against ninth place Nairn County.
We have also had contact with Strathspey Rovers and hope that more liason between all three clubs will and can only be to everyone’s benefit.
For the first time in the Jags dug-out on Saturday was new Assistant Manager Robert MacCormack, whose work with Alness United has been very impressive.
A new manager will be confirmed in the next couple of weeks or so, and the club are very positive for the future that things will go well on the park.
However, it’s not only on the park that a football club survives….and Strathspey Thistle over the years has been served by a stalwart bunch of volunteers behind the scenes. The Club are very thankful to them, but as we look to the future we would be very pleased to welcome new help to run the Club – perhaps yourself – or you may know of someone keen on football who would enjoy helping us out on match days, or possibly have a couple of hours to assist with some weekly tasks, or maybe join the committee where their skills could be very much utilised in the running of the Club.
We are indebted to our major sponsors Ross at McGowan Environmental Engineering, Steven and Alan at MKM Aviemore and Jon at The Grantown Diner and The Pagoda, because without them we would not be able to exist.
We also want to express our gratitude to all the companies and individuals who have an advertising board on the periphery of the pitch at Seafield Park and we also very much appreciate our loyal and dedicated supporters who are at all the home games, and our faithful fund-raising Lottery players.
But today’s times are hard as you know, and, if there was anyone willing to help financially or with a sponsorship e.g. an individual player can be sponsored or perhaps,advertise your business with a pitch side ad-board. Financially it would mean so much as players and management wages, energy bills, transport costs and pitch maintainance are all escalating and a small rural Club like Strathspey Thistle suffers substantially more than many of our rivals.
Perhaps that all sounds a bit gloomy ……but, there is a a promising future ahead and it would be great if you could be a part of it – whether by buying a fund-raiser lottery ticket online every week or coming along and watching a game or by helping us on a match day – everything is much appreciated.
If you’d be willing to help out please come along on a home match day and talk to one of the committee or phone Club Secretary Clive Wolstenholme on 01479 811334 – thanks.
Our next home game at Seafield Park is on February 18 – a Breedon Highland League match against Huntly FC – maybe see you there.
Yours
Strathspey Thistle
LOTTERY FUNDRAISER
As is usual at this time we focus on our fund-raising Club Lottery and your chance of winning the £3200 by playing here – good luck and see you next week for the preview of our home match against Huntly FC on the 18 February – Huntly are currently in tenth position so it should be a cracker!