YOU BETTER, YOU BET

AWAY MATCH v KEITH FC
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
KYNOCH PARK, KEITH, AB55 5EB
SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2025 – KICK OFF 3pm

WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF A PITCH INSPECTION AT KEITH ON SATURDAY MORNING – PLEASE CHECK OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES IF YOU ARE PLANNING GOING TO THE GAME FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION

As someone who has had a shottie or three on a drum kit, the first thoughts I have on seeing the name Keith is the drumming monster that was Mr Keith Moon….this Saturday, I hope will offer us the opportunity to snare the three points at Kynoch Park!

It will be our first meeting with Keith this season as both our attempts to play at Seafield Park have been thwarted by either some form of weather or cup ties…..
Keith sit in fourteenth place in the Breedon Highland League with twenty-one points from twenty-one games and have not had a great 2025 so far, with four losses out of the four games played. 
Last week they faced Lossiemouth and lost by two goals to nil, a similar scoreline from our last game a couple of weeks ago, and Jags’ gaffer Ryan Esson took the opportunity to attend the match as our game had been postponed and he was quoted in the press as saying Keith were veru inlucky to lose as they were the better side.
So Saturday’s game looks as though it could be a cracker and with the Jags having to put some points on the board we wish. as ever, Ryan and the boys all the best and hope they can leave Keith with at least a point.

LAST SATURDAY’S GAME v BRECHIN CITY

Although Storm Eowyn created havoc throughout Britain and Ireland last Friday it was Jack Frost who really put paid to our league encounter with Brechin City.
After a tough week’s weather Seafield Park had minus temperatures most nights and latterly in the week, coupled with heavy rain during the day which all resulted in a referee’s inspection early Saturday and an unplayable pitch. 


ALI SMITH 

Most committee and Jag’s supporters who were able to, attended Ali Smith’s funeral on Thursday 30 January at a packed Old Abernethy Kirk in Ali’s home village of Nethy Bridge. There was a very large number of people present  – which is only what would have been expected as Ali was one of life’s good guys and he will be sorely missed by all at Strathspey Thistle Football Club and beyond.

Ali Smith

Davie Millar, Ali’s cousin spoke of his and his family and friends memories of Ali and began with the following –

“You would think I would know most things about Ali :
I know that he was one of the finest people I’ve known.
I know that I’ve never heard anyone to say a bad word about him.
I know that he would do anything for anyone.
I know that he always saw the best in people.
I know that he was loved and well liked by everyone who knew him.
I know that his family, his dear Marje, his boys, their partners and his grandchildren meant the world to him.
I know that I and many others admired him.
I know he was a good man.
I know that no one ever saw him be annoyed.
I know his memory and legacy will live on for a long, long time

Ali also reminded me of one particular football game when he was in goal for his local welfare team, Nethy Bridge.
He couldn’t speak for laughing when it happened and had another laugh relating it again.
Ali attempting to kick the ball up the pitch.The ball struck his brother Davey Smith, playing centre half, on the back of his head.
Of course the ball rebounded and ended up in the back of the net.
Safe to say Davey did not react in a similar way.”

Strathspey Thistle Club Historian Rob Clark wanted to write a few words in honour of his good friend for the website.

In March 2001 Strathspey Thistle returned to France for the second time to play against the team of Grantown-On-Spey’s Twin Town Notre Dame de Monts. Now the first time the team flew, but this time they decided to go by coach & ferry. The Two Coach drivers were both committee members; Johnny Ross & Ali. 
The route map showed the journey would take approx 22 hours and keep in mind this was before the days of smart phones and GPS etc…So the bus was on route approaching the French capital City of Paris.
We went around looking for the exit to the Vandee…… and we went around again…. and again…and again until one of the players Cameron Munro called out “Hey that’s the fourth time we have passed that Cafe!” 
It was a six hour detour going around the Paris ring road before eventually arriving at Notre Dame de Monts near 10pm! 

Ali and the late Johnny Ross photographed at The Jag’s first home Highland League match in August 2009

With a welcoming group party waiting all that time for us to arrive and wondered why we were so late! Johnny blamed Ali … Ali blamed Johnny! 

The following week we had a league game away to Lossiemouth and back in the day when cassette tapes were the entertainment on the coach, the tape was put in the first tune was Bonnie Tyler…Lost in France!!!

If you didn’t know Ali, his likeness to former Dunfermline Athletic Manager Jim Leishman was uncanny! It caused much laughter over the years, especially on Strathspey Thistle away journeys to play in the Scottish Junior Cup or Scottish Cup and the fun was that even his own son, Jag’s centre half Gareth would call him “Big Jim”. 
I remember especially a trip away to Irvine Victoria in the OVD Scottish Junior Cup when, at the time, Jim Leishman was the Manager of Highland League side Inverness Thistle, we kept the deception going all day and especially with the Irvine Vic’s Committee who we convinced that he was Jim Leishman and he was joining Strathspey Thistle!!

Being hospital bound and more recently in Lynemore, the local care home, Ali never let his health condition upset him.
Unfortunately this season this kept him away from all the matches. However he kept in regular touch with Clive and myself on match days. 
His cheerful manner doing the 50/50 half time draw tickets will be missed, and for many seasons he and Mags were the regular sellers and in all weathers. However I will never forget the day when it was heavy rain and the bag of tickets was soaked, however, ever resourceful, Ali dried out all the tickets before the draw, in the shack microwave!!

Rest in Peace Ali, thanks for the memories, thanks for being the voice of reason on many a committee debate, thanks for your 28 seasons as a Committee Member… We all will miss you.”
Rob Clark

The Club will commemorate Ali at our next home game with a minute’s applause and both teams will wear black armbands.


FIXTURES UPDATE 

Fixtures between now and the end of March are as above and as follows – as ever please check with our Facebook and other social media pages for up-to-date information …..it’s going to be a busy time with eleven games in eight weeks, six home games and five away and more dates will be added when the games are arranged….hopefully there will be no more weather interruptions….. 

MARCH

Saturday 1 March – Keith FC – home – KO 3pm

Wednesday 5 March – Buckie Thistle FC – home – KO 8pm

Saturday 8 March – Banks O’Dee FC – away – KO 3pm

Saturday 15 March – Inverurie Locos FC – away – KO 3pm

Wednesday 19 March – Huntly FC – home – KO 8pm

Saturday 22 March – Rothes FC – home – KO 3pm

Saturday 29 March – Fraserburgh FC – away – KO 3pm


LOTTERY NOW £9600

As ever we conclude this week’s meanderings offering you a jackpot win of a massive £9400 on our online fundraising lottery – click here if you want to play…

LOTTERY CH-CH-CHANGES
After the current jackpot has been won therefore completing that game, there will be some changes.

There will still be a weekly prize of £100 for a consolation winner if their entry matches four of the five numbers drawn, however instead of a weekly increase in the jackpot of £100, this will now be increased monthly. 

The game is to forecast 5 winning numbers, which are drawn at random, from 1-20. The 5 numbers chosen are to be marked by a cross (X).

  1. The Jackpot prize starts at £1,000 and the game continues until it is won and starts afresh. As applicable, the Jackpot increases by £100 immediately after the first draw in each calendar month, up to a maximum of £5,000. The Jackpot is then capped at £5,000 until it is won in a weekly draw. 
  2. If more than one player has 5 winning numbers, the Jackpot will be divided equally among the winning players. 
  3. Should no entry forecast all 5 winning numbers, then any player matching 4 numbers will be entered into a draw for a single Consolation Prize of £100. 
  4. THE DRAW will take place every SUNDAY at 7pm unless otherwise advised.
  5. The entrant named on the ticket must be at least 16 years of age.
  6. All winners will be notified.

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