HOME MATCH v INVERURIE LOCO WORKS FC
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
SEAFIELD PARK, GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY, PH26 3HE
SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2026 – KO 2PM
Before we start previewing Saturday’s match I thought it would be good to review the Club’s very generous weekend with …at last…after 138 weeks of our fund raising LOTTERY the jackpot, a record, of £14,900 was won ….and in Brora we gave seven goals to Brora Rangers!! ……….More on these later.
We welcome players, officials and fans of Inverurie Loco Works FC to Seafield Park in what will be, if the weather behaves, our first home game since 13 December – two calendar months!
This will be our first league meeting against the Locos this season as we were meant to play this game on 4 October, but that was the weekend of Storm Amy and all matches bar one scheduled for that Saturday were postponed.
This will be Inverurie’s first game since the end of January, when they drew 4-4 at home to Nairn County, as their last two games have fallen foul of the weather so I would imagine all concerned will be champing at the bit for a game of fitba’.
Inverurie have not been enjoying their best season, and currently sit in sixteenth position having played twenty-four games accumulating fifteen points as opposed to ourselves two positions above them on twenty-five points from twenty-one games.
So it means another hard fought and exciting game at Seafield Park….remember the kick-off time is 2PM – and fingers crossed Mother Nature behaves!!!
If any of the Inverurie travelling support wants a resumé of what’s available in Grantown – click here -also our Snack Bar situated in the ground has non-alcoholic beverages and foodstuffs and in addition also situated within the ground, is the Mackellar Suite, which is available for pre and aprés match alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and foodstuffs.
At the time of writing most of the Jags’ squad will be available for selection although captain James McShane will be missing as a result of being sent off last week.
LAST SATURDAY’S LEAGUE GAME v BRORA RANGERS at DUDGEON PARK.
Unfortunately, we have had an unsuccessful run of three away games in a row, two against the then, teams at the top of the league in Formartine Utd and last Saturday, Brora Rangers.
It is never one of our successful parks to visit, it was probably the worst we have played for a while, admittedly it’s been a stop-start couple of months but I don’t think any of the Jags’ contingent came away from Dudgeon Park other than bitterly disappointed.
We were two down after nineteen minutes and although James McShane came close from a free kick, Gary Pullen added a third on his Brora debut soon after.
Josh Race scored another very decent goal for the Jags but Brora scored a fourth before half-time.
After the break Brora scored again in the fifty-second minute and shortly after that James McShane was sent off for pulling down Shane Sutherland denying him a goal scoring opportunity. Although we had a couple of minor chances latterly, Brora showed no mercy and added a further two goals.
Jags’ boss Ryan Esson told the P&J that he didn’t know where to start with his analysis of the game but concluded that if a team conceded goals like we did we can’t expect to get anything out of the game!
WELCOME BECK DEANO
Strathspey Thistle FC are delighted to announce the permanent signing of Dean Stewart from New Elgin Football Club on a deal running until the summer of 2028.
The 28-year-old defender arrives with valuable Highland League experience, having previously featured for Lossiemouth. He’s also no stranger to the Strathy Jags after spending time on loan with the club at the start of 2025.
Dean joined the squad at training on Tuesday and will be included in Saturday’s matchday squad, subject to SFA approval.
The club would like to place on record its thanks to New Elgin FC for their cooperation and professionalism in getting this deal completed.
Manager Ryan Esson said “We’re really pleased to get Dean signed on a permanent deal. He already knows the club and most of the group, which is a big plus for us. He’s an experienced defender at this level with a great personality and will add real competition and strength to our back line”.
Welcome back to Seafield Park, Deano!
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
As ever at this time of year we can never guarantee that matches will go ahead so please check our social media posts.
Wednesday Feb 18 v Buckie Thistle (H) 8pm
Saturday Feb 21 v Forres Mechanics (A)
Wednesday Feb 25 v Rothes (H) 8pm
Saturday Feb 28 v Fraserburgh (H) 2pm
Wednesday Mar 4 v Clachnacuddin (H) 8pm
Saturday Mar 7 v Inverurie Locos (A) 3pm
Saturday Mar 14 v Wick Academy (H) 2pm
Saturday Mar 21 v Nairn County (A) 3pm
LOTTERY WON – £14,900 JACKPOT
Well…. after 138 weeks the jackpot has finally been won!
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Kirsty Almond from Burnley, who has won our incredible £14,900 jackpot!
The wait is now over and we couldn’t be happier to be celebrating such a brilliant win.
She spoke on Tuesday to Laura, our Commercial Director about her win
Kirsty’s eight year-old daughter has epilepsy and uses a wheelchair, so Kirsty had been planning to re-arrange her house and bedroom for some time, and said her win could not have come at a better time so she was absolutely delighted.
Kirsty’s winning numbers were 5 – 8 – 11 – 14 – 17.
Strathspey Thistle Football Club would like to thank most profusely everyone who has purchased a ticket during the past 138 weeks, which ended with the record pay out from our fund raising lottery draw. As we have been intimating over the past 120 weeks or so on this very page, we will be changing how the lottery is played. We appreciate that after such a high jackpot there is a high probability not everyone who played last week, will be playing this week.
We thank you very much for your support over the past couple of years that the game had been in play – and hope that you will rejoin us in the future sometime.
NEW LOTTERY GAME STARTS AT £1000 JACKPOT
It will still cost £1 per attempt per week (or as many attempts you wish to pay for – you are not restricted to one). But what now follows on as from this week the following changes come into effect.
If you wish to play online CLICK HERE
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.
If you are not playing online and have physically purchased a paper ticket the 5 numbers chosen are to be marked by a cross (X).
- 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 the weekly draw.
- If more than one player has 5 winning numbers, the Jackpot will be divided equally among the winning players.
- 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.
- THE DRAW will take place every SUNDAY at 7pm unless otherwise advised.
- The entrant named on the ticket must be at least 16 years of age.
- All winners will be notified
THAT’S ALL FOLKS – REMEMBER OUR NEXT HOME IS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT – BUCKIE THISTLE ARE THE VISITORS- KO 8pm