HOME MATCH v HUNTLY FC BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE SEAFIELD PARK, GRANTOWN PH26 3HY WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 2023 – KO 8pm
The floodlights will be on in anticipation of welcoming Huntly FC and their supporters to Seafield Park. Currently sitting in tenth spot in the league on thirty five points Huntly are having a good season and have amassed a very respectable seventeen points since the turn of the year so The Jags know that this will be another tough game.
However, after last Wednesday’s three points in Wick and a game-by-game visible improvement in performance Robert and the boys will be hoping of more of the same, in the first of four home games in a row. In our first game at Seafield Park since the 4th of February there are many home debutants not least our new management duo of Robert MacCormack and Mike Rae who will occupy the home dug-out for the first time. It will also be the first chance for home fans to see our new signings Michael Grimes, Jake Lockett and Michael Mackenzie, who opened his Jags goal scoring account last week in Wick.
Hopefully we will continue the good performances to make the home fans head home smiling…
For any Huntly supporters visiting Seafield Park for the first time or returning ones wanting a refresher please click here for information.
EASY-PLAY THE JAGS ONLINE LOTTO FUNDRAISER
Join the Strathy Jags family in raising vital funds for the club through Online Lotto hosted by Clubforce. Choose 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 52 weeks (2 weeks free) and add extra lines. Tick auto-renewal to avoid the hassle of reminders. Thank you for helping the club – it is much appreciated.
Normally at this time on a Saturday we are preparing for our afternoon’s Breedon Highland League match but the way the league keeps certain Saturdays for re-arranged games we are not involved this time.
So it gives us a chance to assess our fortunes this week which since five o’clock last Saturday have been very good indeed.
Three o’clock on Saturday saw us at The Haughs in Turriff and what was the proverbial game of two halves. After a very good first half according to manager Robert MacCormack we were the better team by being hard to beat and hitting Turriff on the counter and, also, missed a good chance to take the lead. After the break we went one down and again missed a big opportunity to level …..and after that the heads dropped and there followed a shocking twenty minutes or so when we lost a further four goals – the scoreline looks as though we were on the end of a hammering but it wasn’t like that at all – we conceded so many poor goals. A positive from the game was former Alness United forward Michael Mackenzie’s debut performance.
Now, the good stuff…..
NEW ASSISTANT MANAGER
Tuesday saw the announcement of Michael Rae’s appointment as Assistant Manager.
The former Rangers goalkeeper whose past clubs include Ross County, Buckie Thistle and Lossiemouth was assistant at Nairn County until last September and joins the Jags until the summer of 2024.
Boss Robert MacCormack said in the local paper The Strathspey and Badenoch Herald that he was absolutely delighted to get Mike as his assistant. “As well as a massive coup for the Club, he will undoubtedly help the Club get where we want to go and from a personal point of view it will be a massive help to me with his experience and knowledge of the game”.
AWAY GAME v WICK ACADEMY FC
So, it was Wednesday and we made the long trip up the A9 and a midweek Breedon Highland League match against Wick Academy to notch up our first victory since the start of November.
Daniel Whitehorn, scorer of the Jags first goal on Wednesday at Wick
After he enjoyed a well deserved pie and a cuppa after the journey north, our eyes at the match reported that we started the game really well and deservedly scored first on thirty two minutes through Daniel Whitehorn and it remained 1-0 until the break.
Although Wick went down to ten on fifty minutes they equalised on sixty minutes, but, two minutes later new boy Michael Mackenzie scored his first for the Jags’ and their second goal of the evening to make it 2-1. The Jags could have scored again very late on but the chance was missed. Asked his thoughts after the match the Boss said “Absolutely delighted!”
JACK DAVISON CONTRACT EXTENSION Then Thursday brought more good news with the announcement that Jack Davison has extended his contract until the summer of 2024.
Jack Davison
The Gaffer said “I am delighted that Jack has agreed to stay at the Club until June 2024. As we continue to rebuild the squad keeping Jack is a massive part of what we are trying to achieve. I have worked with Jack previously and know how good a player he is, and when I came here I was very much looking forward to working with him again.”
We now look forward to the first of four home fixtures in a row starting on Wednesday night against Huntly – weather permitting again ! – so it would be great to see you at Seafield Park supporting the Jags.
FUNDRAISING LOTTERY NEWS
This week the jackpot is now £3800 – to play online just click here . Thank you.
AWAY MATCH v WICK ACADEMY FC BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE HARMSWORTH PARK, WICK, KW1 5NH WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH – KO 8pm
It’s off up the A9 again on Wednesday, for our meeting under the Harmsworth Park lights, in a Breedon Highland League game against a Wick Academy team whose path this year can be compared on a slightly similar vein to our own. We have both suffered comprehensive beatings from the top six league clubs and have put in some decent performances in other games – mind you, Wick’s defensive record is far superior to ours as is their points total – twenty one points as against our six.
Mikey Grimes and Liam McDade are back in the squad but James McShane through work committments is unavailable as is Seamus MCConoghy who has a hamstring injury.
Even although we had a mad twenty minute spell last week at Turriff, the boys are beginning to show signs of recovery from which has, after all, been not too good a season so far….but hopefully on Wednesday there will be more signs of positivity and improvement for the new management team of Robert MacCormack and Mike Rae to enjoy – heading home to Grantown with a point or two would be nice….and then be ready for the next run of games.
Yes, it’s going to feel like eight days a week after next Saturday’s rest day as we prepare for four home games in a row…Huntly, Clach, Buckie Thistle & Keith – fortunately there’s a bit of respite for the pitch between the Clach and Buckie games. The Keith game is our last home game of the season so it would be great if you can come along to at least one or two of the games – the two games under the floodlights are always atmospheric and there’s also the visit of title contenders Buckie Thistle on the April 8 ………
Strathspey Thistle FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Mike Rae as Assistant Manager.
Mike, originally from Inverness was with Rangers for four years and more recently was the assistant boss at Nairn County.
He joins up with new boss Robert MacCormack in an exciting development for the club – and they will be using our final six games to develop the squad they want to take forward for next year, beginning with a strong pre-season in June.
As Jags fans we would like to welcome Mike to the Club and wish him every success and we look forward to meeting and seeing him and Robert in the home dug out for their first home fixture next Wednesday night (29 March) in a re-arranged match against Huntly, which is then followed by a further three home games.
Firstly…….we play Wick Academy FC in Wick tomorrow night.
AWAY MATCH v TURRIFF UNITED FC BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE THE HAUGHS, QUEEN’S ROAD, TURRIFF, AB534DY SATURDAY 18 MARCH 2023 – KO 3pm
This Saturday sees us heading east to Turriff and to The Haughs.
Turriff United sit in eleventh position in the Breedon Highland League, their best season for a few years although faltering a wee bit over the last half-dozen or so games, with the exception of a good win against Fraserburgh, so again we will be fighting hard for points – hopefully leaving Turriff with a result….unlike the Government and the saga “o’ the Turra Coo”.
TEAM NEWS
Manager Robert MacCormack informed us this week that, as they have missed the last two league matches due to bad weather, the team played a friendly on Tuesday night against Nairn County Reserves. We won 5-1with Jordan Shaw, a returning loanee, and Jake Lockett scoring one goal and Jack Davison getting a hat-trick. Robert said overall it was well worth taking the game, getting much needed match time after our enforced break. With regards the squad for the Turriff game, captain James McShane returns from work duties and new signing Michael McKenzie is set to make his debut.
But as discussed at length at the last committee meeting everyone of us at Strathspey Thistle will, if we want to survive and have a more competitive team over the next few months and years, have to show as much commitment as we possibly can.
KITMAN (TEMPORARY)
Chairman Donly McLeod takes a break for a smile between the home and away kits….
Speaking of commitment this week’s behind the scenes look at what goes on day-to-day at a Highland Football League club in March……Chairman Donly McLeod’s Tuesday morning was sorting out the players kit after laundering before the trips to Turriff and next Wednesday’s visit to Wick……..the committee would love to hear from any person who would be willing to help us out with the kit.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
As stated above we have to visit Turriff this Saturday followed by a trip up the A9 to Wick next Wednesday night and there then follows four home matches in a row – two on Wednesday evenings under the floodlights and two at the more traditional time of three o’clock on a Saturday afternoon.
Wednesday 29 March v Huntly FC
Saturday 1 April v Inverness Clachnacuddin FC
Saturday 8 April v Buckie Thistle FC
Wednesday 12 April v Keith FC
And these games Jags fans, are the last home games of season 2022/2023.
We finish it off with with a visit to Banks O’ Dee on 15 April and Fraserburgh on the 22nd.
LOTTERY FUNDRAISING
This week the Jackpot is £3700 – click here and have a chance of winning – and supporting the Club – Thanks!
MATCH OFF v KEITH FC BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE SEAFIELD PARK, GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY, PH26 3HY SATURDAY 11 MARCH 2023
MATCH OFF
Just as many parts of Scotland are under snow and ice, and with night temperatures falling to over minus12 degrees, it will come as no real surprise to learn that tomorrow’s match with Keith FC has been postponed.
This will mean having to play, sometimes, two games a week and at the moment we only know the confirmed March dates. They are both away games – Turriff on Saturday18 and Wick Academy on Wednesday 22 – so we await notification from the League as to when they will manage to re-arrange the fixtures – which obviously means times that are suitable for both clubs, as for example, Saturday 25 March is the second matchday we miss – there being nineteen clubs in the league. So our social media will strive to keep y’all informed.
It is a pity that the Keith game fell foul of the weather as there was a sizeable media interest.
Captain James McShane modelling our home and away kits a couple of years ago ….
KIT
One of the upshots of having games postponed is there is no rush to the laundry delivering and collecting the team strips – although that changes later on in the season when there are two games a week !!
………and speaking of kit, the Club are looking for someone who would like to help us out as KITMAN or KITWOMAN….. until recently a committee member had been organising this but as he has since left, we would like some help with this so if you would be willing to give us a hand that would be brilliant….please contact any committee member or email : Mr Secretary Clive on strathspeythistlefc@highlandleague.com
FUNDRAISING LOTTERY
Just because the boys are not able to play on the park this weekend, you are very welcome to play the Club fundraising lottery game. This week’s jackpot is £3600 – play here and thanks – good luck!
As a photograph this is scenically beautiful – but it’s bad news for the Jags and Huntly fans planning on coming to the game tonight – as you can see there is a substantial snow covering and with temperatures expecting to remain below freezing for most of the day and plummeting to -12 degrees or similar again tonight the game has been postponed.
HOME MATCH v HUNTLY FC BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE SEAFIELD PARK, GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY, PH26 3HY WEDNESDAY 8 MARCH 2023 – KO 8PM
Robert MacCormack takes his place in the dug out on Wednesday in his first home game as manager.
We host Huntly FC and their fine supporters at Seafield Park, in a re-arranged fixture from 18 Feb when our pitch was covered in snow – and according to weather forecasts the game on Wednesday could be in jeopardy of starting too, as there is a few centimetres of snow lying and temperatures of -12 expected tonight (Tuesday). Huntly, currently sit in eighth position on thirty-four points – three of them from a recent home win against title contenders Buckie Thistle – but generally their away form has not been as good as their home form, so hopefully, if we can put in the effort and guile that we did a couple of weeks ago against Nairn and Brora, it should be a good game and we can perhaps add some pointage to our league tally.
If any of the Huntly supporters haven’t been to Grantown click here for more information.
THIS WEEKS PLAYER NEWS Captain James McShane returns after work commitments. as does Mikey Grimes who has recovered from an eye injury. New signing Michael McKenzie could make his debut. We welcome Michael to Strathspey Thistle and we hope there’s many a goal to come and we wish him all the best! Hopefully we will be able to organise official photos of the new arrivals very soon. Seamus McConoghy is still 50/50 as he is carrying a knock so he may not make it – Jordan Shaw and keeper Michael McCallum have been loaned out until the end of the season, Liam McDade is unavailable due to work commitments and Rory Williamson has been recalled by his parent club Nairn County.
Hopefully see you all at Seafield Park on Wednesday night but I’m afraid it doesn’t look very promising and not wanting to be so but still being the prophet of doom the weather may affect Saturday’s home match against Keith FC too. The joys of a …..Scottish Spring?
That’s right folks we have the weekend off from the Breedon Highland League.
Last week’s visit to on-form Brora Rangers, who sit in fourth position in the league, was a vast improvement on the previous Wednesday’s result at Rothes. Playing a new formation of a back five the boys looked very organised and although we were beaten by a goal in each half, the first coming in the 44th minute, new manager Robert MacCormack was delighted with the effort and commitment put in by his team and, although beaten, there was lots of positives to take from the game. There is a report of the game and a good article about Robert in this week’s Strathspey & Badenoch Herald.
But having no game this Saturday doesn’t mean the players are not near a football, as Robert is using the day for a get together in preperation for next week’s two games at Seafield Park – we play Huntly FC on Wednesday night – KO 8pm and followed by Keith on Saturday KO 3pm.
However, we should be on weather-watch as prospects for the middle to end of next week is heavy snow and minus temperatures, especially at night, so fingers crossed for a more improved forecast nearer the time……..
ROBERT MACCORMACK
As we have no game preview this weekend we thought it would be an ideal opportunity to find out a little more about the new gaffer.
Born in Inverness, he attended South Lodge Primary in Invergordon – and then Invergordon Academy. It was during his schooldays, that he remembered vividly playing seven-a-side for Invergordon Junior FC. He graduated to Invergordon FC where he won the North Caledonian Division One and the North Caledonian Cup as a player, and then turning to management with Alness United, winning the North Caledonian League Division Two title which gained entry to the First Division. This year he accepted the offer of management here at Strathspey Thistle. The biggest influences in his football career, in addition to his parents, were Edwin Skinner and Wattie Stewart and the player he admired most was Steven Gerrard. Away from the Highland League he supports Liverpool and Aberdeen. So far, the best moments in his career has been representing Ross County youth teams and winning the division league at Alness United.
Robert has talent and ambition in abundance as well as great enthusiasm and everyone at The Jags is eager to see both Robert’s and our progress over the next few years so we wish him well on this journey.
Spot the ball…….
BADENOCH ROOFING There has been much debate between Strathspey Thistle and Grantown Golf Club over the construction of a safety net preventing footballs from damaging the slates on the clubhouse roof and there are talks ongoing for future net construction providing the necessary funds can be sourced. So, as interim the Golf Club have asked that we check the roof at various times throughout the football season and maintain where necessary.
This month we are indebted to the nice people at Badenoch Roofing who took time out of their busy schedule to help Strathspey Thistle fix some loose slates – we thank Andrew Borthwick for their generosity in completing this.
LOCAL TABLE-TOP SUNDAY MARKET
Massive thanks are also due to our intrepid lottery fundraising convener Graeme Stuart who set up a stall in the Royal British Legion branch in Grantown for most of last Sunday selling lottery tickets, a selection of club merchandise consisting of club hats and scarves, collectible programmes and football books normally sold at the ground on match days. The photo shows STFC committee member Tom Clarke visiting the stall and supporting the club also with a few purchases.
EASY-PLAY ONLINE LOTTO FUNDRAISER
As ever, the last word is encouraging you to play our fund-raising lotto game. This week’s jackpot is £3500 so join the Strathy Jags family in raising vital funds for the club through Online Lotto hosted by Clubforce. You can choose 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 52 weeks (2 weeks free) and add extra lines. Tick auto-renewal to avoid the hassle of reminders. Click here to play.
Thank you – your help in fundraising is much appreciated.
