Highland League Football Club based at Seafield Park, Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland
As opposed to our usual Sunday draws the dates of the next three draws over the Festive Period are:
Tues. 28th December 2021
Tues. 4th January 2022
Sun. 9th January 2022
Tickets may be purchased up to the days of the draws
(i.e. up to 1900hrs at the Claymore Bar and online up to 1800hrs).
Thank you all and as ever good luck.
Saturday 18 December
Unfortunately the aforementioned fire in the engine room was not enough to thaw out Seafield Park today!!
As you will have seen from our Twitter and Facebook feeds our match with Forres Mechanics has been postponed due to a frozen pitch which means our next game will be now after Christmas – another home game, this time against Inverness Clachnacuddin – kick off 3pm.
All of us at Strathspey Thistle wish you a very safe and enjoyable Christmas.
Home Match v Forres Mechanics – Seafield Park, Grantown
Saturday 18 December 2021 – KO 3pm
Let’s hope there’s plenty of fire in the engine room this Saturday when we look forward to Forres Mechanics’ second visit to Seafield Park this season. Following on from a friendly and a one-nil win on a sunny afternoon in July, we hope that we can repeat or better that result and collect three points which would make a nice Christmas present to our loyal supporters.
We were unfortunate last week to go down by a goal to nil at Wick. Just after the start of the second half we lost Rob Donaldson, our keeper, to a red card decision – the referee deemed his tackle on a Wick player to be of the “ denying a player of a goal scoring opportunity” kind even though according to the Jags representatives at the match there was cover behind him – which means an automatic one game suspension for Rob. Andrew Skinner took over in goals as Mike McCallum was not on the subs bench as he has a broken finger and will be out for some time.
Andrew played “a blinder”, as they say, making a few very decent saves and may be back on goal keeping duties on Saturday. Both the SFA and the Highland League allow us to sign a goalkeeper to temporarily cover and manager Charlie Brown and the rest of the signing team are scouring the North for someone suitable….. . We wish whoever is in goal and the rest of the team all the best.
REMEMBER STAY SAFE IF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE GAME.
Also one for your diary….this is the first of two home games in a row in the Breedon Highland League…we host Inverness Clachnacuddin on Monday 27 December – kick off 3pm.
Speaking of early Christmas presents there will be a special offer for half-season tickets only available at the front gate from Graeme’s box-office at the Forres and Clach games – as from this Saturday’s game we have still 9 home matches to play and the cost for a full ticket will be £50.00 : Concessions (over 60 and between 12-15 Years) will be £25.00 – as ever supervised under 12’s get in free.
According to my calculations that is £5/£2.50 per game which is some bargain.
Also available will be some more late Christmas presents…club merchandise…..hats, scarves, badges etc
The jackpot stands at £1300 for this weeks draw – if you want to play online click on the lottery logo>>>>>>
Thank you and good luck
Yes, weather permitting its the long drive north to Harmsworth Park (KW1 5NH) and our first encounter this year in the Breedon Highland League with Wick Academy FC.
It is always a very warm welcome we supporters and committee get from our friends in the north although that will probably not be replicated on the park and a tough game will ensue.
Missing on the pitch will be goalie Mike MacCallum who has a broken finger, so that means Robbie Donaldson regains the position he had at the start of the season. Also missing could be Stephen Rennie and James Fraser who will both have late fitness tests. Manager Charlie Brown was quoted in this weeks “Strathie” as saying “ It will be a heavy pitch and we are expecting a very tough game”.
As Christmas is now just a few days away there might still be time to visit THE CLUB’S MERCHANDISE SHOP (see top of page) to see if you can order some Jags merch for your loved ones’ Xmas stockings……
As ever Sunday is Lottery Day and we again thank you all for your support either on paper or online >>>>>>>>please click on our Lottery logo>>>>>>…..just a thought….perhaps a nice wee Christmas present might be a few weeks lottery participation.
Jackpot now stands at £1200.00 – GOOD LUCK!
A match against Elgin City at the Gleaner Arena in Elgin has been arranged for Saturday 4 December.
Former Deveronvale, Buckie Thistle, Lossiemouth , Forres and Elgin City player Steven Rattray has joined Charlie Brown’s coaching staff.
Read about it here from the P&J article ….Steven Rattray
Please contact our secretary Clive Wolstenholme : wolstc@aol.com for all the information regarding sponsorships etc.
And as ever, please try our online Lottery – click on the Lottery Logo >>>>>>
November 6 We welcomed Buckie Thistle to Seafield Park, one of the teams expected to be challenging for the league title at the end of the season and so it proved today. They ran out comfortable winners 6-0, four up at half-time, with Andy MacAskill scoring a hat-trick. Jags manager Charlie Brown said, “Buckie dominated possession for long spells but to be honest they didn’t have to do much for their goals as most came from mistakes by our back four.”
Before the game our Chairman Donly McLeod presented Jimmy and Eunice Munro from Elgin with a cheque for £5300 for a £1 stake won on the club’s weekly lottery. Checkout the club website to play the lottery online. The draw is made every Sunday evening.
November 11 Speaking to the local newspaper, Strathspey & Badenoch Herald, Jags boss Charlie Brown is hoping that winning at Grant Street Park, Inverness in a cup competition for the second time this season will act as an incentive to the players. In what was the team’s best performance of the season the Jags were very worthy winners 4-0. This time we visit Clachnacuddin in the Highland League Cup sponsored by GPH Builders Merchants.
November 13 Off to Inverness for our third visit of the season on a damp November afternoon. In a tight contest with no quarter given it was Clach who came out on top when their captain Martin Callum netted on 75 minutes. Neither side created much during the first half but the Lilywhites had the better of the second 45 minutes. To add to The Jags woes, on 88 minutes Stephen Rennie was sent off for a second bookable offence. The club will now concentrate on improving their league position starting at Inverurie this coming Saturday.
November 20 A trip on the A 96 into Aberdeenshire and Harlaw Park, Inverurie, for our game with the Loco Works.
Another very early goal conceded put us on the back foot and a second on 18 minutes asked a lot but credit to the players who took the game to Inverurie and deserved to pull back a goal on 37 minutes through Kris Duncan but another poor piece of defending right on half-time saw us go in 3-1 down. The Jags took the game to Locos for the first 25minutes of the second half and had we scored it would have been ‘game on’ but it was not to be. Two more goals were conceded on 76 and 81 minutes for Inverurie to run out winners 5-1.
November 24 The club announced the signing, on loan, of 18-year-old striker Shane Harkness from Rothes FC until the end of the season. Shane goes straight into the squad for Saturday’s home game with Huntly. Jake Thomson who was with us on a season long loan from Elgin City has returned to Elgin as he has just had an operation on his ankle and will be out for 3 to 4 months.
November 26 Heavy snow started falling in Grantown which resulted in the game on the 27th with Huntly being called off. It was decided that as both clubs were free on Saturday December 4 the game would be played then at Seafield Park, weather permitting.
November 30 The Highland Football League decided that the game on Saturday December 4 with Huntly was to be postponed until later in the season. This was due to continuing poor weather forecast for the area for the rest of the week but allows Huntly to play their previously postponed game against Brora.
Assistant manager Jamie McGowan also appeared on the Highland Football Weekly Podcast during the month.
Unfortunately we will not be playing again this Saturday 4 December as our rearranged home match v Huntly FC – postponed from last Saturday November 27 – has been postponed again. These are the joys of living in this part of the world as weather plays a very important part in how the season progresses and we have to adapt to it. Hopefully the Jags will be back on the pitch next Saturday 11 December when we make the long journey north to Harmswoth Park and our game against Wick Academy FC.
This is the statement from the Highland Football League website posted this morning.
“Please note that, as a result of Brechin City’s involvement in a Scottish Cup replay, the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup match between Brechin City and Brora Rangers, scheduled for Saturday 4th December 2021, has been postponed.
There is a consequent fixture rearrangement in the Breedon Highland League. It had been hoped to play the previously postponed match between Strathspey Thistle and Huntly on Saturday 4th December but pitch conditions and the weather forecast make that unlikely. Therefore, the previously postponed Breedon Highland League match between Brora Rangers and Huntly has been rescheduled for Saturday 4th December 2021 at Dudgeon Park, Brora, kick-off 3pm.”
Looks like we’re in for nasty weather……as you would have seen from our Twitter feed and and the Breedon Highland League and the Press & Journal – our game today against Huntly FC has been postponed to next Saturday 4 December. Lets hope for an improvement in the weather…mind you it is December!!
You could always play the Club lottery>>>>>>click on the Lottery logo. Thank you.
HOME GAME V HUNTLY FC AT SEAFIELD PARK
3PM SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2021
Last Saturday we travelled to Inverurie and unfortunately suffered another substantial defeat – but, as manager Charlie Brown stated in the local paper last week six out of the last eight league games we have played have been against the top six teams in the league, who have again significantly pulled ahead of the rest of us. We now have a had a run of games in which the both teams should be more evenly matched.
This Saturday we welcome Huntly FC to Seafield Park for a Breedon Highland League match – usual kick off time of 3pm – the weather forecast mentions snow, sleet and high winds so please dress warmly if you’re coming to the game.
Huntly are currently six points ahead of us in the league so a win for the Jags would be very welcome indeed!
A new face in the squad this week will be Shane Harkness, a striker, who has signed on loan from Rothes until the end of the season, and we hope he will be on the scoresheet many times before then!.
Jake Thompson, who has played ten games for us this season and scored one goal, has suffered an ankle injury and will be out for three to four months – Jake was on loan from Elgin City and has returned to his parent club. We thank him for his services, so far, and we wish him all the best for his future.
If you are coming to the game please note that there will be no car-parking on the grassy area to the right of Seafield Park for the foreseeable future. Grantown-on-Spey Golf Club have very kindly given us their permission for our spectators to use their car-parking area next to the Park over the winter period.
This will not apply to blue badge holders.
This weeks lottery jackpot of £1300 was won by local supporter Hamish Thom – and we look forward to seeing Hamish at Seafield Park again soon.
Remember the jackpot now stands at £1000 and again we thank all our supporters and friends who continuously support the club though the lottery.
Thank You.
If you want to play this week or to play weekly by prepayment please click on the Lottery Logo >>>>
This Saturday we visit the fine town of Inverurie and Harlaw Park (AB51 4SG) for our Breedon Highland League fixture against Inverurie Loco Works FC. We hope for an entertaining and enjoyable game of football….especially for us if we can come away with the three points, but I am sure Richard Hastings and his squad have other ideas!!
As ever with the Jags Lottery winning ticket worth £1300 it’s my duty to inform you that you can enter by clicking on the Lottery logo >>>>>>>>>>
Thanks very much to all our loyal Lottery supporters.
Also a wee aside, everyone at Strathspey Thistle FC would like to congratulate Steve Clarke and the Scottish Men’s football team for one of the best Scotland performances in years and years last Monday against Denmark…it’s getting better and better but I think Quatar might be a wee bit too soon. I hope I’m wrong!