Fort William

[Robert]

This could spell the end for Fort William:

http://www.hflhub.co.uk/index.php/2753-fort-william-to-play-all-matches-away-from-home 

They have always had issues with the pitch in wet weather, but this seems harsh to me, and could spell the end of the club which has always struggled in a shinty community. 

[Kingsmills]

22 hours ago, Robert said:

This could spell the end for Fort William:

http://www.hflhub.co.uk/index.php/2753-fort-william-to-play-all-matches-away-from-home 

They have always had issues with the pitch in wet weather, but this seems harsh to me, and could spell the end of the club which has always struggled in a shinty 

A report from 'a member of the public' sounds a bit iffy to me.

Have any other clubs in the league made a formal complaint? If not, it seems to me that the sanction is cruelly harsh particularly bearing in mind the circumstances we are currently live in.

 

[Robert]

The club’s statement is now on Twitter:

https://mobile.twitter.com/FortWilliamFC/status/1419935536559628293?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^profile%3AFortWilliamFC|twgr^eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3NwYWNlX2NhcmQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib2ZmIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fortwilliamfc.com%2F

It is really sad to read that vandalism has been part of the issue.

They have started fundraising to try to save the park.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Robert

[+Gringo]

I find it extremely difficult to understand how these vandals are never caught in such a small town. Is the a posse coming up from other conurbations or something? It'll be a real shame if they were forced to quit because of this. 

[Robert]

Out of daytime, Claggan Park is a bit off the beaten track so it will be quite easy to cause damage without anyone being in the vicinity.

It is many years since I have been there but their tweet says it is an open park, so presumably they cannot prevent anyone being in it.

Sadly many small towns actually have disproportionate antisocial behaviour issues due to the lack of things for people to do. That may be the case here. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Robert

[The Mantis]

Not been at a game there since the Caley days but looked in on the way to Mallaig a couple of years back. Gate was open and I just wandered in. Not sure whether the place could be secured or not.

[Kingsmills]

Very worrying to see Fort William scratch from the Highland League relegation play offs effectively giving Banks o Dee a walkover into the league.

I am sad to see the Highland league increasingly becoming an Aberdeenshire and Moray League.

I have a soft spot for the Fort. I appreciate that they have a number of issues, not least being in solid shinty territory but I sincerely hope that they find a way to survive and eventually prosper.

[Robert]

I had not picked up on that and I agree it is a sad end to the club’s time in the Highland League.

I was brought up in Fort William many years ago but before they were anywhere near the Highland League. They only had occasional cup games then. The town produced the likes of Donald Park, Duncan Shearer and John McGinley (the only one of the three to play for the club with around 60 goals in 90 games) but even that did not inspire youngsters to support the club or get involved.

They have rarely been anywhere bar last or second last in the Highland League and it is fair to say the fans of the other teams hate them.

The pitch has been an achilles heal and having to play their home matches away from home was a major disadvantage.

Their form had improved lately but too little too late.

They got a new Chairman during the season but he is a bit of a loose cannon and brought a lot of players in from English amateur teams at the expense of locals. He talked things up in this article:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/3811482/the-old-fort-williams-gone-chairman-john-trew-on-a-new-era-for-lochaber-side/

I wonder if this is the end or whether they will continue in the North Caledonian League next season. 

Edited April 24, 2022 by Robert

[Robert]

Done some digging. It sounds like many of the players they brought in were eligible for league games but signed too late to be eligible for the play offs! There was also an issue with the pitch for the second leg.

Seems they didn’t know the rules regarding player eligibility and couldn’t argue their way out if it.

A sad end indeed.

More here:

http://www.highlandfootballleague.com/News/Item/2113_Highland_Pyramid_Playoff_Cancelled_-_SHFL_Statement.aspx

Fort William have stated there are untruths in the SHFL statement, which is hard to believe. See the comments below the copy if the statement:

https://www.fortwilliamfc.com/news_article.php?id=48

Edited April 23, 2022 by Robert

[Robert]

This has appeared in the Oban Times. Sounds like the SFA don’t want to get involved in the dispute between the club and the league:

https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2022/04/23/fort-william-fc-faces-relegation-from-highland-league-after-player-eligibility-wrangle/

[IBM]

46 minutes ago, Robert said:

This has appeared in the Oban Times. Sounds like the SFA don’t want to get involved in the dispute between the club and the league:

https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2022/04/23/fort-william-fc-faces-relegation-from-highland-league-after-player-eligibility-wrangle/

Although Fort William never managed to make it in the Highland league it is sad to see them go and it is no surprise that the governing body does not want to get involved or even make a statement.

[Robert]

The latest on this. Personally, whilst sad to see them relegated, their statement lacks plausibility in my opinion and they should just quietly accept their fate:

https://mobile.twitter.com/FortWilliamFC/status/1520732010385485825?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^profile%3AFortWilliamFC|twgr^eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3NwYWNlX2NhcmQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib2ZmIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fortwilliamfc.com%2F

Edited May 1, 2022 by Robert

[Kingsmills]

What has happened to the Fort is very unfortunate and deeply sad.

However, that statement reeks of paranoia. Wick is a much further journey for almost all Highland League clubs and nobody is persecuting them.

Instead of wallowing in self pity the Fort need to get organised, do something about that dreadful pitch and win back their Highland League status on the football field.

Even in shinty county the second largest community in the Highlands could and should do better.