Fort FC appeals to SFA bosses after league talks break down
cheers from the crowd for their recent fundraising activities in support of local Macmillan Cancer Support services.
Multiple winner of SSDT’s past Dougie Lampkin with number 67 also drew the attention of many fans in his bright yellow jacket.
The West End car park is given over to the trial for the week, serving as the start and finish and a great place for spectators to catch up with riders, commercial biking stalls and food.
Programmes listing all of the competitors are available by the bar and cafe set up in the car park. These are being sold by Caol woman Annette Chambers and members of her family in aid of the Leanne Fund which supports children and young adults in the Highlands and Islands who suffer from cystic fibrosis.
Annette, whose daughter Arienne has this illness, has been distributing and selling the programmes for more than 25 years and receiving a donation from the trial organisers each year. Throughout its 100 year-plus history the vital job of clerk of the course has never been held by a local person but this is about to change as current deputy clerk and local rider David Dignan takes over the role next year from present, long-serving incumbent Jeff Horne. David said: ‘I am really looking forward to taking on the full responsibility when
Jeff stands down. The fact this role is falling to a Lochaber
▎ local for the first time is also a great honour.’
While the Highland League remains tight-lipped about the outcome of a meeting with Fort William FC on Thursday night, the Claggan Park club told supporters on Sunday the talks had broken down.
There has been confusion for more than a week about the threat of relegation hanging over the club after it withdrew from two play-off games against Banks o’Dee last month.
In Sunday’s online statement, the club explained it had chosen not to make a public comment before now regarding the situation surrounding its withdrawal from the play-off games due to the fact discussions were ongoing with the Highland League Management Committee (LMC) and the Scottish Football Association.
‘However, after talks broke down at a meeting of the LMC with directors of Fort William FC on Thursday evening we would like to make a number of things clear,’ the club added.
‘Firstly, as many people are aware, Fort William’s pitch at Claggan Park was deemed unplayable by an unqualified person [contrary to LMC rules] at the beginning of the
2021-22 season. The decision was made by the LMC to make Fort William play their games away from home.
‘Substantial work was completed and the pitch was deemed fit to play games in September by a registered SFA referee, however, the LMC decided to uphold their decision to make Fort William play away from home.
‘This was not based on the quality of the park, but on their belief and assumptions about other factors relating to the club.
‘In the week leading up to the play-off games, the club contacted the LMC with requests regarding player dispensations due to our desire to fulfil the fixtures and our understanding of the Highland League rules regarding goalkeepers.
‘Up until 3.30pm on the day before the game, the LMC were unaware of their own rule regarding keepers and were wrongly advising the club. We were fully aware of the rules and as such did not want to enter into the fixture and be penalised should their mistake be found out.
‘We had a squad ready to play, we understood the rules, our paperwork was all in order.
‘The LMC decided that a pitch inspection was required at Claggan Park the day before the first leg.
‘An unqualified person [contrary to the LMC rules] inspected the pitch and declared the game should be moved. At no point were the club advised to roll and line the park prior to this visit.
‘Fort William FC have been in talks with the SFA during the past two weeks regarding the matters and the issues raised have been escalated. We hope a resolution can be found by all parties involved.’