Shinty: Fort William club puts forward plan for new pitch amid surge in interest among youngsters

Shinty-mad youngsters in Fort William could soon have something special to celebrate.

Plans have been submitted to Highland Council to create a new pitch at An Aird in the town.

The proposal, by Fort William Shinty Club, would see a combined playing and training pitch created next to the present ground and clubhouse.

The pitch – mainly for the use of under-14 players – would be on recreational ground at Camanachd Crescent and the plans also include a surrounding boundary fence, a ball catch fence and four floodlight towers.

Club chairman Duncan MacPhee said: “Over the past few years, an increasing number of youngsters have been taking up shinty, which is great. We also have a new ladies shinty team, so they are all using our existing park as well as the two senior teams and our under-17s.

“We are trying to maintain an international standard on our existing pitch, but it is being overused, so that is why we want to create another one.

“New youth shinty teams are being created in the Inverness area and last weekend we had 19 teams here taking part in a children’s tournament. There were 190 players altogether, so we had to split our pitch into three for the competition, which takes a heavy toll on the grass.”

The new pitch would be natural grass and the total cost would be £170,000.

Mr MacPhee said: “This will be funded partly through the club with additional money from Sportscotland and our sponsors. Young people are the future of shinty and we want to give them as much encouragement as we can.”

If plans are given the green light, it is hoped teams will be able to play on the new pitch next summer.