Shinty: SpeanBridgebossstepsdownwithCampbellandMacdonaldleadingcandidates

Former Scotland manager Ally Ferguson has stood down as manager of Lochaber and the Marine Harvest Premiership club is searching for a successor.

Lachlan Campbell and Neil Macdonald, highly experienced players who retired from first-team duty last year but who have rallied to the cause when needed, are being tipped as potential candidates to tale the helm at the Spean Bridge club.

Pressure of work has been very heavy on Ferguson, who is managing director of a successful transport business which, as well as a fleet of lorries, has six ships.

Ferguson Transport is also a partner in the upgrading of the dry dock at the former oil yard at Kishorn, Wester Ross, to be a focus for renewable energy projects.

Ferguson has been manager of the Spean Bridge club for three years and steered Lochaber to last year’s MacTavish Cup final.

This season, however, the progress has stalled, with availability problems, and the team flirted with relegation before finishing one place above the drop zone. The 52 goals conceded in 18 league games was the highest goals-against tally in the top flight and it is understood a lack of commitment from some players disappointed the manager

Ferguson, a fine player in his day, spent most of his career at Lochaber but he also played for and managed Fort William for a spell. He was a winning international manager and more recently was assistant manager of the Scotland

“Keentoidentify anewmanager beforeclub’s annualmeeting”

side before stepping aside this year. Ferguson succeeded Robert Johnstone in the Lochaber role after the team was relegated in 2014 but was saved by the Premiership being extended.

John Fraser, who took over from Ferguson as second team manager, has also submitted his resignation.

Club chairman Michael Oliver is keen to identify a new manager in time for Lochaber’s annual meeting on December 1.