Foul! Game delayed by deer droppings

Nestled in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s worst football team also happen to have one of the game’s most rural pitches.

But even Fort William FC officials were bemused on saturday when they had to delay their match for 40 minutes – to clear the park of wild deer droppings.

the Highland league clash with Nairn County eventually got under way after staff had the unusual job of ridding Claggan Park of the mess.

sky sports cameras were on hand to capture the drama as they were filming a feature on Fort William, who are fighting for survival and have not won a game for two years. the kick-off was also delayed by the referee being stuck in traffic and the game eventually got under way 40 minutes late.

Ahead of the game, Nairn County tweeted: ‘Kick-off suspended due to the ref being delayed, the pitch currently waterlogged – and covered in deer faeces.’

the fixture ended in a 6-2 defeat for the home team, their 29th loss in 31 games this season.

Fort William player scott Hunter, 30, told sky sports: ‘I just hoped the game would go ahead. We can’t catch a break at the moment. It’s been a tough season but we want to keep the club going for the community.

‘We’ve got a great youth set-up here. If we folded there would be no football in Fort William for the kids.’

Announcing the delay on sky sports results programme soccer saturday, host Jeff stelling said: ‘Now you might have been hearing about the novel reason for a delay in the game in the Highland league, Fort William against Nairn County.

‘Players were attempting to warm up but there were deer droppings on the pitch, so many deer droppings that they needed a pitch inspection to see if they could get the game on. there’s an official on the pitch with a shovel. that brings to mind a phrase. No, I won’t go there.’

Fort William hold the unenviable title of being the worst team in the British senior game. their last win was against strathspey thistle in April 2017 and they began the season on negative points, having been penalised for fielding ineligible players last term.

the club has finished bottom of the Highland league 14 times in the past 20 years. last season, they even considered resigning from Britain’s most northerly senior football championship.