It wasn’t my intention to support Inverurie Loco. Works but, after a 30 year absence from the North, curiosity took me down to Harlaw Park in 2004 to sample Highland League football once again.
Inverness Thistle was my home town team and, in the 1970s, I was fortunate to watch the most attack-minded side I have ever witnessed – a side which consistently scored over 100 league goals each year, won every North honour, and included midfield genius Charlie Duncan who went on to have a long managerial career with Fraserburgh.
I promised myself that I would not get caught up again in the emotions of supporting another Highland League team – and here I am 10 years on, attending every match home and away (almost), and allowing Chairman Eddie Innes to cajole me into becoming the club scribe.
In truth I did not need much persuasion. Perhaps it was the red and black of both Thistle and Locos which rekindled my passion for local football. It certainly helps when Locos are playing Clachnacuddin (with all due respect to Brian Urquhart and my friends at Grant Street).
Locos are a well-run club with a fascinating history and tradition. They flirted with joining the Highland League as far back as the 1930s and membership in 2001 was long overdue. Although they have not yet been crowned as champions, but have been runners-up on four occasions, they have already made a huge contribution to North football, winning several trophies along the way.
This season they have been beset with some horrendous injuries, but with the team almost picking itself at present and several players out of their normal positions, they have ground out league results to keep them near the top.
A league draw at The Haughs and a narrow home Shield defeat in two evenly contested matches against high-flying Turriff demonstrated resilience.
Another positive feature of Highland football is the relative lack of scoreless draws. Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Fraserburgh was, therefore, something of a rarity, but a lack of goals was more than compensated by a game of endeavour and sportsmanship played in cup-tie style by both sides.
The one minute’s silence which preceded kick-off was a sombre reminder that many footballers made the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War.
That included Private Charles Gault who was a member of the Inverurie Loco. Works team which won the club’s first trophy, the Lovie Shield (County Cup), in 1914. He was killed in France by a bursting shell on June 3, 1915.