Former Clachnacuddin captain Robbie Giles said there was no way he was going to miss this week’s reunion of the club’s 1974-75 league and cup winning side.
Giles, who now lives near Perth in Western Australia, has made the long journey back to Scotland to meet up with his old teammates.
He also played for and managed Ross County in a distinguished playing and management career.
The Lilywhites side won the Highland League and Scottish Qualifying Cup 50 years ago and the Merkinch club are marking the achievement this weekend.
Clach clinched the title by one point ahead of Keith, and were five points in front of third-placed Fraserburgh.
The reunion will take place this weekend at Grant Street Park, Inverness.
Some of the players will take part in a question and answer session from 7pm on Friday and the following day they will be joined by other players and representatives when Clach host Formartine United in their final game of the season.
The reunion has been organised by former player and manager Peter Corbett, who was a key member of the double-winning side.
Clach Football Trust have set up the question and answer session on Friday night and are hosting a reception at the game on Saturday.
Strong turn-out for Lilywhites events
Hoping to attend is manager Sandy Wallace as well as goalkeepers, Billy MacDonald and Clive Windsor and outfield players, Alastair Kennedy, Donald Stuart, Donnie MacLennan, Alan MacLaren, Alan Stevenson, Mike Paul, Andy Kerr and Brian Black.
Striker Ray Mackintosh, who lives in New Zealand, is not able to make it, having returned recently for the celebration of Caley’s 40th anniversary of their invincible season when they won the title undefeated.
Those who have passed away include club chairman, George B Rodgers, trainer Billy Robertson, and players Jocky Clark, John Allison, Calum Nicolson, Calum Grant and Charlie Kennedy.
Giles ready for double celebrations
Giles said: “We emigrated in 2009, so it will be 16 years in September since we left bonnie Scotland.
“We were home nine years ago for a family wedding, so this is our second time back. All in all, the journey takes around 18 hours.
“I was actually thinking about having a celebration around this time to celebrate the achievements of winning the league 50 years ago, but I heard Peter Corbett had put it all together, so this was the perfect excuse for me and my dear wife Helen to come over. We’re making a holiday out of it this month.
“I’m really looking forward to both events. We left Perth at 38 degrees last Thursday, but for the Highlands the weather has been very pleasant this week, if a wee bit cooler. When the sun is shining in the Highlands, it’s at its best.”
‘The scenes were unbelievable. I remember being on some fella’s shoulders as we celebrated.’
Giles, who was a classy centre-half, recalled how the week unfolded when they got the better of rivals Keith then came from behind to beat Inverness Thistle to clinch the crown.
He said: “It was a fantastic team and we had a fantastic manager in Sandy Wallace. We were very fit and we had a terrific team spirit.
“It was a 16-team league, so we played 30 games per season. We were the third highest scorers with 72 goals, and had the best defensive record, conceding only 32 goals.
“We won the league by one point from Keith, who we played on the Saturday. To stay in contention for the title, we had to beat them, and we won 3-0.
“The crunch game was the following Wednesday night against Inverness Thistle. A victory would clinch the league.
“We were 1-0 down at half-time. We missed a penalty at the start of the second half and the late John Allison scored a header to equalise and then big Ray Mackintosh slammed the ball home from about 20 yards to make it 2-1.
“The scenes at the end were unbelievable. I remember being on some fella’s shoulders as we celebrated.
Boss Wallace took to the terracing
“Sandy got the best out of every one of us. He would stand on one side of the terracing and shout and bawl, ‘well done Gilesey’, or ‘well done Peter’. It was a fantastic time.
“It was great to win the Qualifying Cup, having lost the final the season before against Ross County.
“The goal which won the cup was a screamer from Donnie Stuart. It was a left-foot blast. His left foot wasn’t his strongest, but his winner was a screamer.
“Billy MacDonald in goals was fantastic. We had John Allison at right-back, Alistair Kennedy at left-back, myself and Peter Corbett in the middle of defence.
“Alan MacLaren and Donnie Stuart in midfield and the front four usually was Alan Stevenson, Charlie Kennedy, Ray Mackintosh and Donnie MacLennan. We had our own system, which everyone played to. It paid off.”
Medals galore for centre half Giles
Giles looks back with pride and having enjoyed such sparkling times in north football.
He added: “I was playing in the Inverness Welfare League. After a game one of the Rogers family asked me to give Clach a go.
“Once I was in the team, I was never out of it. I played there for 11 years and then I had four years at Ross County.
“I won the league and Qualifying Cup with Clach, and I won the Highland League Cup and Inverness Cup with Ross County – the only medal I never managed to get was the North of Scotland Cup.”
‘Nice craft in the middle of the park’
Full-back Alastair “Sugar” Kennedy, who enjoyed stopping rival wingers as a Lilywhites star, explained why that group five decades ago rose to be the best of its time.
He said: “There was great camaraderie and belief around the team. Whilst some of us were not maybe the best players that people might remember, as a team we were formidable.
“We trained and played together and we were very good friends off the park. We just gelled, with some outstanding players and some real workers.
“And we had nice craft in the middle of the park with the likes of Callum Grant, Don MacLennan and Donald Stewart. All such excellent players.
“Our fitness levels were also really good as we were quite a young team.
“We had strong competition in the league that year, but we had such a strong will to win.”
Kennedy’s special Lilywhites’ links
Kennedy explained how Clach family ties continue to mean so much to him.
He added: “For me, there was a long-lasting link to Clach, which was great.
“I was brought up in the Crown area, which was the opposite end from the Merkinch area, but my great grandfather Donald MacDonald was the provost of Inverness and I think he was the first president of Clachnacuddin.
“He was a great benefactor to the club and he opened the stand when that was built there. Two of his sons, I believe, actually played for Clach. There was a wee bit of history for me.
“I remember my dad, who passed away a while ago, was thrilled that I ended up playing for Clach for a while and we got won such honours.
“The Scottish Qualifying Cup (North) was another wonderful trophy which were also delighted to win that season.”
‘Richly deserved recognition’ – chief
Clach chairman Chris Stewart explained how that season in the 1970s stood out amid their list of notable achievements.
He said: “Clach have a proud history, winning 18 Highland League titles and being the only side to have competed in every season that the league title has been played for.
“In 1974-75, we produced one of our best sides with an entertaining style of play that won us the league and the coveted Qualifying Cup and saw the club embark on a great Scottish Cup run.
“What a great highlight for our club and richly deserving of recognition 50 years on.”
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