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Loch Ness looking to continue progress following first North Caledonian League title

The newly-crowned champions do not have a Scottish FA licence, meaning they cannot compete in a play-off for promotion to the Highland League.

Champions Loch Ness celebrate their NCL title win. Image: Loch Ness FC
Champions Loch Ness celebrate their NCL title win. Image: Loch Ness FC

Loch Ness manager Shane Carling says the club will continue its search for a permanent home in its efforts to progress.

Carling led Loch Ness to their first North Caledonian League title in just their third year in the league, with the trophy presentation taking place after their 8-0 victory over Alness United.

It capped off an excellent season for the club, as they ended the campaign with a tally of 101 goals in 24 matches.

For the last 12 months Loch Ness have played their home fixtures at King George V Park in Fortrose, having previously used Highland Rugby Club’s Canal Park.

The lack of a permanent home means Loch Ness will not be eligible to compete in a promotion play-off for a place in the Highland League, although they will earn a spot in the preliminary round of next season’s Scottish Cup.

Carling insists Loch Ness will do all in their power to obtain the Scottish FA licence required to fulfil their ambitions.

Carling, who founded the club as an Inverness and District league outfit in 1999, said: “We are just going to keep doing what we have been doing for the last few years.

Title-winning Loch Ness manager Shane Carling. Image: Loch Ness FC/David Jefferson

“We will work hard to try and find somewhere to try and get our own ground.

“If we get a bit of land or whatever it might be, we will build. It might take a couple of years, it might take 10 years.

“We will just keep working hard behind the scenes to try and achieve it.

“For me and everyone behind the scenes at the club, we are all looking at the same thing. We are all looking to get higher.

“We could choose to stay in the North Caledonian League for a whole generation, or do we try and go that step further?

“Now we have won the North Caledonian League, the challenge is to go as high as we possibly can.

“Why not try? If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen – at least we can say we tried to do it.

“We will just keep working hard behind the scenes, taking each day as it comes and we will see what can happen.”

New additions bolstered Loch Ness’ cause

Loch Ness’ title triumph came a year after they suffered a near miss, when they finished just two points behind Invergordon despite leading the way for much of the campaign.

They made their North Caledonian League debut the previous year, finishing fourth in the second tier after the league was split on a one-off basis due to Covid.

After establishing themselves as challengers, Loch Ness set out to bolster their squad last summer with the addition of a number of experienced campaigners.

Carling drafted in the likes of Allan Macphee, Scott Morrison and Shane Harkness with Highland League pedigree.

Former Forres Mechanics winger Allan Macphee joined Loch Ness last summer.

The Loch Ness boss feels he has struck up an effective blend within his squad.

He added: “Last year, I wouldn’t say we overachieved as such. I did expect us to compete all the way right to the end.

“The top three or four spot would have been a great achievement for our first full season in the league.

“The boys did extremely well and finished second, two points behind Invergordon.

“Coming into this season we let some players go and the first thing we were looking to do was bring quality in.

“That’s one thing we definitely did this year. The guys we took in were all players with Highland League experience, even after January.

“To get these boys in made a massive difference to the team.

“We worked at the start of the season to try and find these players. Thankfully the players we got in have been great signings for us and they have made a massive difference.

“To have the mix of them coming in, along with the players we had last year, it has worked.”

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