Late Summer Days

At Seafield Park, home of Highland League side Strathspey Thistle where the hosts were comfortable 3-0 winners against Huntly on Saturday afternoon.

Admission in Grantown-on-Spey is £12 for adults, £6 for concessions and free for under 16's and the club have worked hard over the years to make progress both on and off the pitch, reflected in some of the ground improvements that have taken place over the summer and an impressive display to claim all three points.

Next home fixtures are on Tuesday 1 September against Inverness Caledonian Thistle (7.30pm kick-off in the North of Scotland Cup) and Wednesday 16th when Rothes are the visitors.

Net Gains

 

Taking down the nets one final time after the last home game of the season, a disappointing afternoon for Strathspey Thistle as they lost 4-0 to Turriff United in the Highland League but a very positive campaign on the whole with a best ever points tally.

A scene that will be repeated around the country over the next few weeks and here's to the volunteers who have made matchdays possible during the 2025/26 season.

Highland Fling

 

The pre-match scene at Seafield Park, home of Strathspey Thistle FC, ahead of the Highland League fixture against Formartine United on Saturday.

A hard-fought game was decided with three second-half goals, two for the visitors from Aberdeenshire in between an excellent equaliser for the home side.

A beautiful setting at kick-off on what was (initially) a lovely day in Grantown-on-Spey, admission was £12 for adults and £6 for concessions.

Keep Believing

The beautiful backdrop to football at Seafield Park, Grantown-on-Spey, home of Highland League club Strathspey Thistle last Saturday afternoon as they hosted Formartine United. 

A glance at the league table following this 4-0 defeat for the home side suggests another season of struggle after ending bottom last season and avoiding a relegation play-off only by virtue of no suitable club in the various feeder leagues finishing as champions. 

But new ownership has brought about improvements to the ground and, hopefully, fortunes on the pitch will follow suit. 

One thing remains constant and that is the warmth of the welcome on offer from the club's brilliant volunteers.

If you're reading this on Friday 30th then there is a home match tomorrow against Lossiemouth, after that it is a League Cup tie against Clachnacuddin on Saturday 14th September.

Battle Of The Jags

Bottom versus top in the Highland League on Saturday as Strathspey and Buckie met in the battle of the Thistles on a beautiful day in Grantown-On-Spey.

League leaders Buckie needed all three points to maintain their advantage over Brechin City in the title-race and would have travelled in confident mood of getting them given that Strathspey had conceded well over 100 goals in the season to date.

But the hosts have improved dramatically in recent weeks following the arrival of a new manager and they mounted a determined rearguard action in the face of both the visitors' attacking threat and the wind which was firmly against them in the opening 45 minutes.

Goalkeeper James Kendall saved a penalty just before the break and the second-half followed a similar pattern, Strathspey having just two outfield substitutes available perhaps preventing them from making the changes they may have wanted but the home side still offered enough of a threat on the break to keep Buckie alert at the back.

90 minutes had been and gone by the time the deadlock was broken, to cheers of relief from the large visiting contingent and the sight of home players on their knees, a second goal extending that lead at the top of the table and setting up a potential title decider on the final day of the season, Saturday 22 April.

If you're in the Highlands over the next couple of weeks then it is a great time to catch a match as the weather improves, you'll pay no more than £10 for admission, watch some very competitive football and likely have some glorious backdrops as well.

Postcript: Brechin won easily on Wednesday night to maintain their hopes while Strathspey's home season ended with a 1-0 defeat to Keith but the mood around the Jags is much improved as they look to climb the table next season. 

A Fan With A Pen

 

During the lockdown months off work between 2020 to 2022, Rob A. Clark, a committee member and the club historian of Grantown-on-Spey based football club Strathspey Thistle (in the Highlands of Scotland) kept himself busy by digging out his paperwork as Club match day reporter from the clubs first nine seasons of 1993-94 to 2001-02 and beginning detailed research into the history of football in his hometown.

What he discovered is an amazing few stories dating back to the late 1800’s and how Grantown-on-Spey individuals and teams played a role in the development of football.

In the next few months, the book of over 180 A5 pages entitled “A fan with a pen!” will be published by Thomson Partnership of Inverurie and Rob is inviting people to pre order a copy of the book retailing at £12.50 UK Sterling plus additional postage and packing costs depending on where the book – when it is available around late July to early August - is heading.

A donation from each copy of the book sold will be donated by Rob to the UK Charity “Teenage Cancer Trust” in memory of his cousins' son who died aged just 15 years old of blood cancer.

Please contact Rob directly to order a copy or for more information by e-mail to; afanwithapen@gmail.com or by post to; 34 Cairngorm Avenue, Grantown-on-Spey, PH26-3EX, Highland, Scotland.

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Strathspey Thistle have upcoming home games against Huntly on Wednesday 8 March and Keith the following Saturday.

Admission prices at Seafield Park are £10 adults, £5 concessions and free for accompanied under-12's.

As at all grounds across the Highland League you'll find a warm welcome, hard-working volunteers, competitive football and some stunning backdrops.

There May Be Trouble Ahead

Watching a game in the Highland League, especially at this time of year, offers an escape from the thought of harder times ahead.

So it was as Strathspey Thistle entertained Deveronvale on Saturday, those who had made their way to the end of Grantown-on-Spey's handsome main street and turned right towards Seafield Park perhaps looking for something to focus their minds on for 90 minutes, away from headlines which promised little in the way of good news.

The club's hard-working volunteers were there early, their efforts in spreading the word about the game and getting the ground match-ready rewarded somewhat with a first point of the season for the home side although they were twice pegged-back by their visitors.

A tenner on the gate is pretty much the norm across a league with some of the most stunning scenery as a backdrop to many grounds (click here for a view from the sky) and if you can make it to a game then you're guaranteed a warm welcome and competitive action.

A full fixture card takes place this coming Saturday.

The High(land) Life

 

Two matches in the Highland League this week, starting in the sunshine (after an earlier stint of wind, rain and hail) at Lossiemouth on Saturday where the hosts were pegged back by a late Strathspey Thistle penalty.

Lossie end their campaign with a home game against Brechin City this coming Saturday (April 16th).

Then, on Wednesday evening, Strathspey Thistle welcomed Fort William to Seafield Park for what was a 'home' game for the Fort, who have spent the season on the road due to problems with their own pitch.

Despite already being confirmed as finishing bottom of the league and facing a play-off later this month, Fort William gained a first win of the season with a 4-2 success.

Strathspey are also at home this Saturday, welcoming Inverurie Locos.

Highland Double-Header

 

I was lucky enough to get to two Highland League matches last week, starting with the 3-3 draw between Turriff United and Strathspey Thistle, the home side coming back from a three-goal deficit to earn a share of the spoils.

While not having the glorious backdrop of some of the grounds in the league, The Haughs was very well-appointed, easily accessible from the town and part of a wider complex that seemed very well-used by local children.

With a warm welcome on the gate, and change from a tenner for adults, Turriff's next home game is this coming Saturday versus Lossiemouth.

On Saturday afternoon it was to Seafield Park, home of Strathspey Thistle, and the visit of Keith in lovely late summer sunshine.

Situated just off the very attractive main road in Grantown-On-Spey, the home of The Jags has a mountain view at one end and friendly officials on hand for spectators.

Keith were good value for the three points and Strathspey will hope for better in their next home league fixture against Rothes on Saturday 11 September.

No Pitch Inspection Needed In The Highland Sun!

A second visit of the season to a Scottish Highland League and another sunny afternoon (inevitably slightly colder than August in Rothes), in contrast to the deluge that put paid to a large number of fixtures in England.

Kynoch Park, home of Keith FC, is a well-kept stadium in the centre of the Moray town, one where the tradition of a club that was founded in 1910 can truly be felt.

A warm welcome was extended to all, except visitors Strathspey Thistle who were on the wrong end of a 7-1 scoreline and could have easily been in Southampton territory if not for some missed chances and brave goalkeeping.