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Full name Aberdeen University Shinty Club | ||
Aberdeen University Shinty Club is a shinty club from Aberdeen, Scotland. They play in Marine Harvest North Division One. It holds the distinction of being the oldest constituted shinty club in Scotland, and therefore the world, dating back to 9 November 1861 in a document held by the University of Aberdeen and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2011. They are current champions of North Division Two.
Despite the club's name it is not a University club and participates at a senior level with students, non-students and former students in the team. However, there is also a student team which competes in University competitions under the same name. See University Shinty.
History
The club was established by Highland exiles in 1861. In 2005 the club had its best season ever, winning the National Intermediate Indoor six-a-side competition in Perth, the North Division 2 Title and the Sutherland Cup, only the fourth time the club had won the trophy.
In 2006 the club is still predominantly made up of Highland exiles although there are increasing numbers of newcomers to the sport taking up the game as they pass through Aberdeen University.
In 2007, the club ended up bottom of North Division One although they failed to play a game against Caberfeidh which resulted in the docking of two points which would have placed them a point clear of Inverness Shinty Club.
In 2008, the club applied for entry into North Division Three and were successful allowing the club to compete at a more competitive level of shinty. They knocked Skye Camanachd out of the Strathdearn Cup on 31 May 2008.
In 2010, the club finished level on points with Lochaber Camanachd's reserves at the top of North Division Three. A play-off ensued at Castle Leod, Strathpeffer. Lochaber defeated the University 3–2 with a goal in the last minute.
In 2011 the club won the third division by winning every game, they also lost to kingussie(eventual winners) in the Sutherland cup quarter finals. The Sutherland cup final was held at the Aberdeen university due to the club celebrating its 150th anniversary season. the club welcomed Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister of Scotland as patron.
The club finished bottom of North Division Two in 2014 but was saved from relegation by league reconstruction. They won the reconstructed North Two in blistering style in 2016, undefeated with over 100 goals scored.
There was also an Aberdeen Camanachd side in existence through the 1960s and 1970 founded by Peter English, which drew on the large Highland community living in the area for working in North Sea oil.