Fort William F.C.

Origins and the early years

The club was founded in 1972 by then chairman Colin Neilson and started out playing mainly friendlies and cup competitions, such as the Scottish Qualifying Cup, the North of Scotland Cup and the Inverness Cup. This lasted for 11 years, before they joined the North Caledonian Football League (NCFL) in 1983. They enjoyed a lot of success in their brief two-year spell in the North Caledonian League winning both the Chic Allan Cup and Morris Newton Cup in successive seasons, while also winning the Football Times Cup and finishing as runners-up in the league in the 1983–84 season. However the season after, 1984–85, they would go on to win the division outright making it their only League Championship to date.

Ever since forming in 1972, the club had tirelessly campaigned for entry into the Highland League, but were rejected many times before the club were admitted in the North Caledonian Football League in 1983. However, after accomplishing a lot of success in their two-year spell in the North Caledonian League, the club were finally given entry and would begin life as a Highland League club for the 1985–86 season.

The Fort played their first-ever Highland League match against nearest rivals Clachnacuddin from Inverness in a game in which the Fort won with then young striker Gordon MacIntyre scoring their first-ever Highland League goal in a 1–0 home win. Later on that season in early January 1986, the club recorded its highest-ever attendance of about 1,500 when they entertained Scottish Football League side Stirling Albion F.C. in the Scottish Cup Second Road, holding them to a 0–0 draw, before losing 6–0 in the replay at Annfield a week later.

Prior to the days of the Highland League and even the North Caledonian League, the Fort probably produced their most famous player to date. In the late 1970s, a very young player by the name of John McGinlay made his senior debut for the club at the age of 14 coming on as a substitute in a North of Scotland cup tie with now Scottish Football League side Elgin City, formerly of the Highland League. At the age of 17, he left the Fort to join up with Nairn County and would later go on to play in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers and even represent Scotland as a full international. He was also childhood friends with another now former professional footballer Duncan Shearer, who also hailed from Fort William, but instead played for the Inverness-based side Clachnacuddin.

Recent times

However, the club were unable to build upon their bright start to life in the Highland League and gradually season by season, began to struggle to the point where they had finished bottom in 11 of the 15 seasons between 1996–1997 and 2010–11. This included a record 17–0 away defeat to now Scottish Football League side Peterhead in 1998. Despite this, the Fort didn't finish bottom that season with the unfortunate honour this time going to Nairn County. In the 2008–09 season, they picked only a solitary point from 28 matches making it the Highland League's record lowest points total since its inception.

Unfortunately for Fort William, many matches during Autumn and Winter months are postponed, most times due to a waterlogged pitch a result of the heavy rainfall Fort William experiences. Their team is mainly made up of local players with many of them under the age of 25, making it quite a young and inexperienced team at times, although in recent years the side has shown much improvement.

Off the pitch during and after the 2008–09 season, the future started to look a bit brighter when television producer and former Lochaber resident Paul MacDonald, with his American Entertainment company PMAC Tonight, had planned to create a reality TV series based around the team. He had planned to import some of the best young American talent from college campuses across the USA in an attempt to take the Fort "From Worst to First" in what would have been considered as the ultimate underdog story. However, after much initial media hype, not much has been heard of the idea since and is considered to be placed on a permanent hiatus, although this could change in the future.

Fort William used to field a reserve team in the North Caledonian Football League, but were forced to scrap this team prior to the 2011–12 season due to a lack of playable pitches in the Fort William area, something which has always plagued the club. They were however able to set up an Under 19's team, who were set up with the sole purpose of participating in the Scottish Youth Cup. After receiving a bye into the 2nd round, Fort William beat rivals Clachnacuddin 6–0. The Fort were to lose 2–0 in the third round to Scottish League side Falkirk.

Their league form during the 2011–12 season didn't improve and after losing some influential players during the course of the season, they again finished bottom of the league for the second year running behind Strathspey Thistle.

In January 2015, the club made history when it recorded four consecutive league victories for the first time since joining the Highland League with a 2–1 success over Clachnacuddin.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Coaching Staff 2015–16

League

1983–84

Cup

1983–84, 1984–85

1983–84, 1984–85

1983–84

2014–15

1994–95

League positions

All final positions are from the Highland League.

Claggan Park

Their ground is Claggan Park, which has a capacity of 1,800, with 400 being seated, is often regarded as one of the most picturesque grounds in the United Kingdom thanks mainly to the stunning views of the nearby Ben Nevis mountain range. Claggan Park is mainly made up of standing areas around most sides and one rustic stand, but with plans to construct two new grandstands thanks to funding made possible by the Lochaber District council, this hopefully looks set to change in the not too distant future. The record attendance achieved here was 1,500 in a Scottish Cup 2nd round tie against Scottish League side Stirling Albion.

Football vs. shinty

Despite football's popularity in Scotland, the sport of shinty is more popular in Fort William with the town being home to Fort William Shinty Club, and Kilmallie, Camanachd Cup finalists 2005. The football club struggles to find players as a result of shinty's popularity. The club have been forced to sign players in their early teens and with a squad of only 16 players in the 2007–08 season, the club suffered 27 defeats from 28 Highland League matches, running up a goal difference of −142.