Gearing up for tomorrow's cup final - council colleagues but football foes
They are surprising allies in the rainbow coalition running Highland Council.
But two senior politicians – one Labour, the other SNP – will put camaraderie aside this weekend when their respective football clubs face each other in a cup final.
Brora councillor Deirdre Mackay and Nairn’s Liz MacDonald are leaders in their respective areas of the Highlands and have been friends for years.
They have something else in common. They have each enjoyed the fitness benefits of belly dancing.
They will be dancing to a different tune tomorrow (Saturday), however, when Brora Rangers face Nairn County – the holders of the North of Scotland Cup – at Clachnacuddin’s Grant Street Park ground in Inverness.
Mrs Mackay, the council’s Caithness and Sutherland area leader, said: “Brora have had a wonderful start to the season. Their results speak for themselves. The team is buzzing and the support is buzzing. It’s just great for Sutherland and the whole of the north.
“This is enormously important. Brora haven’t won a trophy since 1991 when they won this cup against Forres.
“There’s huge excitement locally and, indeed, around the world. We’ve supporters coming from Qatar, Dubai, Germany, Canada and Paris especially for the game.
“It’ll be a tight match though. We’re looking forward to the challenge. I’m quietly confident.
“We had a new team come together last season, but they’ve really gelled and now work well together.”
She added: “Liz and I have been friends since 1999. But on Saturday we’ll be throwing our weight behind our respective teams.”
Mrs MacDonald, the recently appointed area leader for Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey, said: “This is a very special event. We’ll have buses coming through from Nairn where there’s a massive fanbase. The whole town’s very excited.
“Winning the trophy would be just reward for the supporters who have done so much over the past year to raise the necessary finances to improve County’s ground.
“Deirdre and I are in the administration together and we work well as a team. Deirdre might be quietly optimistic because Brora have had a terrific season so far, but I think it’ll be like the Scotland match – I think it’ll be 2-0 for Nairn County.”
Nairn beat fellow Highland League side Wick Academy 2-1 in extra time in last season’s cup final. They have won the trophy seven times, while Brora have won it twice.
Probably only the eagle-eyed will have noticed that the impressive looking silver-plated North of Scotland Cup bears another inscription. It was “Made in England”!