Long-serving league secretary laments depopulation in north-west Sutherland as net ‘casts further’ with applications from Dornoch and Alness United
The secretary of the North-West Sutherland amateur league says an increase in clubs from outside of its native area helps to “keep the league going” while hope remains that local villages may once again produce youngsters.
Amateur outfits from Dornoch and Alness are the latest ‘migrant clubs’ to enquire about entry to the league, association secretary Hugh Morrison has confirmed.
The league, historically, was created to serve the areas of north and west Sutherland, with clubs such as Kinlochbervie, Bettyhill, Tongue and Durness having competed for honours at different stages in its history.
Now only Lochinver and Melvich remain active.
But over the past decade, the collapse of leagues in east Sutherland and Ross-shire has seen the North-West Sutherland Football Association (NWSFA) become a safety net for clubs without an association to play under.
The league has now expanded its reach to the whole county of Sutherland as well as areas of Wester and Easter Ross.
The NWSFA now prepares to hold its annual general meeting on Sunday March 9 in Lairg – with the prospect of two further entries adding to its growing numbers.
Hugh Morrison, who has performed the role of secretary for the association since 1987, believes the league’s geographical expansion is really an indictment of the decreasing youth population in rural areas such as the north-west.
Mr Morrison, who is based in Durness, said: “The net seems to be casting further away each year, with as many as five Ross-Shire clubs looking to play under our league this season.
“It maybe just highlights the problem of depopulation we have in north and west Sutherland.
“This league started up again in 1971 to promote football in the north-west area – but sadly we have no teams between Lochinver and Melvich.
“But we keep the league going in hope that these villages will one day produce the youngsters that we badly need to survive.
“Whether it’s me or someone else who keeps it all going, that’s what we must do.”
Alness United, who compete during the winter as members of the North Caledonian League, are hoping to secure entry with a newly formed amateur team.
If accepted, they would become the league’s furthest flung team from the association’s native base.
They will be hoping for a more favourable outcome than Dingwall-based Mallard FC, who were refused entry to the league last year on account of their location.
Former Strathspey Thistle manager Robert MacCormack, who is now assistant to Alness United boss Robert Mitchell, says the aim of this new team is to “bridge the gap” between the club’s under-18s and their North Caledonian League set up.
He said: “We want to keep as many of the boys that have come through the youth set up and feed them into the first team squad, so it’s potentially something that could benefit the club in the long term.
“The idea of the team would be to introduce more of the under-18s into adult football with some of the more experienced players we already have in there to help.
“There’s nothing confirmed yet though. We have made the league aware we are interested in entering a team into the league, but at this stage that’s all it is.”
The grandson of former manager Rod “Red Rod” Maclennan, Stuart Maclennan, is the man spearheading the latest revival of Dornoch City.
The new boss of the ‘Zeebs’ said: “With me growing up in Dornoch and having been involved in the club from a young age, I had noticed how much the town has missed the football club.
“We have a committee mostly made up of close family members and people who know what the club is about. Things are going well so far, we now just need to secure a place in the league this season.”
A total of 10 clubs took part in last year’s league competition, with the teams playing each other once before splitting into two groups of five.
Tain Thistle won the overall North-West Sutherland league championship, with Helmsdale United claiming the trophy for the bottom-half group.
Mallard FC, who entered the North-West Sutherland cup competitions only during the 2024 season, have applied to join the Inverness & District amateur league for 2025.
