North Caley football managers celebrate South African link ahead of match
A pair of Far North football managers found common ground 9000 miles from home on Saturday, when their teams played each in the North Caledonian League.
Bonar Bridge boss Bobby Breen could be forgiven for thinking he was the league’s only football manager with South African connections, having spent several decades of his life living there before returning to his native Scotland.
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A former professional footballer, the Dundee-born coach enjoyed many seasons as manager of South African sides Camps Bay FC and Greenpoint FC.
He is also credited with helping to set up a Liverpool FC Academy when the English Premier League club wanted to establish themselves in Cape Town.
But when he was approached by Thurso manager Tom McKenna on Saturday, he soon found out he was not alone, and that the two managers have a friend in common - in former international South African player, George Dearnaley.
Breen, who took the reins at Bonar Bridge after moving to the Highlands in 2023, said the Vikings boss came looking for him ahead of their crunch league tie this past weekend.
“Tom was looking for me on Saturday before the game, asking the committee to let me know he wanted to talk to me,” he said. “It really was so easy to talk to him about George, South Africa and the teams over there. I think we each have a new friend!
“I knew George from football in Cape Town, and Durban. I am a bit older than both of them as I played before them.
“When I managed teams in Cape Town, I would often see George around. He also owned a team called ‘The Magic’ and they did very well.
“When the ladies football started to get noticed on the world stage, George started a ladies ‘Magic’ team and they have been very successful, winning a trophy just a few weeks ago.
“He is well liked and well known in South Africa, having played for the national team.”
Tom McKenna, who was appointed as manager of Thurso during the summer, established his South African connection after he had started his playing career with Rochdale, before going on loan spells at Airdrie and Stenhousemuir.
Soon after his time at Ochilview, at the age of 21, he embarked on an unlikely adventure playing for AmaZulu FC in Durban.
It was there he struck up a friendship with teammate George Dearnaley.
The Thurso boss said: “I went over with my then girlfriend who spent most of her life there in South Africa.
“Once I arrived in Durban I phoned the local professional club up, which was AmaZulu. I told them my history and they invited me along to training, and from there I signed for the season.
A prolific forward, Dearnaley is credited with scoring 23 goals for the South African club between 1990 and 1994, earning the NSL Golden Boot in 1992 - the same year that McKenna, a winger, joined the club and played alongside him.
McKenna added: “I had a fantastic time, met some fantastic people and now I have great memories. I got on well with George. He was the local hero at the time, playing for the national side also.
“If my memory serves me well, AmaZulu had a policy where they would only play so many white players to keep their Zulu traditions and maintain a majority Zulu support.
“So, the white players seemed to gravitate to one another, hence our close relationship.
“I messaged George after Saturday’s game to tell him I had eventually met Bobby.”
After seeing a photo of Breen and McKenna on Facebook, Dearnaley commented: “Two very good players, now very good coaches!
“All the best to the both of you.”
