Fort William Football Club are one of the most unique football clubs in the United Kingdom.
Located in the western part of the Scottish Highlands the club plays its football in the Highland League the 5th tier of Scottish football.
Picturesque and in the shadow of Britain’s highest peak Ben Nevis, the home ground Claggan Park is exposed to the elements during the winter months. While the prize for the winners of the Highland league season is a play-off match to enter SPFL League 2, it’s unlikely the ‘Fort will appear in the play off anytime soon.
This season (2018-19) sees Fort William sit bottom of the table on -8 points. Putting players on the field each week for fixtures is a struggle both home and away.
Mon’ the Fort
Fort William is a relatively young settlement. The town actually grew out of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (English Civil War) thanks to a wooden fort that was built in 1654 and used as a military base for English troops. Post Oliver Cromwell – after the restoration of the Royal Monarchy in the United Kingdom – the location was named Fort William after King William of Orange. He had ordered that it be refortified to control the Highland clans who were located in the region.
Subsequently the town grew in size as a settlement and it became known as a strategic meeting point. It was used as a base by military leaders to gather troops and used to suppress the Jacobite uprisings of the 18th century.
These days the town is sizable despite its outlying rural locality.
It has a population of over 10,000 people and is a major tourist center being a key summer destination for outdoor enthusiasts. More commonly it is known as being at the start/end of the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way which are used by cyclists and hill-walkers alike.
If whisky tasting and hill-walking attracts thousands to Fort William each year unfortunately Claggan Park does not attract the same numbers. The ground which is leased from Highland Council manages to capture the imagination of a few loyal locals. It is the fans of visiting teams which make up the bulk of match-day.
Attendances seldom get above 200 thanks to the distances involved.
Claggan Park has two enclosed stands that in total can accommodate up to 140 spectators. Currently the older rustic rundown stand is seldom used.
This season (2018-19) has been one of damage limitation on and off the park.
On the pitch Polish goalkeeper Mateusz Kulbacki is sporadically having to pick the ball out of the net as opponents pass the ball between themselves creating multiple chances. Off the field the players lack access to all weather training facilities and in the boardroom there has been resignations.
Before the season started a threat to withdraw from the Highland League all came to nothing but the club are teetering on the brink.
A continuous presence in the Scottish Highland League set up is something that everyone in the Fort William region is rightly proud of even when results often end up in double digit defeats to the larger sides.
Gaining entry to the Highland League set up was a fight back in the 1980’s until admittance was gained.
Stepping away from the Highland League will result in a decent into the local amateur leagues or the North Caledonian league.
A unique club with tradition and character being lost to senior Scottish football..
The club once put together a video showing just what football means to the town and the club.
See that video here.
Postscript: Fort William now play in the North Caledonian Football League having been relegated from the Highland Football League in 2022. They forfeited their play-off match against North Super league side Banks O’ Dee F.C who were promoted to the set up.