Caithness football fest brings clubs £3k windfall
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A WICK woman whose brother died in a car accident has said that an annual football tournament held in his memory was once again a fitting tribute.
The town’s Bignold Park was the venue for the Scott Mackenzie Memorial Tournament when 54 teams took part in the festival of football.
Players from nine football clubs from Caithness and Orkney were involved in the day of good-natured competition.
At the final whistle they were all winners when they shared over £3000 that was raised to help run their clubs. Claire Mackenzie (30), along with her parents, Eleanor and Perry, and brother, Perry, were delighted with the response they received.
She said her family are so proud that so many people continue to pay their respects to Scott by having a good time.
"It was a really good day that was enjoyed by everyone who was in attendance," she said. "A lot of Scott’s friends took part and it was great that so many teams were able to play this year.
"Our organising committee is only a small group of people with the help of Scott’s friends who run the stalls on the days. But with their help and assistance from other organisations it was a very successful day and my family are so appreciative of that."
Around 600 people turned up on the day when, as well as watching action on the pitch, they enjoyed various attractions.
After the youth tournaments had been completed, it was the turn of the grown-ups in a special over-35s’ match where Wick claimed the bragging rights by beating Thurso 3-2.
The final match was an emotional occasion when Scott’s former club, Staxigoe United, played a team made up of his friends called Scotty’s Boys who won in a high-scoring affair to round off the proceedings. A talented footballer, Scott had a promising career ahead of him and was part of the youth setup at Ross County before he was killed in December 2008 – aged just 17. The annual tournament has raised over £20,000 since it was established four years ago.
Competition winners – Under-sevens: East End. Under-nines: Castletown. Under-11s: Lybster. Under-13s: East End. Under-15s: Thurso Swifts.
