Players to gather for tribute to Scott
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The Scott Mackenzie Memorial Tournament will be taking place at Bignold Park, Wick, on Sunday in memory of the teenager who lost his life in a car accident.
A talented footballer, Scott (17) had a promising career ahead of him and was part of the youth set-up at Ross County before he was killed in December 2008.
The tournament is being organised by his parents, Eleanor and Perry, sister Claire and brother Perry, in conjunction with East End Boys’ Football Club.
All junior teams in Caithness will be taking part, along with clubs from Orkney for the first time. Around 400 players are expected to play throughout the day.
Scott’s sister Claire (30) said the event continues to get bigger every year and explained how her brother would have loved to have been part of it.
“Scott would have loved everything about what the event represents and that so many football clubs benefit from it,” she told the Groat.
“Playing football outside in the sunshine and just having a good time were his favourite things in the world. He would have had a great time with mates and, even though it has been four years since his death, his friends still come together and play football in memory of him.
“They never forget Scott or my family and to us it is a very comforting feeling. The amount of money that has been raised over the past four years in what is such a small community has been overwhelming.
“We wouldn’t dared have dreamed that it would grow to be as big as it is.”
This year the rules of the younger team games have changed as a result of guidelines from the SFA, with the matches for under-sevens, under-nines and under-11s being non-competitive but with under-13s and under-15s still remaining competitive.
At 4pm two special matches will be staged – Wick versus Thurso over-35s followed by Staxigoe United versus Scott’s Boys’ FC.
Staxigoe was the team Scott played for and Scott’s Boys’ FC is made up of all Scott’s friends and his two nephews.
There will also be plenty of attractions for spectators to enjoy including water walkers, a bouncy castle, face-painting, helium balloons and ice cream.
n Share your photos from the event. E-mail editor@nosn.co.uk
