For the first time in more than 100 years, Forres Mechanics will not be competing in a league season due to ongoing concerns over the risks of Covid-19.
The Mechanics - which at the time meant simply those involved in manual labour or a trade - were formed in 1884, making them the oldest existing football club in the north of Scotland.
They settled at Mosset Park and were among the founders of the Highland League. Of those pioneers, only Forres and Clachnacuddin remain today.
The Mechanics, or the Can Cans as they are also known, and their distinctive chocolate and gold colours quickly found a place in the affections of their home town in Moray.
In 1903 a referee - according to Forres fans at least - had been overly hard on the Mechanics.
An unruly gang waited for him after the match and he was chased to the train station, all the while being showered with stones and mud.
Such incidents were not unusual at the time, but perhaps more newsworthy was the club's goalkeeper.
In his book on the Mechanics, The First Hundred Years, Colin G Watson tells of Orion of Aberdeen arriving in Forres for a 1900 Scottish Cup tie and learning the keeper went by the name of "Stump".
"But the visitors must still have received quite a shock to discover that the reason for his nickname was that he had a wooden leg," said Watson.
Hugh Fraser was clearly no mean keeper either with a keenly fought tie ending 1-1.
Foreign Mechanics
Following World War Two, the Cans were boosted by Polish soldiers stationed in the area. Among them was Henry Wisniewski, reckoned by some to be finest goalkeeper in the north.
Such was the Polish influence in the Forres team that some worthies were said to have labelled them the Foreign Mechanics.
Wisniewski was still between the posts for the Can Cans when Celtic arrived in town for a Scottish Cup tie in 1957.
Looking on from a distance on that day when Mosset Park was bursting at the seams was four-year-old Jim Mackinnon.
He watched the game from a small area just off nearby North Road.
"What I witnessed in February 1957 on my uncle's shoulder was a swarm of green and white and chocolate and gold hoops," said Jim.
Celtic would win 5-0 but the the crowd, colours and noise captivated the young fan. Jim was hooked.
He was at Mosset Park in 1964 when the famous Dundee team of the time arrived in Moray. The Tayside club had reached the semi-final of the European Cup a year earlier.
The plucky Mechanics scored three but Dundee hit them for six.
Jim said: "We were the only team to take three goals off Dundee in their Scottish Cup run other than Rangers, who beat them in the final."
'Too small'
Jim had only one ambition: to pull on the famous shirt and represent the Mechanics.
And as a teenage player he almost made it.
He said: "I was supposed to play against Inverness Thistle at Kingsmills and the club secretary, Willie Mackenzie, came to see my mum.
"She thought - rightly - that I was too small."
Jim would go on to become the Scottish government's chief planner and even be honoured for his work by the Queen.
But he said: "Would I have traded chief planner for playing for the Mechanics? At 16, absolutely. And the CBE."
Forres remains close to his heart. Trips home were timed to coincide with games at Mosset Park and he would join fellow aficionados for a regular "Mechanics lunch".
He said: "I remain a proud Mechanista with a Cans tie, scarf, beanie and baseball cap plus a tattered jersey in the definitive chocolate and gold hoops from the 1950s. I can still get in to it...just."
'Respect decision'
There are no Mechanics lunches or games for now.
On the eve of the delayed Highland League campaign, the club announced they would be withdrawing from the 2020/21 season due to the pandemic.
The club said: "This decision has not been taken lightly but we have put above all other considerations the health, well-being and safety of our players, staff and their immediate families along with the football club as a whole and equally as important, the wider community of Forres and Moray."
For the first time since 1901, a Highland League season will kick-off without Forres. In a town where the football club is part of the glue that helps to bring people together, their absence will be keenly felt.
Highland League secretary Rod Houston said: "We're disappointed but we understand how Forres arrived at their decision.
"We gave every club time and we respect the decision. There will be no penalties applied."
He added: "Forres were founder members of the league and we look forward to welcoming them back."
"break" - Google News
November 28, 2020 at 06:59AM
https://ift.tt/2Vd1R7C
Covid in Scotland: Forres Mechanics take break from league - BBC News
"break" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3dlJq82
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Covid in Scotland: Forres Mechanics take break from league - BBC News"
Post a Comment