11 hours ago
It has been a couple of months since my last update, and a great deal has happened in that time. Sadly, it has included the passing of Peter Gow, whose contribution to Nairn County and to football locally will not be forgotten. Our thoughts remain with Peter’s family and friends at this time.
As we approach Christmas, it feels like an appropriate moment to reflect on recent months and look ahead to what is still to come, both on and off the pitch.
When we appointed Wayne over the summer, we were very clear that there would be ups and downs along the way. I hope, as much as I have, that supporters have been proud of many of the team’s performances this season. There are, of course, areas Wayne and his staff are continuing to work hard on, and they have our full backing as we continue on this journey together.
This Saturday sees our final home game of the year, as we welcome Formartine United to Station Park. Once again, our hospitality is fully sold out, which is fantastic to see. I would love to see a bumper festive crowd along to cheer the boys on in what will be a tough and competitive game.
It was extremely disappointing that our recent away fixture at Brechin City was called off, particularly with both the supporters’ bus and players’ bus already en route. We have made our disappointment known regarding the timing of the pitch inspection.
With that in mind, we will be offering any supporter who had booked on the original bus a free bus ticket for the rearranged fixture at the end of January. Additional seats for those not originally booked will be available at £20 return.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Nutmeg Magazine for their generous provision of magazines for our supporters on the bus.
Half-season tickets are now on sale and represent a great option as a Christmas gift or for anyone looking to save money during the second half of the campaign.
Our hospitality offering is something we continue to review and plan to improve. There is plenty for us to consider as we look to the future and ensure we keep enhancing the matchday experience at Station Park.
A massive thank you goes to Derek Steel, Shaun Smith, Derek Bochel, and the rest of the grounds team for their incredible work throughout the year. Station Park is a special place to play football, and that is entirely down to their dedication, pride, and attention to detail.
You will have seen that we recently announced our Sporting Dinner, which remains the most important fundraiser in the club’s calendar. For the second year in a row, the event will be held at the Kingsmills Hotel.
We would love to see as many local businesses and supporters there as possible. This year’s evening will be hosted by Craig Telfer of A View from the Terrace, with the excellent John Gahagan as our after-dinner speaker. To book, please email info@nairncountyfc.co.uk.
We are also in the process of planning a Legends Night/Player of the Year Awards in Nairn at the end of the season. More details will be shared in due course.
With Christmas approaching, an easy way to support the club while making someone’s Christmas a little more yellow and black is by gifting Nairn County merchandise.
We have several new products in the club shop, including scarves, mugs, water bottles, and mini kids’ footballs, as well as a fresh delivery of home shirts. I know there have been plenty of questions about new woolly hats. We’re expecting new stock in the new year.
Thank you to everyone who purchased a brick during our Christmas sales window. The wall is really starting to take shape, and many more bricks will be installed as a result.
As always, the local community sits at the heart of everything we do. We hope to see many of you at our annual Christmas Eve Dip, which we’re delighted to be running in partnership with KG Scotland this year. It has become a staple of our events calendar and is always a brilliant way to bring together players, committee members, supporters, and people from across the town.
Thank you to Ian Finlayson for organising our annual Christmas hampers, which are distributed to important local organisations such as the Fire Brigade.
A huge thank you as well to everyone who donated gifts to our Mission Christmas appeal. Cash for Kids North of Scotland do incredible work, and thanks to the generosity of Nairn County supporters, more children will wake up on Christmas morning with presents to open.
From a community football perspective, Kenny Spink has been doing excellent work gathering information and helping shape a plan for the future growth of Nairn County Community Football. We are very excited about what lies ahead and look forward to sharing more details in due course.
As we head into the festive period, I’d like to thank everyone connected with Nairn County FC for their continued support throughout the year. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I look forward to seeing you back at Station Park soon.
Kevin Reid
Chairman, Nairn County FC
