October 5th 2026
Fans up and down the country approach the opening day of a new season with optimism and hope, and we are no different at Nairn County.
Our coaching staff and players have put in a tremendous amount of work throughout pre-season and go into Saturday’s opener against Rothes ready to go.
The summer is always an interesting period for any football club. On the playing side, there is the continual evolution of the squad. While it is always sad to see players move on, I would like to thank Callum Maclean following his retirement and wish both Dylan Maclean and Andrew Greig every success after their departures. At the same time, we are excited to welcome Jake Thomson, Finn Munro, Leo Walker and, on a permanent basis, Tom McHale to Station Park. I know Toshy and his staff continue to work hard behind the scenes to strengthen further in what remains a very competitive market.
For the volunteers who run the club, summer presents its own challenges. Balancing Nairn County alongside day jobs, family commitments and the occasional holiday is never easy. Finding time for the “nice-to-dos” can be particularly difficult and, like myself, I know many committee members have a growing list of ideas that we are eager to bring to life.
As always, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved. Nairn County simply would not function without its volunteers. If you feel you could spare even a few hours each month to help the club, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We have also been fortunate to welcome two university students to the club over the summer. Kiran Aftab, from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow, has been leading a research project on Club 1914, while sports journalism student Pierce Menzies has been writing previews and assisting with match reports before returning to university in September.
Derek Steel and the grounds team have once again done an incredible job preparing the pitch for the new season. The recent spell of warm weather has brought its own challenges, but an enormous amount of hard work has gone into Station Park throughout the close season.
I would also like to thank Jason Dormer and The Sign Centre for installing the new frontage at Station Park. It looks absolutely fantastic and is another welcome enhancement to our home.
We launched our new away shirt at the beginning of June, and the response has been excellent.
It is important to us as a football club that we celebrate what makes Nairn such a special place, and the town’s rich golfing heritage plays a significant part in that story.
I know many supporters have been asking when additional stock will be available. Unfortunately, we experienced a technical issue affecting the delivery of kit, but I am pleased to say more shirts will be on sale shortly. Thank you for your patience.
As many of you will have seen earlier this week, we are delighted to once again be running our Primary 3 shirt giveaway.
My sincere thanks go to Ivan Ralph and Ralph Sayer for their continued support in making this possible. This year, we will be distributing our new away shirt to every Primary 3 pupil across Nairnshire.
We will also be revealing our new third-shirt charity partnership very soon. The shirt itself is another cracker, and I have no doubt it will prove extremely popular while helping to support a fantastic cause.
I would also like to place on record my gratitude to Craig Walker and Culloden Cars for renewing their partnership with the club. Once again, our main stand will proudly carry the Culloden Cars name. Craig has generously donated his hospitality passes for the season to local organisations and community groups, while also providing opportunities throughout the year for supporters to win them.
As part of this renewed partnership, we look forward to announcing further activity with Culloden Cars over the coming days.
It has become something of a novelty over the past decade for us to begin a Highland League season at Station Park, so it would be brilliant to see a bumper crowd for Saturday’s home opener.
We are incredibly grateful for our loyal support, but if you haven’t visited Station Park for a while, I’d encourage you to come along and experience it for yourself. Local support is what drives both the team and the club forward.
Season tickets remain available and every sale makes a difference. They can be purchased online or from the club shop.
If you are unable to attend regularly but would still like to support the club, there are other ways to get involved. Club 1914 membership costs just £10 per month, while our monthly 50/50 draw works out at less than £1 per week and offers the chance to win cash prizes.
I appreciate that times remain challenging for many businesses, and football clubs are not immune to the pressures of rising costs. However, if you are a local business interested in supporting Nairn County through match or ball sponsorship, we would love to hear from you. Limited opportunities remain for the season ahead, and I can assure you that you will be very well looked after at Station Park.
As always, we have an exciting programme of fundraising events planned throughout the season.
Last year’s Sporting Dinner, Legends Evening and Golf Day were all highly successful, and this season we are already planning a Sporting Lunch in November, another Ladies Day, an End of Season Awards event, our annual Golf Day, and several other fun events throughout the year.
Please keep an eye on our channels for further announcements.
As we prepare to embark on another Highland League campaign, there is plenty to look forward to both on and off the pitch. Here’s hoping for a successful season for everyone connected with Nairn County.
I look forward to seeing you at Station Park.
Up the County!
Kevin Reid
Chairman, Nairn County FC
