Every Primary 3 Pupil in Nairnshire Receives Free Nairn County Shirt

Last week, every Primary 3 pupil across Nairnshire received a free Nairn County home shirt to mark the 50th anniversary of the club’s historic Highland League title win.

Nearly 200 pupils from Auldearn, Ardersier, Cawdor, Croy, Millbank, and Rosebank Primary Schools were each presented with their shirt by a Nairn County player or staff member.

• Defender Millar Gamble returned to his old school, Ardersier Primary.
• Forward Ben Barron visited Rosebank, where he was taught, as well as Auldearn.
• Midfielder Tyler Eadie greeted pupils at Cawdor, his former school, before heading to Croy.
• Manager Wayne Mackintosh went back to Millbank to hand over the shirts.

Alongside their shirt, each pupil also received:

• A personal letter from manager Wayne Mackintosh
• A free matchday voucher for parents, guardians, or family members to attend our upcoming home game against Keith on Saturday 11 October (with under-16s always free at Station Park)
• A £5 food and drink voucher to use at the game
• A poster of the full squad
• A fun goody bag kindly provided by our main partner, Murray Travel

“Something Truly Meaningful”

Explaining the inspiration behind the initiative, Club Chairman Kevin Reid said:

“We wanted to do something truly meaningful to celebrate this milestone. We wanted something that brings the community into the heart of the club’s history. Research shows that around Primary Three age is when many children start to form lifelong loyalties in football. We don’t expect Nairn County to be every child’s first team, but we’d love to be their second. More than that, we want them to feel part of their local club and to become regular faces at Station Park for years to come.”

Backed by a Nairn Native

This ambitious project was made possible by the generosity of our club partner, Ralph Sayer. The Edinburgh-based solicitors and estate agents not only funded the initiative but also provided additional support to ensure every child received a food and drink voucher.

Reid added:

“We’re incredibly grateful to Ralph Sayer for backing this project. Their support has been vital, and without it, we simply couldn’t have delivered this for the young people of our community.”

Special thanks go to CEO Ivan Ralph, a Nairn native and lifelong County supporter, whose passion and generosity made the initiative possible.

“County have always retained a special place in my heart and I am delighted to help with this initiative as the club marks the 50th anniversary of becoming Highland League champions,” Ivan said.

“I was actually in Primary 3 myself when I went with my dad to see Nairn win the title in a play-off against Fraserburgh and remember the occasion well. I went on to be a ball boy at Station Park, at the same time as the likes of Bryan Gunn, Eric Black, and John McGinley were coming through.

It’s a great way to encourage the next generation of Nairn County supporters, and we’re all looking forward to seeing the kids proudly wearing their shirts at Station Park this season.”

The Shirt: Past, Present & Future

The special 50th anniversary shirt is steeped in club history. Designed in homage to the 1975/76 strip, the only season Nairn County lifted the Highland League title, it features:

• The names of all squad members and coaches from that historic campaign
• A squad photo from 1975/76 printed on the back
• A sleeve reference to our status as Highland League champions

This design links the club’s past, present, and future. A celebration of history, the current squad, and the next generation of fans.

Looking Ahead

We look forward to welcoming families, pupils, and supporters to Station Park on Saturday 11 October, when we host Keith as we continue to celebrate 50 years since that unforgettable triumph.