Ross-shire's footballing roots recounted in new book
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THE birth of football in Ross-shire – long before the formation of Ross County – is now in print thanks to the painstaking efforts of a local enthusiast.
Ross-shire Football’s Forgotten Pioneers by Niall Harkiss (33), a company director with Metalwork UK, in Tain, was the result of six long years of research.
Niall was inspired to write the book – an early history of football in the county – after becoming chairman of his local football club.
He explained: "After I became involved with Tain Thistle Football Club I began researching the history of football in Tain, initially for the club’s website.
"But I soon found there was a distinct lack of information available. Pretty soon, after spending several hours trawling through newspaper archives, I came to the conclusion the story of how football began in the area would make a great book. Six years later, it’s finally finished."
The book, a fascinating read, follows Tain Saint Duthus FC and the Seaboard village sides from their beginnings up until the late 1930s. The book also contains a great deal of history about the local area and local personalities of the time.
Niall, who is now secretary of Tain Thistle, is also a historian and match reporter with the Dundee United Historical Archive. He previously ran the Home & Music Emporium in the town’s High Street.
More on this story inside this week's Ross-shire Journal.
