War heroes inspire new East Ross football team
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A NEW football team has kicked off in Easter Ross, taking its name from a proud squad which graced the area’s pitches during WWII.
Eastern Rose FC, based in Portmahomack, has drawn players from all over Easter Ross including Tain, Inver, Portmahomack, Fearn, Nigg and the Seaboard.
It was set up by Fearn man David Purvis and
a group of mates who decided to act after realising that keen young lads weren’t able to get a game.
David explained: "My lad who is just 17 is football daft but it’s difficult to get into a local team because they are so well-established and don’t have a turnover of players. There are kids around here who would love to play Ross-shire welfare football but unfortunately the places aren’t available."
Dave and his friend Brian MacAngus from Tain decided to get together and see what they could do for the youngsters.
They formed a seven-strong committee with local enthusiasts and set up Eastern Rose FC, a name which Dave explained had a fascinating local history.
"In 1944, during wartime, there was a team which used to play at the Fendom, the RAF bombing range outside Tain," he said.
"It was called Eastern Rose FC and it was made up of young local boys from Tain who couldn’t get into the Tain St Duthus side because it was such a popular team. The second year Eastern Rose was running, Polish boys joined the team. They were with a squadron at the RAF base and they wanted to play football.
"When they joined, the team became incredibly successful and won everything. It turned out that some of them were international players for their own football team back home and crack footballers! Once the war finished, the team folded. But we thought that 70 years later it would be a nice nod to the footballing past of the area if we called our new team of lads after the wartime Eastern Rose heroes.
"It’s history repeating itself if you like. The young guys who couldn’t get into the Tain St Duthus team formed their own side."
Some 34 youngsters attended the first training night at the TRACC centre in Tain recently, and Eastern Rose FC will play its first match on March 12, a friendly against Embo in Portmahomack.
The team has made an application for entry to the Ross-shire Welfare League and David is hopeful that it will be admitted in time for the start of the season in April.
"It’s for the community," said David. "We want this new team to work because we see that there are so many youngsters out there who want to play football but can’t get an opportunity."
A major fundraising drive is under way to help launch the fledgling team and a host of local businesses have lent their support.
Sunflowers Cafe in Tain has donated the strips, while Network Refrigeration in Balintore has picked up the bill for the league fees. Others contributing include Munro Fruit Merchants in Tain; Portmahomack Community Council; Castle Hotel, Portmahomack; Invergordon MOT Centre; A1 Home Improvements, Portmahomack; and Tain Electrical.
Any local youngsters keen to join the club should come along to training on Monday nights 8-9pm at TRACC in Tain, or contact David Purvis on 07999 844 706.
